- Resources
- Old Testament
Book of Obadiah
Pronunciation:
Authorship and Origin:
Obadiah pronounces judgement on the Edomites for their role in supporting the attack on Jerusalem. Two possible dates are suggested then for this time. One is around 844 B.C..
when the city was attacked by the Philistines, and the other is around 587 B.C. when Jerusalem
was destroyed by the Babylonians. The first date has more evidence based on Hebrew canon, and similar stories from Jeremiah 49:7-22. Nothing is known about Obadiah himself.
Overview and Significant sections
The Edomites were descendants of Esau, a brother of Jacob, which settled south of the Dead Sea
and became properous. When Moses later led the Israelites out of Egypt, toward Canaan, the Edomites refused to let the Israelites pass through their land, and so Moses had to take a long route around their territory. Later in King David's time, the Edomites were conquered by the
Israelites, however wars and hostilities continued for centuries until in the fifth century B.C., the Edomite kingdom was destroyed. Descendants of the Edomites were called Idumeans in
the New Testament, and included Herod the Great and his line which lived around the time
of Christ. This book teaches that God makes moral judgements on his people (both then and
now), and there will finally be a time of blessing following 'The Day of the Lord' (see Joel).
Significant sections:
For more detailed study:
Read it. (the entire book is available here.)
The Concise Matthew Henry Commentary on this book.
bible.org study of this book.
the World Wide Study Bible has Dictionary, Commentary, Scripture and sermons available
on this book.
