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Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Obadiah 1:10–16. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
When we have read Edom's doom, no less than utter ruin, it is natural to ask, Why, what evil has he done? What is the ground of God's controversy with him? Many things, no doubt, were amiss in Edom; they were a sinful people, and a people laden with iniquity. But that one single crime which is laid to their charge, as filling their measure and bringing this ruin upon them, that for which they here stand indicted, of which they are convicted, and for which they are condemned, is the injury they had done to the people of God (Oba 1:10): "It is for thy violence against thy brother Jacob, that ancient and hereditary grudge which thou hast borne to the people of Israel, that all this shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut off for ever." Note, Injuries to men are affronts to God, the righteous God, that loveth righteousness and hateth wickedness; and, as the Judge of all the earth, he will give redress to those that suffer wrong and take vengeance on those that do wrong. All violence, all unrighteousness, is sin; but it is a great aggravation of the violence if it be done either, 1. Against any of our own people; it is violence against thy brother, thy near relation, to whom thou shouldst be a goel - a redeemer, whom it is thy duty to right if others wronged him; how wicked is it then for thee thyself to wrong him! Thou slanderest and abusest thy own mother's son; this makes the sin exceedingly sinful, Psa 50:20. Or, 2. Much more if it be done against any of God's people; "it is thy brother Jacob that is in covenant with God, and dear to him. Thou hatest him whom God has loved, and because God espouses and will plead with jealousy, and in whose interests God is pleased so far to interest himself that he takes the violence done to him as done to himself. Whoso touches Jacob touches the apple of the eye of Jacob's God." So that it is crimen laesae majestatis - high treason, for which, as for high treason, let Edom expect an ignominious punishment: Shame shall cover thee, and a ruining one; thou shalt be cut off for ever.
In the following verses we are told more particularly,
I.What the violence was which Edom did against his brother Jacob, and what are the proofs of this charge.
It does not appear that the Edomites did themselves invade Israel, but that was more for want of power than will; they had malice enough to do it, but were not a match for them. But that which is laid to their charge is their barbarous conduct towards Judah and Jerusalem when they were in distress, and ready to be destroyed, probably by the Chaldeans, or upon occasion of some other of the calamities of the Jews; for this seems to have been always their temper towards them. See this charged upon the Edomites (Psa 137:7), that in the day of Jerusalem they said, Rase it, rase it, and Eze 25:12. They are here told particularly what they did, by being told what they should not have done (Oba 1:12-14): "Thou shouldst not have looked, thou shouldst not have entered; but thou didst so." Note, In reflecting upon ourselves it is good to compare what we have done with what we should have done, our practice with the rule, that we may discover wherein we have done amiss, have done those things which we ought not to have done. We should not have been where we were at such a time, should not have been in such and such company, should not have said what we said, nor have taken the liberty that we took. Sin thus looked upon, in the glass of the commandment, will appear exceedingly sinful. Let us see,
1.What was the case of Judah and Jerusalem when the Edomites behaved themselves thus basely and insulted over them.
(1.)It was a day of distress with them (Oba 1:12): It was the day of their calamity, so it is called three times, Oba 1:13. With the Edomites it was a day of prosperity and peace when with the Israelites it was a day of distress and calamity, for judgment commonly begins at the house of God. Children are corrected when strangers are let alone.
(2.)It was the day of their destruction (Oba 1:12), when both city and country were laid waste, were laid in ruins.
(3.)It was a day when foreigners entered into the gates of Jerusalem, when the city, after a long siege, was broken up, and the great officers of the king of Babylon's army came, and sat in the gates, as judges of the land; when they cast lots upon the spoils of Jerusalem, as the soldiers on Christ's garments, what shares each of the conquerors shall have, what shares of the lands, what shares of the goods; or they cast lots to determine when and where they should attack it.
