Obadiah 8-14

Obadiah 8 (KJV)

Shall I not in that day, saith the LORD, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau?

Jeremiah 49:7 (KJV)   Concerning Edom, thus saith the LORD of hosts; Is wisdom no more in Teman? is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished? According to what Jeremiah prophesied about Edom, it seemed they were a people of high wisdom but even coupled with their military prowess, it was not enough to stay their own execution by the Chaldeans.  The Lord would use them to destroy all the wise men from Edom which means their understanding of different things would also diminish and with that, they would be conquered because without wisdom, confusion will normally take its place and when there is much confusion among the people, they would be ripe for a defeat.

Obadiah 9 (KJV)

And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter.

Teman was a grandson of Esau.  Genesis 36:15 (KJV)   These were dukes of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn son of Esau; duke Teman, duke Omar, duke Zepho, duke Kenaz,  Teman had become a principal city along with Sela and Bozrah.  Teman was basically the capitol and in this verse represents the entire nation of the Edomites.  The Hebrew word behind “dismayed” carries with it the meaning of “to be broken” or “to be beaten.”  This prophecy was aimed at the mighty men or their valiant fighting men.  The mount of Esau is referring to Mount Seir and the destruction of the Edomites is prophesied to be total since it speaks about “everyone” being cut off or killed by slaughter.  In other words, it will be a massacre of the Edomites to the last fighting man.

Obadiah 10 (KJV)

For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever.

Since Edom had joined in against the capture of Judah and what they did will constitute a covering of shame therefore when they are taken in battle that will be the end of the kingdom of the Edomites.  They were eventually defeated by the Jews and were assimilated into Israel.  This is where the line of Herod came from.  Herod was an Edomite and not of the lineage of Jacob but of Esau.  Once they were made to live among the Jews, they would never be a separate country again.  When Israel was freed from Egyptian bondage, on their trek to Canaan they encountered opposition from the Edomites.  (Numbers 20:14-21)

Obadiah 11 (KJV)

In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.

On the day when the final carrying away of Judah to Babylon took place, they stood on the other side and watched it happen.  In other words, they did not make any effort to help Judah during that time.  Since they refused to help them, they were just as guilty as the Chaldeans who actually took Judah into captivity.  It was bad enough that they did nothing but they watched it happen with great joy and delight since they were of Esau and Judah was of Jacob.  Not only watching it happen but partaking in the actual sacking of Jerusalem and Judah which increased their guilt in dealing with “brother Jacob.”  They were guilty in siding with the oppressors.

Obadiah 12 (KJV)

But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother in the day that he became a stranger; neither shouldest thou have rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither shouldest thou have spoken proudly in the day of distress.

There are three indictments against Esau in this verse:

1) “looked” – When Judah was undergoing attack by the Chaldeans, the Edomites should not have looked upon this moment as a victory for them in the sense that they were rejoicing in the triumph of the Chaldeans and the ruination of Judah.

2) “rejoiced” – They not only looked down on Judah which was undergoing a time of defeat but Edom looked upon that defeat in a mindset of rejoicing over the fact that Judah was finally getting what it deserved.  Edom wanted to destroy Judah but it was not in their power to accomplish such a deed and that was why they were happy because it as being done for them and they did not have to experience any loss of life on their part.

3) “spoken proudly” - Psalm 137:7 (KJV)   Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.  The Edomites were cheering the Chaldeans on to completely destroy Judah.  They were a people filled with pride and that is why they thought they were better than Judah.

Obadiah 13 (KJV)

Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity;

There are also three indictments of Edom in this verse:

1) “entered” – They should not have entered into the land of Judah with the Chaldeans.  They should have treated Judah like a brother instead they rejoiced and entered the land and helped in the destruction of Judah.

2) “looked on their affliction” – Instead of having a prideful mindset and rejoicing at the destruction of Judah, they should have had pity and compassion on them.  Instead of giving aid to the Chaldeans, they could have saved some of the inhabitants of Judah and hid them in the cities of Edom thus showing their care for their relatives.

3) “laid hands on their substance” – here is an indictment against Edom for helping plunder Judah.  It was bad enough that they refused to help them but once they were out of the land, they began to help themselves to the possessions of Judah which made them thieves.  It is easy to act in a tough manner when you are facing a people who have already been conquered.

Obadiah 14 (KJV)

Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress.

Two more indictments against Edom in this verse:

1) “stood in the crossway” – Some of the people had a chance to escape the calamity on Judah but once they started to escape, the Edomites had stopped them from escaping.  The crossway was a place where two or more roads had intersected so there may have been a way of escape for some of the people.  Once they stopped the people from escaping, they had taken up the sword and killed those who were trying to escape.