Obadiah 1:8

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? SHALL I NOT ... SAITH THE LORD, EVEN DESTROY THE WISE MEN OUT OF EDOM (: cf. Job 5:12; ; ). IN THAT DAY ... EVEN DESTROY - heretofore Edom, through its contact with Babylon and Egypt, and from its means of information through the many caravans passing to and fro between Europe and India, has been famed for knowledge; but "in that day" at last, and in particular ("even") I will destroy its wise men. OUT OF THE MOUNT OF ESAU - i:e., Idumea, which was a mountainous reg...

We must now notice what the Prophet says, _Shall I not in that day destroy the wise from Edom? _Though men be in many respects blind, whom God guides not by his Spirit, and on whom he shines not with his word, yet the worst blindness is, when men become inebriated with the false conceit of wisdom. When therefore any one thinks himself endued with understanding, so that he can perceive whatever is needful, and that he cannot be circumvented, his wisdom is insanity and extreme madness: it would indeed be better for us to be idiots and fools than to be thus inebriated. Since then the wise of this world are insane, the Lord declares that they will have no wisdom when the time of trial comes. God indeed permits the ungodly for a long time to felicitate themselves on account of their own acumen and counsels, as he suffered the Idumeans to go on prosperously. And there are also many at this day...

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 1:8. _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....

SHALL I NOT IN THAT DAY EVEN DESTROY THE WISE OUT OF EDOM? - It was then no common, no recoverable, loss of wisdom, for God, the Author of wisdom, had destroyed it. The pagan had a proverb, “whom God willeth to destroy, he first dements.” So Isaiah foretells of Judah Isaiah 29:14, “The wisdom of their wise shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent shall be hid.” Edom was celebrated of old for its wisdom. Eliphaz, the chief of Job’s friends, the representative of human wisdom, was a Temanite Job 4:1. A vestige of the name of the Shuhites, from where came another of his friends, probably still lingers among the mountains of Edom. Edom is doubtless included among the “sons of the East” 1 Kings 4:30

SHALL I NOT IN THAT DAY, SAITH THE LORD, EVEN DESTROY THE WISE [MEN] OUT OF EDOM,.... When they shall be invaded by the enemy, and treacherously dealt with by their allies; so that there shall be no wise counsellors at court to give advice what proper methods should be taken at such a season; they should either be taken off by death, or their wisdom should be turned into folly, and they be rendered incapable of giving right counsel: AND UNDERSTANDING OUT OF THE MOUNT OF ESAU? that is, men of understanding, as the Targum, should be destroyed out of Edom or Idumea, which was a mountainous country; such as were well versed in politics, or understood military affairs, and how to conduct at such a critical time; to form schemes, and concert measures, and wisely put them in execution; and to be deprived of all such must be a great loss at such a time, and add to their distress and calamity; s...

EDOM (_ See Scofield) - (Genesis 36:1). _...

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

THAT DAY: i.e. the day of the fulfillment of the prophecy. Copmare Obadiah 1:15 :16, and Isaiah 63:1; Jeremiah 49:13, MOUNT. hill country....

_destroy the wise men_ i.e. so deprive them of their wisdom that they shall cease to be wise men. Comp. Jeremiah 49:7, "Concerning Edom, thus saith the Lord of hosts; Is wisdom no more in Teman? is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished?" There is perhaps a reference to wisdom as a special characteristic of the Edomites. "Eliphaz, the chief of Job's friends, the representative of human wisdom, was a Temanite." (Pusey, see Job 2:11.) In the Book of Baruch the Edomites are referred to as types of wisdom. "It hath not been heard of in Chanaan, neither hath it been seen in Theman. The Agarenes that seek wisdom upon earth, the merchants of Meran and of Theman, the authors of fables, and searchers out of understanding; none of these have known the way of wisdom, or remember her paths." Bar 3:22-23....