(4.)It was a day when the strangers carried away captive his forces (Oba 1:11), took the men of war prisoners of war, and carried them off, in poverty and shame, to their own country, or such a multitude of captives that they were as an army. (5.) "It was a day when thy brother himself, that had long been at home, at rest in his own land, became a stranger, an exile in a strange land." Now, when this was the woeful case of the Jews, the Edomites, their neighbours and brethren, should have pitied them and helped them, condoled with them and comforted them, and should have trembled to think that their own turn would come next; for, if this was done in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry? But,
2.See what was the conduct of the Edomites towards them when they were in this distress, for which they are here condemned.
(1.)They looked with pleasure upon the affliction of God's people; they stood on the other side (Oba 1:11), afar off, when they should have come in to the relief of their distressed neighbours, and looked upon them, and their day, looked on their affliction (Oba 1:12, Oba 1:13), with a careless unconcerned eye, as the priest and Levite looked upon the wounded man, and passed by on the other side. Those have a great deal to answer for that are idle spectators of the troubles and afflictions of their neighbours, when they are capable of being their active helpers. But this was not all; they looked upon it with a scornful eye, with an eye of complacency and satisfaction; they looked and laughed to see Israel in distress, saying, Aha! so we would have it. They fed their eyes with the rueful spectacle of Jerusalem's ruin, and looked at it as those that had long looked for it and often wished to see it. Note, We must take heed with what eye we look upon the afflictions of our brethren; and, if we cannot look upon them with a gracious eye of sympathy and tenderness, it is better not to look upon them at all: Thou shouldst not have looked as thou didst upon the day of thy brother.
(2.)They triumphed and insulted over them, upbraided their brethren with their sorrows, and made themselves and their companions merry with them. They rejoiced over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction. They had not the good manners to conceal the pleasure they took in Judah's destruction and to dissemble it, but openly declared it, and rudely and insolently declared it to them; they rejoiced over them, crowed, and hectored, and trampled upon them. Those have the spirit of Edomites that can rejoice over any, especially over Israelites, in the day of their calamity.
(3.)They spoke proudly-magnified the mouth (so the word is), against Israel, talked with a great disdain of the suffering Israelites, and with an air of haughtiness of the present safety and prosperity of Edom, as it if might be inferred from their present different state that the tables were turned, and now Esau was beloved, and the favourite of heaven, and Jacob hated and rejected. Note, Those must expect to be in some way or other effectually humbled and mortified themselves that are puffed up and made proud by the humiliations and mortifications of others.
(4.)They went further yet, for they entered into the gate of God's people in the day of their calamity, and laid hands on their substance. Though they did not help to conquer them, they helped to plunder them, and put in for a share in the prey, Oba 1:13. Jerusalem was thrown open, and then they entered in; its wealth was thrown about, and they seized it for themselves, excusing it with this, that they might as well take it as let it be lost; whereas it was taking what was not their own. Babylon lays Jerusalem waste, but Edom, by meddling with the spoil, becomes particeps criminis - partaker of the crime, and shall be reckoned with as an accessary ex post facto - after the fact. Note, Those do but impoverish themselves that think to enrich themselves by the ruins of the people of God; and those deceive themselves who think they may call all that substance their own which they can lay their hands on in a day of calamity.
(5.)They did yet worse things; they not only robbed their brethren, but murdered them, in the day of their calamity; laid hands not only on their substance, but on their persons, Oba 1:14. When the victorious sword of the Chaldeans was making bloody work among the Jews many made their escape, and were in a fair way to save themselves by flight; but the Edomites basely intercepted them, stood in the cross-way where several roads met, by each of which the trembling Israelites were making the best of their way from the fury of the pursuers, and there they stopped them: some they barbarously and cowardlike cut off themselves; others they took prisoners, and delivered up to the pursuers, only to ingratiate themselves with them, because they were now the conquerors. They should not have been thus cruel to those that lay at their mercy, and never had done, nor were every likely to do, them any hurt; they should not have betrayed those whom they had such a fair opportunity to protect; but such are the tender mercies of the wicked. One cannot read this without a high degree of compassion towards those who were thus basely abused, who when they fled from the sword of an open enemy, and thought they had got out of the reach of it, fell upon and fell by the sword of a treacherous neighbour, whom they were not apprehensive of any danger from. Nor can one read this without a high degree of indignation towards those who were so perfectly lost to all humanity as to exercise such cruelty upon such proper objects of compassion.
