Obadiah 1

1 This is the vision that the Sovereign LORD revealed to Obadiah concerning the land of Edom.
We have heard a message from the LORD
that an ambassador was sent to the nations to say,
“Get ready, everyone!
Let’s assemble our armies and attack Edom!”

Edom’s Judgment Announced

2 The LORD says to Edom,
“I will cut you down to size among the nations;
you will be greatly despised.3 You have been deceived by your own pride
because you live in a rock fortress
and make your home high in the mountains.
‘Who can ever reach us way up here?’
you ask boastfully.4 But even if you soar as high as eagles
and build your nest among the stars,
I will bring you crashing down,”
says the LORD.5 “If thieves came at night and robbed you
(what a disaster awaits you!),
they would not take everything.
Those who harvest grapes
always leave a few for the poor.
But your enemies will wipe you out completely!6 Every nook and cranny of Edomt
will be searched and looted.
Every treasure will be found and taken.7 “All your allies will turn against you.
They will help to chase you from your land.
They will promise you peace
while plotting to deceive and destroy you.
Your trusted friends will set traps for you,
and you won’t even know about it.8 At that time not a single wise person
will be left in the whole land of Edom,”
says the LORD.
“For on the mountains of Edom
I will destroy everyone who has understanding.9 The mightiest warriors of Teman
will be terrified,
and everyone on the mountains of Edom
will be cut down in the slaughter.

Reasons for Edom’s Punishment

10 “Because of the violence you did
to your close relatives in Israel,t
you will be filled with shame
and destroyed forever.11 When they were invaded,
you stood aloof, refusing to help them.
Foreign invaders carried off their wealth
and cast lots to divide up Jerusalem,
but you acted like one of Israel’s enemies.12 “You should not have gloated
when they exiled your relatives to distant lands.
You should not have rejoiced
when the people of Judah suffered such misfortune.
You should not have spoken arrogantly
in that terrible time of trouble.13 You should not have plundered the land of Israel
when they were suffering such calamity.
You should not have gloated over their destruction
when they were suffering such calamity.
You should not have seized their wealth
when they were suffering such calamity.14 You should not have stood at the crossroads,
killing those who tried to escape.
You should not have captured the survivors
and handed them over in their terrible time of trouble.

Edom Destroyed, Israel Restored

15 “The day is near when I, the LORD,
will judge all godless nations!
As you have done to Israel,
so it will be done to you.
All your evil deeds
will fall back on your own heads.16 Just as you swallowed up my people
on my holy mountain,
so you and the surrounding nations
will swallow the punishment I pour out on you.
Yes, all you nations will drink and stagger
and disappear from history.17 “But Jerusalemt will become a refuge for those who escape;
it will be a holy place.
And the people of Israelt will come back
to reclaim their inheritance.18 The people of Israel will be a raging fire,
and Edom a field of dry stubble.
The descendants of Joseph will be a flame
roaring across the field, devouring everything.
There will be no survivors in Edom.
I, the LORD, have spoken!19 “Then my people living in the Negev
will occupy the mountains of Edom.
Those living in the foothills of Judaht
will possess the Philistine plains
and take over the fields of Ephraim and Samaria.
And the people of Benjamin
will occupy the land of Gilead.20 The exiles of Israel will return to their land
and occupy the Phoenician coast as far north as Zarephath.
The captives from Jerusalem exiled in the northt
will return home and resettle the towns of the Negev.21 Those who have been rescuedt will go up tot Mount Zion in Jerusalem
to rule over the mountains of Edom.
And the LORD himself will be king!”

OBADIAH 1

Edom's Pride //and Punishment

1  t The [Lord] God gave Obadiah
a messaget about Edom,
and this is what we heard:
“I, the [Lord], have sent
a messenger
with orders for the nations
to attack Edom.”

2 The [Lord] said to Edom:
I will make you the weakest
and most despised nation.

3 You live in a mountain fortress, t
because your pride
makes you feel safe from attack,
but you are mistaken.

4 I will still bring you down,
even if you fly higher
than an eagle
or nest among the stars.
I, the [Lord], have spoken!

5 If thieves break in at night,
they steal
only what they want.
And people who harvest grapes
always leave some unpicked.
But, Edom, you are doomed!

6 Everything you treasure most
will be taken from you.

7 Your allies can't be trusted.
They will force you out
of your own country.
And your best friends
will trick and trap you,
even before you know it.

8 Edom, when this happens,
I, the [Lord], will destroy
all your marvelous wisdom.

9 Warriors from the city of Temant
will be terrified,
and you descendants of Esaut
will be wiped out.

The [Lord] Condemns //Edom's Cruelty

10 You were cruel to your relatives,
the descendants of Jacob.t
Now you will be destroyed,
disgraced forever.

11 You stood there and watched
as foreigners entered Jerusalem
and took what they wanted.
In fact, you were no better
than those foreigners.

12 Why did you celebrate
when such a dreadful disaster
struck your relatives?
Why were you so pleased
when everyone in Judah
was suffering?

13 They are my people,
and you were cruel to them.
You went through their towns,
sneering and stealing
whatever was left.

14 In their time of torment,
you ambushed refugees
and handed them over
to their attackers.

The [Lord] Will Judge //the Nations

15 The day is coming
when I, the [Lord],
will judge the nations.
And, Edom, you will pay in full
for what you have done.

16 I forced the people of Judaht
to drink the wine of my anger
on my sacred mountain.
Soon the neighboring nations
must drink their fill—
then vanish without a trace.

Victory for Israel

17 The [Lord]'s people who escape
will go to Mount Zion,
and it will be holy.
Then Jacob's descendants
will capture the land of those
who took their land.

18 Israelt will be a fire,
and Edom will be straw
going up in flames.
The [Lord] has spoken!

19 The people of Israel
who live in the Southern Desert
will take the land of Edom.
Those who live in the hills
will capture Philistia,
Ephraim, and Samaria.
And the tribe of Benjamin
will conquer Gilead.

20 Those who return from captivity
will control Phoenicia
as far as Zarephath.t
Captives from Jerusalem
who were taken to Sepharadt
will capture the towns
of the Southern Desert.

21 Those the [Lord] has saved
will live on Mount Zion
and rule over Edom.t
Then the kingdom will belong
to the [Lord].