俄巴底亚书 1:1

Chinese Union (Simplified)

俄 巴 底 亚 得 了 耶 和 华 的 默 示 。 论 以 东 说 ： 我 从 耶 和 华 那 里 听 见 信 息 ， 并 有 使 者 被 差 往 列 国 去 ， 说 ： 起 来 罢 ， 一 同 起 来 与 以 东 争 战 ！

Parallel Translations

Chinese NCV (Simplified)
有關以東的預言俄巴底亞所見的異象。主耶和華指著以東這樣說：我們從耶和華那裡聽見了一個信息，有一位使者被派往列國去，說：“起來吧！我們起來與以東爭戰。”

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

concerning: Psalms 137:7, Isaiah 21:11, Isaiah 34:1-17, Isaiah 63:1-6, Jeremiah 9:25, Jeremiah 9:26, Jeremiah 25:17, Jeremiah 25:21, Jeremiah 49:17-22, Lamentations 4:21, Lamentations 4:22, Ezekiel 25:12-14, Ezekiel 35:3-15, Joel 3:19, Amos 1:11, Amos 1:12, Malachi 1:3, Malachi 1:4

We: Jeremiah 49:14, Jeremiah 49:15, Jeremiah 51:46, Matthew 24:6, Mark 13:7

and an: Isaiah 18:2, Isaiah 18:3, Isaiah 30:4

Arise: Jeremiah 6:4, Jeremiah 6:5, Jeremiah 50:9-15, Jeremiah 51:27, Jeremiah 51:28, Micah 2:13

Reciprocal: Genesis 25:23 - the elder 2 Kings 19:7 - hear a rumour Isaiah 34:5 - upon Idumea Jeremiah 49:7 - Edom Ezekiel 25:8 - Seir Ezekiel 32:29 - Edom Ezekiel 35:2 - and prophesy Ezekiel 36:5 - against all

Gill's Notes on the Bible

The vision of Obadiah,.... Or the prophecy, as the Targum; which was delivered unto him by the Lord in a vision; it was not what he fancied or dreamed of, but what he saw, what he had a clear discovery and revelation of made unto his mind; hence prophets are sometimes called "seers". This was a single prophecy; though sometimes a book, consisting of various prophecies, is called a vision; as the prophecies of Isaiah are called the vision of Isaiah, Isaiah 1:1;

thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom; by the mouth of this prophet, who was divinely inspired by him; for Obadiah said not what follows of himself but in the name of the Lord; and is a proof of the divine authority of this book; the subject matter of which is Edom or Idumea, as in the Septuagint version; a neighbouring country to the Jews, and very troublesome to them, being their implacable enemies, though their brethren; and were a type of the enemies of the Christian church, those false brethren, the antichristian states; and particularly the head of them, the Romish antichrist, whose picture is here drawn and whose destruction is prophesied of, under the name of Edom; for what has been literally fulfilled in Idumea will; be mystically accomplished in antichrist. The Jews generally understand, by Edom, Rome, and the Christians in general; which, if applied only to the antichristians, is not amiss;

we have heard a rumour from the Lord; or "a report" n; a message from him, brought by the Spirit of God, as a spirit of prophecy; that is, I Obadiah, and Jeremiah, and other prophets, as Isaiah and Amos, who have had orders to prophesy against Edom; see Jeremiah 49:14; so the angels, or Gospel ministers, will have a rumour or message concerning the fall of antichrist Revelation 14:6;

and an ambassador is sent among the Heathen: either by the Lord, as Jeremiah the prophet, according to some; or an angel, as others; or an impulse upon the minds of the Chaldeans stirring them up to war against the Edomites: or else by Nebuchadnezzar to the nations in alliance with him, to join him in his expedition against them; or a herald sent by him to his own people, to summon them together to this war, and to encourage them in it:

arise ye, and let us rise up in battle against her; come up from all parts, join together, and invade the land of Idumea, and give battle to the inhabitants of it, and destroy them; so the kings of the earth will stir up one another to hate the whore of Rome, and make her desolate,

Revelation 17:16.

