ANNOTATIONS ON OBADIAH

THE ARGUMENT

Obadiah threatens and foretells the destruction of the Idumeans, who came of Esau, Jacob's brother, yet were they capital and implacable enemies to Jacob's posterity, the church of God; not only vexing them with cruelties, but also assisting others therein; and rejoicing and insulting over them in the day of their calamity and destruction. The prophet upbraids them for this, and reproves their pride, confidence, confederacies, and violence against their brother Jacob, in the day of his calamity; and denounces God's judgment against them. And lastly, he promises deliverance to Mount Zion, blessings, and enlargement of possessions to the house of Jacob. The sum of this prophecy is to tell, that Edom would and did help to destroy Jerusalem; and after that Edom should soon be destroyed; yet in time, saviors from Zion, that is, apostles, shall conquer all, and bring them into the possession of the church; and the kingdom shall be the Lord's. The like against Edom, See Jer. 49.7–22. and Ezek. 25.12,13,14.

CHAPTER 1

Verse 1. {The} This is not made up of many visions, and sermons; as the other prophets are. But is one entire piece, prophesying destruction to Edom, and the mount of Esau; conquest over Edom, and others; and deliverance, and salvation to Mount Zion, and the house of Jacob.

{Vision} Which God showed him; no imagination, no dream of his own. See on Ezek. 1.1. and on Hos. 1.10.

{of Obadiah} Not him, in the days of Jehoshaphat, 2 Chr. 17.7. Or him in the days of Ahab, 1 Kings 18.3. This seems to be a much later prophet, contemporary with Jeremy, and Ezekiel, about the time of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians; as appears by the argument of his prophecy; and compared with Jer. 49.7–23. and Ezek. 25.12–15. and chap. 35. Jeremiah and he in many things almost use the same words.

{saith the Lord} He brings no words of his own. God only and his Word are to be heard in the church, 1 Cor. 11.23.

{concerning Edom} Of Edom, See on Amos 1.11. Against them; because they were the bitterest enemies against the house of Jacob, who was Esau's brother; and they flourished, whiles the Jews were in miseries. Lest God's people then should take scandal thereat, God by his prophet comforts them with this, that he would soon take vengeance on Edom, and vouchsafe to his people deliverance, and victorious conquests over Edom, and others.

{we have heard a rumour from the LORD} God has certainly revealed to his prophets, that he will raise up the heathens to destroy the Edomites, whereof the rumor is now published, Jer. 49.14. like that Mark 13.7. God the author of wars, Amos 3.6.

{Arise ye} Thus the heathen encourage one another by their ambassadors to rise against Edom. And this by God's secret instinct.

Verse 2. {Behold, I have made thee small among the Heathen} Jer. 49.15. Some take this as a reproaching of Edom, that though God had made him small, and despised, shutting him up in Mount Seir, Mal. 1. ver. 3. yet he grew so proud and insolent, arrogating so much to himself. Others make it a denunciation of judgment speedily to be inflicted upon him; that he should be made so.

Verse 3. {The pride of thine heart} Which despise all others in respect of yourself; and yet are but an handful in comparison of others; and are shut up among the hills, as separate from the rest of the world.

{that dwellest} Upon this ground they were so proud and confident.

{in the clefts of the rock} A country full of cliffs, and rocks, and mountains, usually called Arabia Petrea, rocky Arabia.

{hath deceived thee} The LXX and vulgar Latin, hath lifted thee up: Reading belike not ש dextrum, but ש sinistrum.

{who} Like that, Psalm 12.4. Isaiah 47.7,8. Apoc. 18.7.

Verse 4. {Though thou exalt thyself} Job 20.6. Jer. 49.16. and 51.53. Amos 9.2. Isaiah 14.13. They thought themselves above the clouds, above all dangers. But it is mere madness in man, to trust in any strength against the Lord.

Verse 5. {If thieves came to thee} God will so destroy them, that he will leave none; though thieves when they come, take but till they have enough: and they that gather grapes ever leave some behind them, Jer. 49.9. God will not be content with such a punishment; He will openly clean cut you off, and leave nothing behind him. This was done by the Babylonians.

{some grapes} Or, gleanings.

Verse 6. {How} How wonderfully, incredibly?

{hid things} They had strong hiding places in rocks and dens, which a spoiling and prevailing enemy would hardly venture upon, to get treasures there: and yet all should not serve their turn. See Isaiah 10.13,14. and 45.3. Jer. 49.10.