(6.)In all this they joined with the open enemies and persecutors of Israel: Even thou wast as one of them, an accessary equally guilty with the principals. He that joins in with the evil doers, and is aiding and abetting in their evil deeds, shall be reckoned, and shall be reckoned with, as one of them.
II.What the shame is that shall cover them for this violence of theirs.
1.They shall soon find that the cup is going round, even the cup of trembling; and, when they come to be in the same calamitous condition that the Israel of God is now in, they will be ashamed to remember how they triumphed over them (Oba 1:15): The day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen, when God will recompense tribulation to the troublers of his church. Though judgment begin at the house of God, it shall not end there. This should effectually restrain us from triumphing over others in their misery, that we know not how soon it may be our own case.
2.Their enmity to the people of God, and the injuries they had done them, shall be recompensed into their own bosoms: As thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee. The righteous God will render both to nations and to particular persons according to their works; and the punishment is often made exactly to answer to the sin, and those that have abused others come to be themselves abused in like manner. The just and jealous God will find out a time and way to avenge the wrongs done to his people on those that have been injurious to them. As you have drunk upon my holy mountain (Oba 1:16), that is, as God's professing people, who inhabit his holy mountain, have drunk deeply of the cup of affliction (and their being of the holy mountain would not excuse them), so shall all the heathen drink, in their turn, of the same bitter cup; for, if God bring evil on the city that is called by his name, shall those be unpunished that never knew his name? See Jer 25:29. And it is part of the burden of Edom (Jer 49:12), Those whose judgment was not to drink of the cup (who had reason to promise themselves an exemption from it) have assuredly drunken, and shall Edom that is the generation of God's wrath go unpunished? No, thou shalt surely drink of it; the cup of trembling shall be taken out of the hand of God's people, and put into the hand of those that afflict them, Isa 51:22, Isa 51:23. Nay, they may expect their case to be worse in the day of their distress than that of Israel was in their day; for,
(1.)The afflictions of God's people were but for a moment, and soon had an end, but their enemies shall drink continually the wine of God's wrath, Rev 14:10.
(2.)The dregs of the cup are reserved for the wicked of the earth (Psa 75:8); they shall drink and swallow down, or sup up (as the margin reads it), shall drink it to the bottom.
(3.)The people of God, though they may be made to drink of the wine of astonishment for a while (Psa 60:3), shall yet recover, and come to themselves again; but the heathen shall drink and be as though they had not been; there shall be neither any remains nor any remembrance of them, but they shall be wholly extirpated and rooted out. So let all thy enemies perish, O Lord! so they shall perish, if the turn not.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Shame shall cover you over the Jews, whose ruin you enjoyed, after they are brought back to their original power. And you shall be cut off forever. After the Jews return from Chaldea, they will subjugate you Edomites and will vex you for a long time. This will continue until the coming of a foreign people, who will defeat the Jews. Then the name and race of the Edomites will be totally obliterated. The Romans accomplished this prediction of the prophet against the Edomites by first subjugating Judea and then by scattering the Jews all over the world.
