Obadiah 1

Obadiah 1:1

COncerning Edom] Isaiah 21:11. and Isaiah 34:5. Jerem. 49. 7. Ezekiel 25:12. Joel 3. 19. Malachi 1:3.

We have heard a rumour from the LORD] God hath certainly revealed to his Prophets, that he will raise up the heathens to destroy the Edomites, whereof the rumour is now published. Jerem. 49. 14.

Arise ye] Thus the heathen encourage themselves to rise against Edom.

Obadiah 1:2

Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen] Jeremiah 49:15.

Obadiah 1:3

The pride of thine heart] Which despisest all others in respect of thy self, and yet art but an handfull in comparison of others, and art shut up among the hills, as separate from the rest of the world.

Obadiah 1:4

Though thou exalt thy self] Job 20:6. Jeremiah 49:16. and Jeremiah 51:53. Amos 9:2.

Obadiah 1:5

If theeves came to thee] God will so destroy them, that he will leave none, though theeves when they come, take but till they have enough, and they that gather grapes ever leave some behinde them, Jeremiah 49:9.

some grapes] Or, gleanings.

Obadiah 1:6

O Teman] The name of a Citie in the Countrey of Idumea. See Amos 1:12.

Obadiah 1:7

have brought thee] Have joyned their forces to thine, to go and withstand the enemies invasions; but just at the instant that thou hadst need of them, they have forsaken thee.

the men that were at peace with thee] Heb. the men of thy peace.

prevailed against thee] He seems to mean the Egyptians, who by powerfull perswasions, and by reason of interest of State, had brought the Idumeans to declare themselves enemies to the Chaldeans.

thy bread have laid a wound under thee] Heb. thy bread have they laid for a snare under thee. A term taken from hunters, who with baits draw the beasts unto their traps. The meaning is, the victuall which thou hast had out of Egypt, hath been as it were a bait to thee to insnare thee in the league against the Chaldeans, which hath been the cause of thy ruine; the which with all thy famous wisdom thou couldst not perceive. Or, Heb. the men of thy bread: as Psalms 41:9. That is, those that eate familiarly with thee.

in him] Or, of it.

Obadiah 1:8

Shall I not in that day] Isaiah 29:14. Jeremiah 49:7.

Obadiah 1:10

For thy violence] Genesis 27:41. Psalms 137:7. Ezekiel 35:5. Amos 1:11.

against thy brother Jacob] Namely, the Israelites and Jews which were descended from Jacob, brother of Esau, the father of the Idumeans.

Obadiah 1:11

thou stoodest on the other side] Not onely like an idle spectatour, yeelding no assistance, nor pitying the Jews calamities; but feeding also thine eyes therewith, as with a pleasing object. See Psalms 137:7.

carried away captive his forces] Or, carried away his substance. The men of warre taken with Zedekiah in his flight. Jeremiah 39:4-5. Or plainly, the whole multitude carried away captive into Babylon.

cast lots upon Jerusalem] To part both the spoile and persons.

Obadiah 1:12

thou shouldest not have looked on] Or, do not behold, &c.

in the day that he became a stranger] Or, in the day of his strange chance; (when the Lord deprived them of their former dignity, and gave them to be carried into captivity) See Job 31:3.

have spoken proudly] Heb. magnified thy mouth. By scoffing them.

substance] Or, forces.

Obadiah 1:14

delivered] Or, shut up.

Obadiah 1:15

the day of the LORD] When he will judge all the heathen, who have destroyed Gods people.

as thou hast done] Ezekiel 35:15.

Obadiah 1:16

For as ye have drunk, &c.] Judg. 1. 7. As you my people have drunk of the cup of my judgements, so your enemies shall drink up the very dregs, and shall utterly be destroyed thereby. See Jeremiah 25:29. and Jeremiah 49:12.

swallow down] Or, sup up.

Obadiah 1:17

deliverance] Or, they that escape.

there shall be holinesse] Or, it shall be holy.

possessions] Which they were dispossessed of by their enemies. A figure of the right of the eternall inheritance, which the devill and sinne had gotten away from the Church, to which she was restored by Christ. Others, their possessions, namely, the possessions of those nations which were their enemies.

Obadiah 1:18

shall be a fire] God attributeth this power, to consume his enemies, to his Church, which power is onely proper to himself, as Isaiah 10:17. Deuteronomy 4:24. Hebrews 12:29.

they shall kindle in them] The Church, by the power of Christ and his Spirit, shall as easily consume the enemies, represented under the person of the Idumeans, as fire doth kindle when it taketh hold of some combustible matter.

Obadiah 1:19

And they of the south, &c.] Or, they shall possesse the south land with the mount of Esau, and the plain with the Philistines. He describeth how the Church shall be inlarged, and have great possessions, whereof see Jeremiah 17:26. and Jeremiah 32:44. and Jeremiah 33:13. (the meaning is the same as vers. 17.) but this chiefly is accomplished under Christ, when as the faithfull are made heirs and Lords of all things, by him which is their Head.

Obadiah 1:20

of this host] See upon vers. 11.

unto Zarephath] A Citie of the Sidonians, in the uttermost confines of the Countrey of Canaan. 1 Kings 17:9.

which is in Sepharad] Or, shall possesse that which is in Sepharad. It is thought to be a citie in the countrey of Chaldea: others say it is a compound word, signifying in the end of the dominion; meaning, that when the four beasts which have made havock of the Church, shall be destroyed at the coming of the the Messiah, then the Church shall be made Catholike, and the Gospel from Jerusalem shall be spread into all Countries. Isaiah 2:2-4.

Obadiah 1:21

saviours] 1 Timothy 4:16. James 5:20. This may according to the letter and in part be understood of the Maccabees, who subdued the Idumeans, 1 Mac. 5. 3. but spiritually and fully it is referred to the Apostles, and other of Christs Ministers, who were to preach the Gospel, for the salvation of the elect, and condemnation of the wicked. See 1 Timothy 4:16.

the kingdome] Luke 1:33. Christ, true God, shall by his Father be established everlasting King of his Church, and of all the world. See Psalms 2:8.