Obadiah 1:9

9 Teman, your warriors will be terrified so that everyone from the hill country of Esau will be destroyed by slaughter.[a]

Obadiah 1:9 Meaning and Commentary

Obadiah 1:9

And thy mighty [men], O Teman, shall be dismayed
Teman was one part of the country of Edom, so called from Teman, a son of Eliphaz, and grandson of Esau, ( Genesis 36:11 ) ; and which it seems had been famous for men of might and courage: it abounded with brave officers, and courageous soldiers, who should now be quite dispirited, and have no heart to go out against the enemy; and, instead of defending their country, should throw away their arms, and run away in a fright. The Targum and Vulgate Latin version render it,

``thy mighty men that inhabit the south;''
or are on the south, the southern part of Edom, and so lay farthest off from the Chaldeans, who came from the north; yet these should be at once intimidated upon the rumour of their approach and invasion: to the end that even one of the mount of Esau may be cut by slaughter;
that so there might be none to resist and stop the enemy, or defend their country; but that all might fall by the sword of the enemy, and none be left, even every mighty man, as Jarchi interprets it, through the greatness of the slaughter that should be made.

Obadiah 1:9 In-Context

7 Everyone who has a treaty with you will drive you to the border; everyone at peace with you will deceive and conquer you. Those who eat your bread will set a trap for you. He will be unaware of it.
8 In that day- the Lord's declaration- will I not eliminate the wise ones of Edom and those who understand from the hill country of Esau?
9 Teman, your warriors will be terrified so that everyone from the hill country of Esau will be destroyed by slaughter.
10 You will be covered with shame and destroyed forever because of violence done to your brother Jacob.
11 On the day you stood aloof, on the day strangers captured his wealth, while foreigners entered his gate and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were just like one of them.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. a region or city in Edom
  • [b]. Jr 49:7,20; Ezk 25:13; Am 1:12
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