(Verse 10, 11.) Because of the killing and (the Vulgate adds 'because of') the wickedness against your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall perish forever. On the day when you stood against him, when strangers captured his army and foreigners entered his gates, and they cast lots for Jerusalem: you were also like one of them. LXX: Because of the killing and wickedness against your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be taken away forever. From the day that you stood against him, when foreigners captured his strength and strangers entered his gates, they cast lots over Jerusalem, and you were also like one of them. Therefore, a man from the mountain of Esau will perish, and wisdom will be destroyed from Edom, and understanding from the mountain of Esau, because you have killed your brother and acted unjustly against Jacob, when the Chaldeans and Babylonians laid waste to Jerusalem, besieged the city, entered its gates, and cast lots for its treasures. You were their ally and counted among the enemies. Otherwise: you, bloody, earthly, ruthless Edom, will suffer all the things that have been written above, because you have killed your brother Jacob, speaking false and deadly doctrine and speaking impiety against the Lord. We read in Solomon: There are those who speak and kill with the sword (Prov. 25:18). And in another place: The venom of asps is under their lips (Ps. 140:4). And, Their tongue is a sharp sword (Ps. 56:5). Therefore, shame will cover you, and you will say: Shame has covered my face (Ps. 69:8), and you will perish, not for a short time, but forever. For you struck your brother with an eternal wound. But this will also be the cause of torment: for when foreigners were devastating the army of Jacob and entering through its gates into the formerly peaceful Jerusalem, and casting lots to divide its spoils among themselves, you were one of the enemies. We read, we see, and we daily experience that when persecution arises against the Church, the persecutors of Jews and heretics become much worse towards Christians than towards pagans. We can bring foreign ingredients through the gates of Jerusalem, that is, speak evil thoughts, and through the gates of Jerusalem, that is, the soul at rest and seeing God, interpret the five senses through which the enemies enter and divide Jerusalem. If we see a woman to lust after her (Matt. 5), death has entered through our windows (Jer. 9): if we receive lies and the judgement of blood through our ears, the enemy has entered through another gate. Also, the sense of smell, taste, and touch, if it has been captivated by various odors, sweet food, or delicate embraces, enter through other gateways, and divide the spoils of miserable Jerusalem. Therefore, at that time when someone falls from the Church due to the onslaught of persecution and deadly pleasures, we see heretics rejoicing, Jews being glad, and them being counted among the persecutors and included in the number of the Gentiles.
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Summary
Obadiah 1:10 pronounces a severe divine judgment against the nation of Edom, declaring that their cruel and violent actions against their "brother" nation, Jacob (Israel), will result in profound shame and eternal destruction. This verse encapsulates the core indictment against Edom, highlighting their egregious betrayal of kinship and their opportunistic participation in Israel's downfall, thereby justifying God's decisive and irreversible condemnation.
Context
Literary Context
Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament, a prophetic oracle delivered entirely against the nation of Edom. Verse 10 serves as the pivotal accusation, directly articulating the reason for the judgment detailed in the preceding and subsequent verses. The preceding verses (Obadiah 1:1-9) establish Edom's pride and God's intention to bring them low, setting the stage for the specific charge. Following verse 10, Obadiah 1:11-14 elaborates on the specific acts of violence and betrayal: Edom stood aloof, rejoiced over Judah's calamity, plundered their goods, and even cut off their fugitives. Thus, verse 10 functions as the concise summary of Edom's culpability, providing the theological basis for the extensive judgment that follows. The book concludes with a vision of Israel's restoration and ultimate triumph, contrasting sharply with Edom's promised desolation.
Historical & Cultural Context
The prophecy against Edom stems from a long-standing, deeply antagonistic relationship between the descendants of Jacob and Esau, twin brothers who were destined to be two nations (Genesis 25:23). Despite their shared ancestry, Edom (descendants of Esau) consistently opposed Israel (descendants of Jacob). Historically, Edom refused Israel passage during the Exodus (Numbers 20:14-21), engaged in warfare, and often allied with Israel's enemies. The most significant historical backdrop for Obadiah's prophecy is Edom's actions during the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC. Instead of offering aid or showing compassion to their distressed kin, Edom actively participated in the plundering, gloated over Judah's suffering, and even handed over fleeing Israelites to the Babylonians. This profound betrayal of familial and moral obligation, particularly in a culture that valued kinship deeply, made Edom's offense exceptionally grievous in God's eyes.
