Obadiah 1:8 ESV

The Pulpit Commentary - Obadiah 1:8-9

False confidences. "Shall I not in that day, saith the Lord, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau? And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter." The wise, the mighty!—who shall stand when these fall? Edom made great boast of its wise men and its mighty men, but it was a vain confidence. "Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Obadiah 1:8

Shall I not in that day even destroy the wise out of Edom? - It was then no common, no recoverable, loss of wisdom, for God, the Author of wisdom, had destroyed it. The pagan had a proverb, “whom God willeth to destroy, he first dements.” So Isaiah foretells of Judah Isaiah 29:14, “The wisdom of their wise shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent shall be hid.” Edom was celebrated of old for its wisdom. Eliphaz, the chief of Job’s friends, the representative of human wisdom, was a... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Obadiah 1:5-9

Obadiah 1:5-9. If thieves come unto thee See note on Jeremiah 49:9. How are his hidden things sought up! Those treasures and riches which he took all possible care to conceal, that they might not be discovered by the enemy. All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border Thy confederates marched out with thee, until thou wast come to the borders of thy country, and then they perfidiously joined with the enemy’s forces, and thereby deceived thee. And prevailed... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Obadiah 1:1-14

OBADIAH’S MESSAGEEdom’s sin (1-14)The Edomites thought their land was unconquerable because of the defence system that they had built throughout their rocky mountains. Obadiah warns them that no matter how high up the mountains they go or how strong they make their defences, nothing will save them from the coming destruction. Already the enemy armies are preparing to attack Edom (1-4).A house burglar steals only what he wants, and leaves the remainder of the goods in the house; a vineyard... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Obadiah 1:8

that day: i.e. the day of the fulfillment of the prophecy. Copmare Obadiah 1:15 :16 , and Isaiah 63:1-6 . Jeremiah 49:13 , mount = hill country. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Obadiah 1:8

"Shall I not in that day, saith Jehovah, destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau?""Destroy the wise men out of Edom ..." "Edom was known for its wise men; Elephaz, one of the friends of Job, was a Temanite, Teman being one of the most important towns in Edom."[7] Celebrated as were the wise men of Edom, their counsel will be thwarted and rendered useless when the judgment falls. None of the worldly old wisdom of the dukes of Edom would do any good against... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Obadiah 1:8

8. ( :-; compare Job 5:12; Job 5:13; Isaiah 19:3; Jeremiah 19:7). in that day . . . even destroy—Heretofore Edom, through its intercourse with Babylon and Egypt, and from its means of information through the many caravans passing to and fro between Europe and India, has been famed for knowledge; but in that day at last ("even") I will destroy its wise men. mount of Esau—that is, Idumea, which was a mountainous region. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Obadiah 1:8

The repetition of "declares the Lord" (cf. Obadiah 1:4) reemphasizes Yahweh’s initiative in this judgment. "That day" points to a specific, though undefined, day when He would surely destroy Edom.God would destroy Edom’s famous wise men (cf. 1 Kings 4:30; Job 1:1; Job 2:11; Job 4:1; Jeremiah 49:7; Lamentations 4:21; Baruch 3:23) and their understanding by allowing them to fail to detect the unfaithfulness of their allies (Baruch 3:7). They would also overestimate their own security (Baruch... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Obadiah 1:8-9

D. The Destruction of Edom’s Leadership Obadiah 1:8-9"Obadiah’s discussion nicely interweaves the themes of divine intervention and human instrumentality." [Note: Finley, p. 362.] read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Obadiah 1:5-9

(5-9) The completeness of the overthrow awaiting Edom. It is no mere inroad of a marauding tribe. Something would escape the robber, though he might go away quite satisfied with his plunder; and even a raid in vintage time, for the purpose of doing all the mischief possible to the country, would leave here and there a scattered bunch, gleanings for the inhabitants when the spoilers had retired, but now everything is doomed to destruction. Edom is completely robbed and ransacked. Notice how the... read more