{searched out} By the greedy soldier.

Verse 7. {All the men of thy confederacy} They trusted also in their confederates. But God would turn their hearts against them, and make their allies, with whom they were in leagues, to be the executioners of his vengeance upon them.

{have brought thee} Have joined their forces to yours, to go and withstand the enemies' invasions; but just at the instant that you had need of them, they have forsaken you. Or, have brought you out even to your borders, and there perfidiously have ejected and cast you out.

{the men that were at peace with thee} Hebr. the men of thy peace, confederates.

{prevailed against thee} He seems to mean the Egyptians, who by powerful persuasions, and by reason of interest of state, had brought the Idumeans to declare themselves enemies to the Chaldeans.

{thy bread have laid a wound under thee} Hebr. thy bread have they laid for a snare under thee. A term taken from hunters, who with baits draw the beasts unto their traps. The meaning is, the victual which you have had out of Egypt, has been as it were a bait to you, to ensnare you in the league against the Chaldeans; which has been the cause of your ruin; the which with all your famous wisdom you could not perceive. Or, Hebr. the men of your bread. And so rather the meaning is, those that eat familiarly with you, as Psalm 41.9. John chap. 13.18. wound you by secret cunning guiles, and fraudulent stratagems.

{in him} Or, of it; no science or art in them, to understand, and help, or heal it.

Verse 8. {Shall I not} They rested much upon their own wisdom, and understanding; were drunk with this conceit: As many are. But God can, and will destroy their wisdom, turn it into foolishness, and infatuate all their counsels, 1 Cor. 1.19,20. Jer. 49.7. Isaiah 29.14. It is in vain then to trust in it against the Lord; or any way to abuse so excellent a gift, but even to join innocency with it, Matth. 10.16.

{in that day} Of my vengeance; however their wit has served their turns before. They by their wisdom shall not be able to help and heal you then.

Verse 9. {And thy mighty men} As not their wise men, so neither their mighty men shall be able to help them; man's wit and strength are mere nothing against the Lord: it is a madness to think otherwise.

{O Teman} The name of a city in the country of Idumea. See Amos 1.12. Vulgar Latin has the south, for Teman; thus, And thy mighty men shall be afraid from the south.

{that every one} A general slaughter.

Verse 10. {For thy violence} Here is the main cause of all that woeful total destruction. And this cause is prosecuted at large in the verses following. And this was a main comfort to the Jews, when they should see God's love and care so tender over them, as to revenge so severely the wrongs done unto them by their fierce enemies. See Gen. 27.41. Psal. 137.7. Ezek. 35.5. and 25, 35. chapters.

{against thy brother Jacob} Namely, the Israelites and Jews which were descended from Jacob, brother of Esau, the father of the Idumeans: This aggravates the violence and cruelty. See Gen. 13.8. Acts 7.26. Ezek. 18.18. Amos 1.11.

{cut off for ever} It should not be a temporary plague, as that of Israel's, but a lasting plague, never fully to be cured and recovered.

Verse 11. {In the day} Therefore this prophecy was after Jerusalem's destruction by Nebuchadnezzar.

{thou stoodest on the other side} Like an idle spectator, yielding no assistance, nor pitying the Jews' calamities; but feeding also your eyes therewith, as with a pleasing object. See Psal. 137.7. and watching for the spoil, verse 13. of this chapter.

{carried away captive his forces} Or, carried away his substance. The men of war taken with Zedekiah in his flight, Jer. 39.4,5. Or, plainly, the whole multitude carried away captive into Babylon.

{cast lots} To part both the spoil and persons. As Joel 3.3.

{Even thou wast as one of them} This takes away all excuses and defenses that the Edomites might pretend unto. Less marvel was it that the Chaldeans should so deal with the Jews. But that you should be as one of them, it is monstrous, prodigious, and deserves this utter extermination.

Verse 12. {Thou shouldest not have looked on} Or, do not behold, &c. The law of nature, and humanity should have taught you this.

{have looked} With delight, as on a pleasing spectacle.

{thy brother} See on verse 10.

{in the day that he became a stranger} Or, in the day of his strange chance and alienation; when the Lord deprived them of their former dignity, and gave them to be carried as strangers into exile and captivity. See Job 31.3. These words are taken as a reproof, or as a caveat, by some.