n שמועה "auditum", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The vision of Obadiah - , i. e., of “the worshiper of God.” The prophet would be known only by that which his name imports, that he worshiped God. He tells us in this double title, through whom the prophecy came, and from whom it came. His name authenticated the prophecy to the Jewish Church. Thenceforth, he chose to remain wholly hidden. He entitles it “a vision,” as the prophets were called “seers” 1 Samuel 9:9, although he relates, not the vision which he saw, but its substance and meaning. Probably the future was unfolded to him in the form of sights spread out before his mind, of which he spoke in words given to him by God. His language consists of a succession of pictures, which he may have seen, and, in his picture language, described . “As prophecy is called “the word,” because God spoke to the prophets within, so it is called “vision,” because the prophet saw, with the eyes of the mind and by the light wherewith they are illumined, what God willeth to be known to them.” The name expresses also the certainty of their knowledge . “Among the organs of our senses, sight has the most evident knowledge of those things which are the object of our senses. Hence, the contemplation of the things which are true is called “vision,” on account of the evidence and assured certainty. On that ground the prophet was called “seer.”

Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom - This second title states, that the whole which follows is from God. What immediately follows is said in Obadiah’s own person; but all, whether so spoken or directly in the Person of God, was alike the word of God. God spake in or by the prophets, in both ways, since 2 Peter 1:21 “prophecy came not by the will of man, but holy men of God spake” as they were “moved by the Holy Spirit.” Obadiah, in that he uses, in regard to his whole prophecy, words which other prophets use in delivering a direct message from God, ascribes the whole of his prophecy to God, as immediately as other prophets did any words which God commanded them to speak. The words are a rule for all prophecy, that all comes directly from God.

We have heard a rumor - , rather, “a report;” literally “a hearing, a thing heard,” as Isaiah says Isaiah 53:1, “Who hath believed our report? A “report” is certain or uncertain, according to the authority from whom it comes. This “report” was certainly true, since it was “from the Lord.” By the plural, we, Obadiah may have associated with himself, either other prophets of his own day as Joel and Amos, who, with those yet earlier, as Balaam and David, had prophesied against Edom, or the people, for whose sakes God made it known to him. In either case, the prophet does not stand alone for himself. He hears with “the goodly company of the prophets;” and the people of God hear in him, as Isaiah says again Isaiah 21:10, “that which I have heard from the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have I declared unto you.”

And an ambassador is sent among the pagan - The “ambassador” is any agent, visible or invisible, sent by God. Human powers, who wish to stir up war, send human messengers. All things stand at God’s command, and whatever or whomsoever He employs, is a messenger from Him. He uses our language to us. He may have employed an angel, as He says Psalms 78:49, “He sent evil angels among them,” and as, through the permission given to a lying spirit 1 Kings 22:21-23. He executed His judgments upon Ahab, of his own free will believing the evil spirit, and disbelieving Himself. So Judges 9:23 “God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem,” allowing His rebellious spirit to bring about the punishment of evil men, by inflaming yet more the evil passions, of which they were slaves. Evil spirits, in their malice and rebellion, while stirring up the lust of conquest, are still God’s messengers, in that He overrules them; as, to Paul 2 Corinthians 12:7, “the thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet him,” was still the gift of God. “It was given me,” he says.

Arise ye and let us rise - He who rouseth them, says, “Arise ye,” and they quickly echo the words, “and let us arise.” The will of God is fulfilled at once. While eager to accomplish their own ends, they fulfill, the more, the purpose of God. Whether, the first agent is man’s own passions, or the evil spirit who stirs them, the impulse spreads from the one or the few to the many. But all catch the spark, cast in among them. The summons finds a ready response. “Arise,” is the commend of God, however given; “let us arise,” is the eager response of man’s avarice or pride or ambition, fulfilling impetuously the secret will of God; as a tiger, let loose upon man by man, fulfills the will of its owner, while sating its own thirst for blood. So Isaiah hears Isaiah 13:4 “the noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people, a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together.” The Medes and Persians thought at that time of nothing less, than that they were instruments of the One God, whom they knew not. But Isaiah continues; “The Lord of hosts mustereth the host of the battle;” and, when it was fulfilled, Cyrus saw and owned it Ezra 1:1-2.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET OBADIAH

Chronological Notes relative to this book, upon the supposition that it was written about five hundred and eighty-seven years before the commencement of the Christian era

-Year from the Creation, according to Archbishop Usher, 3417.

