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Obadiah

The shortest book, predicting Edom's downfall as justice for their actions against Judah.

Chapter 1

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1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.

*The message from Obadiah's vision: The Lord says that He has heard a report about Edom. An ambassador has been sent to other nations. So, get ready and join together to fight against them.

2 Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.

*Look, I have made you seem little compared to other non-Jewish people; you are greatly disliked.

3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?

*Your heart's pride has misled you. You live in the rock's hidden crags, high up. You think, "Who can make me fall?"

4 Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD.

*Even if you act proud like an eagle and make your home among the stars, I will still bring you down, says the Lord.

5 If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they not have stolen till they had enough? if the grapegatherers came to thee, would they not leave some grapes?

*If thieves visit you at night, wouldn't they stop stealing once they have enough? And if grape pickers come, wouldn't they leave some grapes behind?

6 How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up!

*How is Esau's stuff looked for so carefully! And how people try to find his secret things!

7 All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border: the men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; they that eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee: there is none understanding in him.

*All the allies you trusted have betrayed you and brought you to the edge. Those who were once peaceful with you have tricked you and overpowered you. The people who share your food secretly hurt you, and they don't understand anything.

8 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?

*"On that day," says the Lord, "will I not eliminate the smart people from Edom and wisdom from the mountain of Esau?"

9 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.

*Your strong warriors, Teman, will be frightened, so all on the mountain of Esau will be destroyed.

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

*Because of your harsh treatment of your brother Jacob, you will be filled with shame, and you will be permanently removed.

11 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 you were on the opposite side, when strangers took away his people and foreigners entered his city, randomly choosing who would stay in Jerusalem, you were just like them.

12 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.

*Don't look at your brother when he's different and not part of the group. Don't be happy when Judah's kids are hurt. And don't brag when people are struggling.

13 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;

*You shouldn't have entered my people's city during their troubles. You also shouldn't have watched their suffering or taken their things when they were going through tough times.

14 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.

*Don't stand in the way to block the ones trying to escape, and don't hand over the ones who stayed to their enemies during difficult times.

15 For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.

*The day when God acts is close for everyone who isn't Jewish. Whatever you did to others will be done to you. You'll get back what you gave.

16 For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been.

*Just like how you drank on my special hill, everyone else will always drink too. They'll drink a lot, swallow it all, and it will seem like it never happened to them.

17 But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.

*On Mount Zion, rescue comes, and it will be holy. The family of Jacob will have what they own.

18 And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it.

*The people of Jacob will be like a fire, and the people of Joseph will burn brightly, while the people of Esau will be like dry grass. God's words say that they will be set on fire and completely destroyed, leaving no one from the people of Esau.

19 And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau; and they of the plain the Philistines: and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.

*The people from the south will take control of Esau's mountain, those from the flatlands will take over Philistine land, and both groups will also own the fields of Ephraim and Samaria. Lastly, Benjamin will have Gilead.

20 And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south.

*The people captured from Israel will take over the land of the Canaanites up to a place called Zarephath. Also, those taken from Jerusalem, in a place called Sepharad, will control the cities in the southern area.

21 And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’s.

*Saviours will arrive on Mount Zion to rule over Mount Esau, and the kingdom will belong to the LORD.

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* work in progress, there will be mistakes

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