TEXT [Commentary]

black diamond   Superscription (1:1a)

1 This is the vision that the Sovereign LORD revealed to Obadiah concerning the land of Edom.

NOTES

1:1a vision. About this term of divine revelation, see note on Nah 1:1. Laetsch (1956:193) appropriately remarks, “What Obadiah wrote was not the product of his own reflection, of his keen insight into the political and religious conditions of his day; nor was it merely the application of God’s Word to a given situation. It was a vision, a divine revelation of God’s purpose.”

Obadiah. Obadiah (whose name means “servant of Yahweh”) is appropriately named, for as God’s prophet he was also the Lord’s servant (cf. 1 Kgs 14:18, NIV; see also 2 Kgs 9:7; Jer 7:25; Ezek 38:17, NIV; Zech 1:6).

concerning the land of Edom. While the phrase le’edom may be translated either “unto Edom” or “about/concerning Edom,” the latter probably is to be understood here (cf. Jer 49:7), but without discounting the fact that God’s message was also intended for Edom (see Wehrle 1987:34-42).

COMMENTARY [Text]

Obadiah’s short prophecy deals with the perennial problem of Edom’s hostility toward God’s people, Israel. The first 14 verses speak of Edom’s destruction: the call to battle against Edom (1:1b), the course of Edom’s defeat (1:2-9), and the causes that precipitate its demise (1:10-14). The final verses (1:15-21) present the theme of the Day of the Lord, including the judgment of Edom and the nations (1:15-16), and the restoration of God’s people to their land (1:17-21). Edom has had its “day” with God’s people; now in the Day of the Lord, it would receive the just reward for its actions.

Edom owes its name to Esau, also called Edom (Gen 25:25, 30), who established his dwelling in the area formerly known as Mount Seir (Gen 36:8-9) after he drove out the Horites (Gen 14:6; cf. Deut 12:2). Edom was also known as Teman (1:9; Hab 3:3, NIV) after Esau’s grandson (Gen 36:15). Edom was often the object of prophetic denunciation (Isa 34:1-15; Jer 49:7-22; Ezek 35:1-15; Joel 3:19; Amos 1:11-12; 9:12; Mal 1:2-5) due to its longstanding enmity toward God’s people (cf. Num 20:14-21; Judg 11:16-17; 1 Sam 14:47-48; 2 Sam 8:14; 1 Kgs 11:14-25; 2 Chr 20:1-30).

The term “Sovereign LORD” (lit., “The Lord Yahweh”) emphasizes the key theological perspective and theme of the book: God’s sovereignty over the nations. The message Obadiah received was from the One who rules the universe and controls the destiny of nations. While that message was designed for Obadiah’s audience, it also was of concern for Edom.