Key Themes
Obadiah 1:10 contributes significantly to several major theological and narrative themes within the book and broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores the theme of Betrayal of Brotherhood. The phrase "thy violence against thy brother Jacob" emphasizes the profound breach of familial and moral obligation, transforming a political conflict into a deeply personal and theological offense. Secondly, the verse highlights Divine Justice and Consequences. God's judgment is portrayed as swift, certain, and proportionate to Edom's cruelty. The pronouncement "shame shall cover thee" signifies public disgrace and humiliation, a fitting recompense for their gloating over Israel's downfall, as further detailed in Obadiah 1:12. The ultimate consequence, "thou shalt be cut off for ever," points to a complete and irreversible destruction, demonstrating God's unwavering commitment to justice for His people and for all acts of unrighteousness. Finally, implicitly, the verse reinforces the theme of God's Protection of His People. While Israel faced temporary defeat and exile, God would not allow their oppressors to go unpunished. This serves as a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness to His covenant promises, even when His people are disciplined, affirming His ultimate sovereignty over nations and their destinies, as seen in Deuteronomy 32:35.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term denotes not merely physical force but encompasses injustice, cruelty, and moral wrong. It carries a strong connotation of destructive, unrighteous behavior, often driven by malice or greed. In this context, it highlights the egregious nature of Edom's actions, which were not simply acts of war but a profound moral failing.
While a primitive word for a literal brother, it is used here in a wider sense to emphasize the deep, familial relationship between Edom (descended from Esau) and Israel (descended from Jacob). The use of "brother" intensifies the indictment, making Edom's violence a betrayal of kinship, not just an act against a neighboring nation.
This verb literally means "to cut (off, down or asunder)." It is often used in the Old Testament to signify expulsion, excommunication, or utter destruction. In the context of Obadiah 1:10, it implies a complete and permanent termination of Edom's national existence and identity, underscoring the finality and irreversibility of their judgment.
Verse Breakdown
"For thy violence against thy brother Jacob"
This opening clause immediately states the primary charge against Edom. The term "violence" (châmâç) encompasses their active aggression, their plundering, and their cruel indifference during Jerusalem's fall. The phrase "thy brother Jacob" underscores the profound betrayal of kinship. Edom's actions were not merely against a foreign entity but against a nation with whom they shared a common ancestor and a long, albeit contentious, history. This familial bond made their treachery particularly heinous in God's sight.
"shame shall cover thee"
This declaration describes the immediate and public consequence of Edom's violence. "Shame" (bûwshâh) refers to public disgrace, humiliation, and the loss of honor. Just as Edom rejoiced and gloated over Israel's downfall, they would themselves be subjected to a public spectacle of disgrace. This is a fitting poetic justice, where the very nation that sought to humiliate its brother would be covered in its own shame, stripped of any dignity or respect.
"and thou shalt be cut off for ever"
This final, definitive pronouncement seals Edom's fate. "Cut off" (kârath) signifies a complete and utter termination, implying national extinction and permanent removal from the stage of history. The addition of "for ever" (ʻôwlâm) emphasizes the absolute and irreversible nature of this judgment. Unlike Israel, who would experience exile and restoration, Edom's destruction would be final, serving as a stark warning against pride, cruelty, and the betrayal of God's people.
