Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Obadiah 1:10-16

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Obadiah 1:12

But thou shouldest not have looked on the day of thy brother ,.... The day of his calamity, distress, and destruction, as afterwards explained; that is, with delight and satisfaction, as pleased with it, and rejoicing at it; but rather should have grieved and mourned, and as fearing their turn would be next: or, "do not look" F20 אל תרא "ne aspicias", Junius & Tremellius; "ne aspicito", Piscator; "ne spectes", Cocceius. ; so some read it in the imperative, and in like manner... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Obadiah 1:13

Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity ,.... Or gates, as the Targum; the gates of any of their cities, and particularly those of Jerusalem; into which the Edomites entered along with the Chaldeans, exulting over the Jews, and insulting them, and joining with the enemy in distressing and plundering them: yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity : which is repeated, as being exceeding cruel and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Obadiah 1:14

Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossing ,.... In a place where two or more roads met, to stop the Jews that fled, let them take which road they would: or, "in the breach" F25 על הפרק "in diruptione", Junius & Tremellius, Tarnovius. ; that is, of the walls of the city; to cut off those of his that did escape ; such of the Jews that escaped the sword of the Chaldeans in the city, and attempted, to get away through the breaches of the walls of it, or that took... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Obadiah 1:12

Thou shouldest not have looked - It shows a malevolent heart to rejoice in the miseries of those who have acted unkindly or wickedly towards us. The Edomites triumphed when they saw the judgments of God fall upon the Jews. This the Lord severely reprehends in Obadiah 1:12-15 . If a man have acted cruelly towards us, and God punish him for this cruelty, and we rejoice in it, we make his crime our own; and then, as we have done, so shall it be done unto us; see Obadiah 1:15 . All these... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Obadiah 1:14

Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway - They are represented here as having stood in the passes and defiles to prevent the poor Jews from escaping from the Chaldeans. By stopping these passes, they threw the poor fugitives back into the teeth of their enemies. They had gone so far in this systematic cruelty as to deliver up the few that had taken refuge among them. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Obadiah 1:12

Verse 12 The Prophet enumerates here the kinds of cruelty which the Idumeans exercised towards the Church of God, the children of Abraham, their own kindred. But he speaks by way of prohibition; it is then a personification, by which the Prophet introduces God as the speaker, as though he taught and admonished them on the duties of human kindness. Engraven, indeed, on their hearts ought all these to have been, on account of which he now reproaches them; for by forgetting humanity they had... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Obadiah 1:13

Verse 13 It follows, Thou shouldest not enter the gates of my people in the day of their destruction, nor shouldest thou look on in their calamity. Probably the Idumeans had made an irruption in company with the Assyrians and Chaldeans, when they ought to have remained at home, and there to lament the slaughter of their brethren. For if I cannot save my friend from death or from a calamity, I shall yet withdraw myself, for I could not bear to look on: but were I constrained to look on my... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Obadiah 1:14

Verse 14 It follows, And thou shouldest not stand on the going forth. The word פרק perek signifies to break, to dissipate, to rend; hence פרק perek, as a noun, in Hebrew means rending and breaking. Therefore some take it metaphorically for a place where two ways meet, when one road is cut or divided into two. When the two meet then there is a going forth by two ways; hence they take פרק, perek, for such a place. But we may simply take it for the rending of the people. Though I am certainly... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Obadiah 1:1-16

Part I. THE DESTRUCTION OF EDOM, AND THE CAUSE THEREOF. read more

Group of Brands