{neither shouldest thou} An explication of the former words.

{have spoken proudly} Hebr. magnified thy mouth. By scoffing them, Psal. 137.7. But yet their pride and cruelty transported them beyond all common bounds of nature and humanity: whereas barbarous nations use to show pity to their enemies, when they see them cast down and lie prostrate under their feet; they insult not then over them, as the Edomites here did; but begin then to mitigate and assuage their wrath, and change their cruelty into compassion. See Esay 10.25.

Verse 13. {not have entered} As they did to assist the Chaldeans, and partake of the spoil; whereas they should rather, if they could not have helped them, yet have stayed at home, and bemoaned their miseries; condoling with them in a brotherly sympathy, and compassion.

{have looked on} But rather have shut their eyes from seeing it. See Esay 33.15. Gen. 9.23.

{on their substance} Or, forces; sharing the prey and spoil; enriching themselves with it.

Verse 14. {in the cross way} Or, breaches to hinder the Jews from saving themselves by flight; and to cut them off.

{delivered up} Or, shut up: delivered to the Chaldeans, those Jews whom they intercepted, and kept fast; or such of them as fled to them for succor. All which dealings are the grounds of God's judgments upon them.

Verse 15. {For the day of the LORD} When he will judge all the heathen, who have destroyed all God's people. He will show himself to be Judge of the whole world. His judgment beginning at his church and house; 1 Pet. 4.17. He will take a fit time to stretch out his hand upon all the heathen nations, none shall escape: And much less then, the Edomites, Jer. 39.12.

{as thou hast done} Ezek. 35.15. A just retaliation shall be rendered to him. See the like, Judg. 1.7. 1 Sam. 15.33. Esay 33.1. and other examples many.

{thy reward} See Matth. 7.2. James 2.13. Jer. 30.16. Levit. 24.19.

Verse 16. {For as ye have drunk} And reveled it, in sign of joy and triumph over my people: so shall all the heathen revel it upon the Edomites, and swallow down their substance: yea all the heathen shall drink, (now in another sense) till they be dead drunk; and become and be as though they had not been. Or thus; as you my people have drunk of the cup of my judgments, so your enemies shall drink up the very dregs, and shall utterly be destroyed thereby. See Jer. 25.29.

{swallow down} Or, sup up.

{as though they had not been} Their memory shall perish.

Verse 17. {But upon mount Zion} Here is the restauration of the church promised; and the consolation of the Jews included. This was their comfort and support in the midst of their devastations. And without this hope, the ruin and destruction of their enemies would little have availed them. And even upon Mount Zion itself, where the enemies so reveled, even there should this deliverance be, Jer. 46.28. Though his people seemed as dead dry bones, yet God could and would raise them up again, Ezech. 37.

{shall be deliverance} Or, they shall escape.

{and there shall be holiness} Or, it shall be holy; It shall recover its holiness; God will be mindful of his covenant; he will be worshipped again, and hallowed there, by his people: he will have care of this Mount Zion, which he of old had chosen, dedicated, and consecrated to his service. It shall be no more profaned, polluted, as it was by the Babylonians, Psal. 74.7. and 79.1. See the like Dan. 11.31.

{their possessions} Which they were dispossessed of by their enemies. A figure of the right of the eternal inheritance, which the devil and sin had gotten away from the church, to which she was restored by Christ, others, their possessions, namely, the possessions of those nations which were their enemies.

Verse 18. {And the house of Jacob} For, for their sakes it was, that God so severely took vengeance of the Edomites; to show thereby what love he bore, and what tender care he had of his people; yea even then when they were in miserable exile and captivity.

{shall be a fire} God attributes this power, to consume his enemies, to his church, which power is only proper to himself, as Isai. 10.17. Deut. 4.24. Hebr. 12.29.

{they shall kindle in them} The church, by the power of Christ, and his Spirit, shall as easily consume the enemies, represented under the person of the Idumeans, as fire does kindle when it takes hold of some combustible matter. See Judges 9.15,20.

{not be any remaining} Of those impious and inhumane Edomites or Idumeans, yet a remnant according to the election of grace, should at last be joined to the church, and be saved by Christ, Amos 9.12.

Verse 19. {And they of the south, &c.} Or, they shall possess the south land with the mount of Esau, and the plain with the Philistines. Mount Esau, nor the Philistines, were ever possessed before by the Jews; no not in David's, or Solomon's time. Of Esau see on Amos 1.11.