Literary Devices
Obadiah 1:10 employs several potent literary devices to convey its message of divine judgment. Personification is evident in the phrase "shame shall cover thee," where shame is given the active quality of a garment or a shroud, enveloping Edom in its disgrace. This vivid imagery emphasizes the inescapable and pervasive nature of their humiliation. Hyperbole is present in "thou shalt be cut off for ever," which, while literally fulfilled in Edom's national extinction, also conveys the absolute and irreversible nature of God's judgment, leaving no hope of recovery or restoration. There is also a strong element of Irony in the juxtaposition of "violence against thy brother Jacob." The term "brother" normally implies protection, loyalty, and mutual support, yet Edom's actions were the antithesis of this expectation, highlighting the profound perversion of their familial bond. Finally, Metonymy is used with "Jacob" standing for the entire nation of Israel, representing the collective identity and covenant relationship of God's chosen people.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Obadiah 1:10 profoundly illustrates God's unwavering commitment to justice and His fierce protection of His covenant people. It reveals that God does not overlook acts of cruelty, especially when committed against the vulnerable or those with whom a bond of kinship exists. The severity of Edom's punishment underscores the gravity of their sin—not merely an act of war, but a moral transgression rooted in pride, hatred, and a perverse delight in the suffering of others. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that while God may use nations as instruments of discipline for His people, He holds those nations accountable for their motives and excessive cruelty, ensuring that ultimately, His righteous standard prevails. It speaks to the principle that all actions have consequences, and divine justice will ultimately address every wrong.
Reflection and Application
Obadiah 1:10 offers timeless and sobering lessons for believers today, reminding us that God observes and judges all acts of injustice, particularly those committed against the vulnerable or those with whom we share a deep connection, whether familial, communal, or spiritual. It challenges us to examine our own hearts for any trace of indifference, malice, or even secret delight in the struggles of others. The condemnation of Edom for their passive indifference and active participation in Israel's suffering calls us to a higher standard of compassion and solidarity. We are called not to stand by when others are in distress, but to actively demonstrate love, mercy, and support, bearing one another's burdens as commanded in Galatians 6:2. Furthermore, this verse powerfully reaffirms God's sovereignty and His unwavering commitment to justice. While evil may seem to triumph for a season, God's righteous judgment will ultimately prevail, ensuring that "whatever a man sows, that he will also reap" (Galatians 6:7). This should inspire both a holy fear of God's judgment and a profound trust in His ultimate plan for justice and redemption.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Did Edom truly cease to exist "for ever," or is this a hyperbole?
The prophecy that Edom would be "cut off for ever" was fulfilled in a remarkably literal and comprehensive way. Historically, the Edomites, after numerous defeats by various powers (Babylonians, Nabataeans), eventually lost their distinct national identity. By the time of the Roman Empire, the territory of Edom was known as Idumea, and its people were forcibly converted to Judaism by John Hyrcanus in the 2nd century BC. While some individuals of Edomite descent may have assimilated, the nation of Edom, with its unique culture, territory, and political entity, vanished from history, unlike Israel, which persisted through exile and dispersion. This stands in stark contrast to the continued existence and eventual return of the Jewish people, as prophesied in other biblical texts. Thus, the "for ever" signifies a permanent national extinction, underscoring the finality of God's judgment on a nation that persistently opposed His people and His purposes, as also seen in Malachi 1:3-4.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Obadiah 1:10, with its declaration of divine judgment against Edom for their violence and betrayal of "brother Jacob," finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in several profound ways. First, Jesus Christ is the embodiment of perfect justice and righteous judgment. While Edom's judgment was a specific historical event, it foreshadows the universal truth that all unrighteousness and violence will ultimately be judged by God, a judgment perfectly executed by the Son (John 5:22). Christ, the true "brother" to humanity, did not betray but rather offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice for sin, taking upon Himself the "shame" and "being cut off" from God, so that those who believe might be covered not by shame but by His righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). Furthermore, the protection God afforded "Jacob" (Israel) against Edom's malice points to Christ as the ultimate protector and shepherd of His people, the Church. He gathers His sheep, ensuring that none are lost to the violence of the enemy (John 10:28). Edom's eternal cutting off contrasts sharply with the eternal life and inheritance offered through Christ to all who are grafted into the spiritual Israel by faith (Romans 11:17-24). Ultimately, Christ's return will establish a kingdom where all injustice and violence are eradicated, and His people will dwell in everlasting peace, fulfilling the ultimate promise of God's justice and the triumph of His righteous rule (Revelation 21:4).