The Pulpit Commentary — Obadiah — Section 7

EXPOSITION, Vere. 1-16.-Pe.rt I. THE DEBTBUOTION " ye have hee.:rd." A rumour; a report (Isa. OF EDOM, AND THE 0AUBE THEREOF. liii. 1); &.,co~w (Septuagint); auditu.m (Vnl- Vere. 1-9.-§ 1. The heathen nations are ge.te). It means here "tidings" (comp. Matt. xxiv. 6, a.1<oa.l ,ro/1.eµc.,v : and Rom. x. summoned, to tal,e 'IJengeanoo on Edom. In 16, 17). An ambassador; a messenger; as spite of her impregnable position, they ,hall • thongh the p:rophetea.w the minister of God's l>ring her low and strip her of her wealth, wrath going forth e.mong the heathen to being aided and encouraged bp her oton rouse them to we.r age.inst Edom. Perowne allies. thinks that there is an allusion to the composite oha.ra.eter of N ebuchadnezze.r'e Ver. 1.-The vision of Obe.die.h. This is army with which he e.tte.cked the Edomitee. the title of the book, deole.ring from whom The Septuagint renders, ,rep,ox.fiv : so the and through whom the revelation comes Sy:rie.c, Che.ldee, and Symme.chus translate (lee.. i. I). Under the word "vision" in " mesea.ge." This rendering is explained prophetic language is included, not only by the following clause. The heathen what the seer se.w, the mental picture pre- (goyim); the nations, e.s ve:re. 2, 15. Arlie sented to hie inner senses, but also all that ye, and let us rise. This he.s been to.ken he is commissioned to disclose or enunciate. as if "arise ye" were the here.Id's message, Thus saith the Lord God oonoenrlng Edom. and " let us rise" the response of the The prophet declares that God speaks ne.tions echoing his words; but it is more through him. One might have expected that forcible to consider the whole cla.nse aa the actual words of Jehovah would follow the message, the e.mbasse.dor joining him- here instead of tidings heard from him. self with the heathen as their leader and And this difficulty has led some to suppose comrade in the we.r of vengee.nce. Vem. these introductory wordit' spurions or the 1-9 a.re incorporated in Jer. xli::i:. 7-22. insertion of a le.ter he.nd, othe?e to include Ver. 2.-Behold, I have me.de thee ema.ll them e.nd the rest of the verse in e. pe.ren- Here is the effect of the summons. So in thesis, so e.e to begin the "vision" with J er. xlix. 15, "For, lo, I will make thee God's words in ver. 2. But these sugg011- sme.11" Jehovah is the Spee.ker, and he tions u.re nnneceeeary. The prophet, 11.11 the :regards the future o.s past. What he deter- mouthpiece of God, ou.lls his own words mines is e.s good e.s accomplished. At this the mesee.ge of the Lord-signifies that time the Edomites were e. powerful nation, whe.t he.d been revealed to his mind he o.nd possessed an almost impl'egna.ble seat we.e bonnd to oommuniou.te to others ne e at Petra. Sme.11; in numbers, territory, direct we.rniug from God. The Edomitee honour. were the deecendu.nta of Esau, and bound by ties of blood to the Israelites; but they Ve?B. S, 4.-Edom had prided herself m he.d alwe.ye been their most bitter enemies the strength of her position; but this shall (Amoe i. 11). They are rege.rded as a type not eeonre hor from destruction when the of the powers of the world hostile to true Lord we.re age.inst her. religion, whose end is destruction. We have heard. "We "-I myself and other prophets ; Ver. S.-Kath deceived; Septuagint, or the Judee.ns, the prophet identifying n,jp,, "elated;" Vulge.te, eztu.lit. The himself with his countrymen. Septuagint, pointing varies. In ver. 7 Jerome trana- lj,co111111, "I hee.rd;" so Jer. xlix. 14; Anl.bio, lates the wotd by illudere. The olefta i OBADIAH. l,l 2 THE BOOK OF OBADIAH. [1-21.