{the Philistines} See on Zach. 9.6.

{the fields of Ephraim} Ephraim, and Samaria; which formerly they had not; but the ten tribes possessed it. And besides that, much more shall they possess.

{and Benjamin shall possess Gilead} Or, and Benjamin with Gilead. That is, they shall possess also the fields of Benjamin, with Gilead likewise. Or they of the south, Judah, and Benjamin, shall possess Gilead, which the ten tribes formerly had; which is according to the meaning of the former words. Of Gilead the Scripture informs us thus; That it is a country east of Jordan: an excellent place, Jer. 22.6. specially for cattle, Numb. 32.4,5. for balm, Jer. 8.22. and 46.11. There Laban overtook Jacob in his flight, Gen. 31. And in token of a covenant between them, Jacob made, and named an heap of stones there, Galeed and Mizpah. This country of Gilead was inhabited by the Amorites, and divided between Sihon and Og, Josh. 12.2,5. And after between Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh, Deut. 3.10–17. And Machir, and Jair, the sons of Manasseh had large possessions here, Numb. 32.39,40,41. Jair and Jephtha, judges; Eliah the prophet, Barzillai David's friend, were Gileadites, Judg. 10.3. and 12.7. 1 Kings 17.1. 2 Sam. 17.27. And so were Zelophehad his daughters, of the half tribe of Manasseh there, Josh. 17.3. Gideon and Absalom pitched their camps there, Judg. 7.3. 2 Sam. 17.26. Among other famous cities there, was Ramoth a city of refuge, Deut. 4.43. among the Gadites. And Jabesh-Gilead, Judg. 21.8. &c. whose inhabitants were rescued by Saul from Nahash, who would have put out their right eyes, 1 Sam. 11. who after gratefully got and buried Saul's bones, Ch. 31.11. And at this city to rescue it out of the hands of the king of Syria, was Ahab slain, 1 Kings 22. and his son Jehoram wounded, 2 Chron. 22.6. Hazael king of Syria did after smite Gilead, 2 Kings 10.33. And Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria, last of all did conquer and captive them; 2 Kings 15.29. The general meaning of this verse is, That he describes how the church shall be enlarged, and have great possessions; whereof see Jer. 17.26. and 32.44. and 33.13. The meaning is the same as verse 17. But this chiefly is accomplished under Christ, when as the faithful are made heirs, and lords of all things by him which is their head. See Ezek. 37.16, &c.

Verse 20. {of this host} See verse 11.

{unto Zarephath} A city of the Sidonians, in the uttermost confines of the country of Canaan, 1 Kings 17.9. called Sarepta, Luke 4.26.

{which is in Sepharad} Or, shall possess that which is in Sepharad. It is thought to be a city in the country of Chaldea; some take this word to be an Assyrian word, retained here to note some place or country in Assyria. As some Latin words are retained in the Greek text of the New Testament, in some relation to the Romans that then were lords of Judea, as the word Colonia, Acts 16.12. Custodia, Matth. 27.66. and Flagello, verse 27. and Prætorium, John 18.28. Others say it is a compound word signifying in the end of the dominion; meaning, that when the four beasts which have made havoc of the church shall be destroyed at the coming of the Messiah, then the church shall receive its just and full bounds, be made catholic, and the Gospel from Jerusalem shall be spread into all countries, Esay 2.2,3,4. The bold fancies of the Jews concerning these places are frivolous.

Verse 21. {And Saviours shall come} Like those in the book of the Judges. These are saviors under Christ Jesus, the alone true Savior, Matth. 1.21. These ministers coming from and under him, 1 Tim. 4.16. James 5.20. This may according to the letter, and in part be understood of the Maccabees, who subdued the Idumeans, 1 Mac. 5.3. but spiritually and fully it is referred to the apostles, and others of Christ's ministers, who were to preach the Gospel for the salvation of the elect, and condemnation of the wicked.

{to judge the mount of Esau} To revenge their cruelty against the Jews.

{the kingdom} Luke 1.33. Christ, true God, shall by his Father be established everlasting King of his church, and of all the world. See Psalm 2.8. Dan. 7.14. Micah 4.7. 1 Cor. 15.24,25,28. Apoc. 11.15,17. and 19.6,16.