Obadiah 1:5

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 CAME TO THEE, IF ROBBERS BY NIGHT, (HOW ART THOU CUT OFF!) WOULD THEY NOT HAVE STOLEN UNTIL THEY BAD ENOUGH? IF THE GRAPE-GATHERERS CAME TO THEE, WOULD THEY NOT LEAVE SOME GRAPES? The spoliation which thou shalt suffer shall not be such as that which thieves cause, bad as that is, for these, when they have seized enough, or all they can get in a hurry, leave the rest-nor such as grape-gatherers cause in a vineyard, for they, when they have gathered most of the grapes, leave gleanings behind-but it shall be utter, so as to leave thee nothing. The exclamation, "how art thou cut off!" bursting in amidst the words of the image, marks strongly excited feeling. The contrast between Edom, where...

The Prophet shows in this verse that the calamity with which God was resolved to afflict the Idumeans would not be slight, for nothing would be left among them; and he amplifies what he says by a comparison. When one is plundered of his property by thieves, he grieves, that what he had acquired by much labor through life, has been in one moment taken from him: and when any one has spent labor and expense in cultivating his vineyard, and another takes away its fruit, he complains of his great misfortune, that he had lost his property and big labor in the cultivation of his vineyard, while another devours its fruit. But the Prophet intimates that God would not be content with such kind of punishment as to the Idumeans. Hence he says, _Have night thieves or robbers come to thee? _They must doubtless have stolen, and have taken away what they thought sufficient for them; but now nothing shal...

1-16 This prophecy is against Edom. Its destruction seems to have been typical, as their father Esau's rejection; and to refer to the destruction of the enemies of the gospel church. See the prediction of the success of that war; Edom shall be spoiled, and brought down. All the enemies of God's church shall be disappointed in the things they stay themselves on. God can easily lay those low who magnify and exalt themselves; and will do it. Carnal security ripens men for ruin, and makes the ruin worse when it comes. Treasures on earth cannot be so safely laid up but that thieves may break through and steal; it is therefore our wisdom to lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven. Those that make flesh their trust, arm it against themselves. The God of our covenant will never deceive us: but if we trust men with whom we join ourselves, it may prove to us a wound and dishonour. God will justl...

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 taken _every bunch_; some _gleanings_ would have been left. But the Chaldeans have stripped thee bare; they _have searched out all thy hidden things_, Obadiah 1:6, they have left thee nothing. _Hour art thou cut off_! Thou art totally and irretrievably ruined! The prophet speaks of this desolation as if it had _already taken place_....

IF THIEVES CAME TO THEE - The prophet describes their future punishment, by contrast with that which, as a marauding people, they well knew. Thieves and robbers spoil only for their petty end. They take what comes to hand; what they can, they carry off shortness of time, difficulty of transport, necessity of providing for a retreat, limit their plunder. When they have gorged themselves, they depart. “Their” plunder is limited. The “grape-gatherer” leaves gleanings. God promises to His own people, under the same image, that they should have a remnant left Isaiah 17:6; Isaiah 24:13. “Gleaning grapes shall be left in it.” It shall be, “as gleaning grapes, when the vintage is done.” The prophet anticipates the contrast by a burst of sympathy. In the name of God, he mourns over the des

IF THIEVES CAME TO THEE, IF ROBBERS BY NIGHT,.... Whether the one came by day, and the other by night, or both by night, the same being meant by different words, whose intent is to plunder and steal, and carry off what they can; thy condition would not be worse, nor so bad as now it is: for HOW ART THOU CUT OFF! from being a nation, wholly destroyed; thy people killed, or carried captive; thy fortresses demolished, towns and cities levelled with the ground, and all thy wealth and substance carried off, and nothing left: these are either the words of God, or of the prophet, setting forth their utter ruin, as if it was already; or of the nations round about, wondering at their sudden destruction. Some render it, "how silent art thou!" q that is, under all these calamities: or, "how art thou asleep!" or "stupefied!" as the Targum and Jarchi; not to be upon thy guard against the incursions...

OBADIAH 1:1 B. THE DESERVED DOWNFALL OF EDOM. The prophet declares that interpretation of current events which Yahweh has revealed to him. Other nations are combining against Edom (Obadiah 1:1) and Yahweh will make their combination successful (Obadiah 1:2; the perfect tenses are prophetic). Edom has been confident in the inaccessibility of his mountainous land (Obadiah 1:3; see Intro. and read with VSS making high his habitation), but vainly does he build (his nest) on high (for the EAGLE, see on Jeremiah 4:13). This is no passing raid, for the work of the f

IF THE GRAPE GATHERERS. Some codices, with Aramaean, Septuagint, and Syriac, read "or if", &c. WOULD THEY NOT. ? Reference to Pentateuch (Deuteronomy 24:21). App-92. Compare Isaiah 17:6; Isaiah 24:13....

The completeness of the destruction and desolation of Edom is depicted by a double contrast. Two cases are supposed in which something would be left behind. The thief or the robber would take his fill and depart: the grape-gatherer would not strip every cluster from the vine. But the enemies of Edom would do worse than either of these. They would spare nothing, nor stay their hand till they had left her utterly desolate and bare. _how art thou cut off_ These words are an exclamation of the prophet, forced from him by the utter devastation which in prophetic vision he sees before his eyes. _This_is no work of the common robber, of the ordinary spoiler!...

_EDOM'S PRIDE AND PUNISHMENT -- OBADIAH 1:1-9:_ God gave Obadiah a message about Edom. The King James Version uses the word "Rumor" to describe the vision and message of Obadiah. The word means an authentic message from the Lord. It is not just some "speculation" as the word is usually used today. The message is certain, "Edom will be humbled, Thus says the Lord GOD." God's messenger had been sent out and the nations would rise against Edom in battle. The people of Edom were a doomed people because of their pride. They would become one of the smaller nations and would be looked down upon by the heathen nations. The Edomites felt safe living in Mount Seir. They said in their heart, "Who will bring me down to the ground?" They thought no one could attack them there, but they were mistaken. The Lord said, "I will still bring you down, even if you fly higher than an eagle or nest am