THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET OBADIAH _Chronological Notes relative to this book, upon the supposition_ _that it was written about_ five hundred and eighty-seven _years_ _before the commencement of the Christian era_ -Year from the Creation, according to Archbishop Usher, 3417. -Year of the Jewish era... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Obadiah 1:2. _I HAVE MADE THEE SMALL AMONG THE HEATHEN_] God ever attributes to _himself_ the _rise and fall of nations_. If they be _great_ and _prosperous_, it is by God's _providence_; if they be _low_ and _depressed_, it is by his _justice_. Compared with the Assyrians, Chaldeans, Egyptian... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Obadiah 1:3. _THE PRIDE OF THINE HEART_] St. Jerome observes that all the southern part of Palestine, from Eleutheropolis to Petra and Aialath, was full of _caverns hewn out of the rocks_, and that the people had subterranean dwellings similar to ovens. Here they are said to _dwell in the clef... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Obadiah 1:4. _THOUGH THOU EXALT_ THYSELF _AS THE EAGLE_] Though like this bird thou get into the _highest cliff of the highest rock_, it will not avail thee. To defend thee, when Jehovah has determined thy destruction, thy _deepest caves_ and _highest rocks_ will be equally useless. See Jeremi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Obadiah 1:5. _IF THIEVES CAME TO THEE_] That is, if _thieves_ entered thy dwellings, they would not have taken every thing; they would have laid hold on thy wealth; and carried off as much as they could escape with conveniently; if _grape-gatherers_ entered thy vineyards, they would not have t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Obadiah 1:7. _ALL THE MEN OF THY CONFEDERACY_] The Chaldeans are here intended, to whom the Idumeans were attached, and whose agents they became in exercising cruelties upon the Jews. _HAVE BROUGHT THEE_ EVEN _TO THE BORDER_] Have hemmed thee in on every side, and reduced thee to distress. Or... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Obadiah 1:8. _SHALL I NOT - DESTROY THE WISE_ MEN] It appears, from Jeremiah 49:7, that the Edomites were remarkable for wisdom, counsel, and prudence. See on the above place.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Obadiah 1:9. _THY MIGHTY_ MEN, _O TEMAN_] This was one of the strongest places in Idumea; and is put here, as in Amos 1:12, and elsewhere, for _Idumea_ itself. _MOUNT OF ESAU_] Mount _Seir_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Obadiah 1:10. _FOR_ THY _VIOLENCE AGAINST THY BROTHER JACOB_] By this term the _Israelites_ in general are understood; for the _two_ brothers, - _Jacob_, from whom sprang the _Jews_, and _Esau_, from whom sprang the _Idumeans_ or _Edomites_, - are here put for the _whole people_ or descendant... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Obadiah 1:11. _THOU STOODEST ON THE OTHER SIDE_] Thou not only didst not help thy brother when thou mightest, but thou didst assist his foes against him. _AND CAST LOTS_] When the Chaldeans cast lots on the spoils of Jerusalem, thou didst come in for a share of the booty; "thou wast as one of... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Obadiah 1:12. _THOU SHOULDEST NOT HAVE LOOKED_] It shows a malevolent heart to rejoice in the miseries of those who have acted unkindly or wickedly towards us. The Edomites triumphed when they saw the judgments of God fall upon the Jews. This the Lord severely reprehends in Obadiah 1:12. If a... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Obadiah 1:14. _NEITHER SHOULDEST THOU HAVE STOOD IN THE CROSSWAY_] They are represented here as having stood in the _passes_ and _defiles_ to prevent the poor Jews from escaping from the Chaldeans. By _stopping these passes_, they threw the poor fugitives back into the teeth of their enemies.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Obadiah 1:15. _THE DAY OF THE LORD_ IS _NEAR_] God will not associate thee with him in the judgments which he inflicts. _Thou_ also art _guilty_, and shalt have _thy punishment_ in due course with the other sinful nations.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Obadiah 1:16. _FOR AS YE HAVE DRUNK_] This address is to the _Jews_. As ye have been visited and punished upon my holy mountain in Jerusalem, so shall other nations be punished in their respective countries. See Jeremiah 49:12.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Obadiah 1:17. _BUT UPON MOUNT ZION SHALL BE DELIVERANCE_] Here is a promise of the return from the Babylonish captivity. They shall come to _Zion_, and there they shall _find safety_; and it is remarkable that after their return they were greatly befriended by the Persian kings, and by Alexand... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Obadiah 1:18. _THE HOUSE OF JACOB SHALL BE A FIRE_] After their return from captivity, the _Jews_, called here the _house of Jacob_ and the _house of Joseph_, did break out as a flame upon the Idumeans; they reduced them into slavery; and obliged them to receive circumcision, and practise the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Obadiah 1:19. THEY OF _THE SOUTH_] The Jews who possessed the _southern_ part of _Palestine_, should render themselves masters of the mountains of Idumea which were contiguous to them. THEY OF _THE PLAIN_] From Eleutheropolis to the Mediterranean Sea. In this and the following verse the proph... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Obadiah 1:20. _ZAREPHATH_] Sarepta, a city of the Sidonians, 1 Kings 17:9. That is, they should possess the whole city of _Phoenicia_, called here that of the _Canaanites_. _WHICH_ IS _IN SEPHARAD_] This is a difficult word. Some think the _Bosphorus_ is meant; others, _Spain_; others, _Fran... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Obadiah 1:21. _AND SAVIOURS SHALL COME UP_] Certain persons whom God may choose to be deliverers of his people; such as _Zerubbabel,_ _Ezra, Nehemiah_, and the _Maccabees_. Some think these _saviours_, מושיעים moshiim, mean the _apostles_ of our Lord. Several MSS. have מושעים _mushaim_, the... [ Continue Reading ]