-Year of the Jewish era of the world, 3174.

-Year since the Flood, 1761.

-Year from the vocation of Abram, 1335.

-Year from the foundation of Solomon's temple, 425.

-Year since the division of Solomon's monarchy into the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, 389.

-Year of the era of Iphitus, 298.

-Second year of the forty-eighth Olympiad.

-Year from the building of Rome, according to the Varronian or generally received computation, 167.

-Year from the building of Rome, according to the Fasti Consulares, 166.

-Year from the building of Rome, according to Polybius the historian, 165.

-Year from the building of Rome, according to Fabius Pictor, 161.

-Year since the overthrow of the kingdom of Israel by Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, 135.

-Year since the destruction of the kingdom of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, 2.

-Year of the Julian Period, 4127.

-Year of the era of Nabonassar, 161.

-Year before the birth of Christ, 583.

-Year before the vulgar era of Christ's nativity, 587.

-Cycle of the Sun, 11.

-Cycle of the Moon, 4.

-Thirtieth year of Tarquinius Priscus, the fifth king of the Romans.

-Thirty-ninth year of Cyaraxes or Cyaxares, the fourth king of Media.

-Nineteenth year of Agasicles, king of Lacedaemon of the family of the Proclidae.

-Twenty-first year of Leon, king of Lacedaemon, of the family of the Eurysthenidae.

-Thirty-third year of Alyattes II., king of Lydia.

-Sixteenth year of AEropas, the seventh king of Macedon.

-Eighth year of Apries, king of Egypt; the same with the celebrated Pharaoh-hophrah.

-Ninth year of Baal, king of the Tyrians.

-Twentieth year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon.

OBADIAH

God is here represented as summoning the nations against Edom,

and declaring that his strongholds should not save him, 14;

that not a remnant, not a gleaning, should be left of him, 5;

that the enemy would search out his people, and totally subdue

them; and that none of their allies should stand by them, 6-9.

He then enlarges on their particular offense, and threatens

them with a speedy recompense, 10-16.

The Babylonians accordingly subdued the Edomites, and expelled

them from Arabia Petraea, of which they never afterwards

recovered possession. The remaining verses contain a prophecy

of the restoration of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity,

and of their victory over all their enemies, 17-21.

Some commentators think that these last verses were fulfilled

by the conquests of the Maccabees over the Edomites.

See 1Macc 5:3-5, 65, c.

Who was this prophet? where born? of what country? at what time did he prophesy? who were his parents? when and where did he die? are questions which have been asked from the remotest antiquity and which, to this day, have received no answer worthy of recording. There is a multitude of opinions concerning these points; and their multitude and discrepancy are the strongest proofs of their uncertainty. All that seems probable is, that, as he prophesied concerning the destruction of Edom, he flourished a little before, or a little after, the taking of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, which happened about five hundred and eighty-eight years before Christ; and the destruction of Idumea by the same monarch, which took place a short time after; probably between 588 B.C. and 575 B.C., in the interval of the thirteen years which Nebuchadnezzar employed in the siege of Tyre, which he undertook immediately after the capture of Jerusalem.

Obadiah foretells the subduction of the Idumeans by the Chaldeans, and finally by the Jews, whom they had used most cruelly when brought low by other enemies. These prophecies have been literally fulfilled for the Idumeans, as a nation, are totally extinct.

Whoever will be at the trouble to collate this short prophecy with the forty-ninth chapter of Jeremiah, will find a remarkable similarity, not only in the sentiments and words, but also in whole verses. In the above chapter Jeremiah predicts the destruction of the Idumeans. Whether he copied Obadiah, or Obadiah copied him, cannot be determined; but it would be very strange if two prophets, unacquainted with each other, should speak of the same event precisely in the same terms. See the parallel texts in the margin, and Jeremiah 49:1, &c.

NOTES ON THE BOOK OF OBADIAH

Verse Obadiah 1:1. We have heard a rumour — See Jeremiah 49:14, where the same expressions are found. The prophet shows that the enemies of Idumea had confederated against it, and that Jehovah is now summoning them to march directly against it.