Obadiah

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Joel, Obadiah, Micah, by Dan Epp-Tiessen (Believers Church Bible Commentary)

Introduction

Relevance

Obadiah’s single chapter conveys a simple two-sided message: God will destroy the Edomites thereby making possible the restoration of Israel. Obadiah is one of the most neglected books of the Bible for two main reasons: it is the shortest book in the Old Testament, and its content is theologically problematic, especially from an Anabaptist perspective (see Conclusion below).

Like many other prophetic books, Obadiah is survival literature, composed after the Babylonian defeat of Judah in order to help the community cope with the crushing physical, psychological, and spiritual trauma caused by conquest, death, deportation, and loss of key institutions, like the temple, monarchy, and capital city (see Stulman and Kim: 9–23). Obadiah provides a comforting message of hope, promising that God will destroy Judah’s enemies on the road to restoring the nation.

Authorship, Historical Context, and Composition

The common Hebrew name “Obadiah” means “Servant (or Worshiper) of Yahweh,” the personal name for Israel’s God. While this is a fitting name for a prophet, the book provides no information about such a prophet. Prophetic books generally focus on preserving the prophetic message rather than giving information about the prophet whose name is attached to the book. “Obadiah” may name a real prophet whose words the book preserves, or it may simply be the title editors attached to a collection of prophetic sayings about Edom.

While the book of Obadiah provides no specific information about its origins, the content indicates that it was composed in the century or two following the Babylonian destruction of Judah (586 BCE). Obadiah is outraged that enemies have breached Jerusalem’s defenses, looted the city, and slaughtered refugees fleeing the violence (vv. 10-14). The promises of restoration assume a catastrophic defeat resulting in exile and loss of territory (vv. 15-21). These factors point to the period after the Babylonian destruction of Judah. The intensity of Obadiah’s rage at Edom for participating in Judah’s destruction leads some commentators to suggest that the book was composed shortly after 586 BCE when feelings were still very raw (Raabe: 51–56; Block: 24–25). Other scholars observe how Obadiah seems to borrow material from other biblical writings, which might indicate a somewhat later time of composition after these other writings had been completed.

There are numerous observations and theories about how Obadiah may have originated (Raabe: 14–18; Block: 23–24). Some commentators assert that the entire book comes from the historical Obadiah, perhaps as a single prophetic utterance delivered shortly after 586 BCE in response to Edom’s participation in Judah’s destruction. Others believe that the book is a late post-exilic collection that utilizes prophetic sayings from multiple sources (Nogalski: 368–71, 374–76). The diversity of perspectives reflects that the evidence is too limited for solid conclusions.

The importance of issues of authorship and composition can easily be overemphasized. Both the church and the synagogue accept biblical books in their current form as Scripture regardless of how they came into being. While Obadiah may have a complex compositional history, the current form of the book comes to us as a single, unified composition.

Obadiah and the Book of the Twelve

In Jewish tradition since before the time of Jesus, the twelve short prophetic books that follow Daniel in the Christian Bible are written on a single scroll and called the “Book of the Twelve.” Until recent decades, most biblical scholars believed that these books were thrown together somewhat haphazardly. It was assumed that the best way to study the individual books was to rearrange them into chronological order depending on when the specific prophets supposedly lived, and then to analyze the message in light of this reconstructed historical context. Recently, there is a growing conviction that editors paid considerable attention to the order of individual books in the Book of the Twelve, wanting readers to interpret them in light of each other, not only in light of their original historical context (Epp-Tiessen: 291–93).

Obadiah’s location in the Book of the Twelve is not accidental. Amos concludes with God’s promise to restore Israel (9:11-15), empowering it to possess the remnant of Edom (9:12). By placing Obadiah immediately after this passage, editors allowed Obadiah to explain how and why Israel will conquer Edom. Amos’s closing promise that Israel will possess fertile land is fleshed out by Obadiah’s description of the territory that restored Israel will acquire (vv. 17-21).

Theologically, it is significant that Jonah follows Obadiah. Obadiah portrays foreign nations as cruel and oppressive, and God’s attitude toward them as harsh and vengeful. Jonah paints a different picture. The pagan sailors in Jonah are compassionate and amazingly eager to worship Jonah’s God (1:9-16). Nineveh, the once-capital of the brutal Assyrian empire, repents immediately after a brief announcement of judgment by (the less than enthusiastic) Jonah (3:3-9). God extends remarkable grace to Israel’s hated enemy and quickly revokes judgment (much to Jonah’s displeasure; 3:10–4:3). The location of the book of Jonah after Obadiah suggests that people of faith should not uncritically embrace Obadiah’s perspective on enemies or on God. Obadiah’s perspective needs to be placed in conversation with Jonah’s.

Outline of Obadiah

(from Epp-Tiessen: 129)

Heading, 1a

Edom Is Doomed, 1b-14

God Will Humble Edom, 1b-4

Edom Will Be Pillaged and Abandoned, 5-7

God Will Punish Edom for Betraying His Brother, 8-11

Edom Should Not Have Taken Advantage of His Brother, 12-14

The Day of the Lord: Doom for the Nations but Restoration for Israel, 15-21

Retribution upon the Nations Leads to Zion’s Restoration, 15-18

Israel’s Expanded Kingdom Will Be God’s Kingdom. 19-21

Summary and Comment

Who Is Edom?

Because most of Obadiah focuses on Edom, it is important to understand Edom’s place in Israelite tradition. Geographically, Edom was Israel’s neighbor to the southeast, occupying the rugged dry terrain immediately southeast of the Dead Sea. Edom’s territory was approximately forty miles wide and stretched one hundred miles southwards to the Gulf of Aqaba on the Red Sea, an area that today comprises southwest Jordan. Old Testament traditions about Edom fall roughly into two streams: one portrays Edom as Israel’s enemy; the other depicts Edom as a long-lost brother toward whom Israel has obligations.

Centuries-long conflict between Israel and Edom probably stemmed from two factors. First, the Edomites and Israelites competed for territory in the Negev, the arid region of southern Judah immediately west of traditional Edomite territory. Second, the kings of Israel and Judah sought to control certain parts of Edomite territory as a means of gaining revenue from north-south and east-west trade routes passing through the region. First Samuel states that Saul, Israel’s first king, successfully battled Edom (14:47). According to several reports, David and his generals defeated Edom and slaughtered massive numbers of its people (2 Sam 8:11-14; 1 Kings 11:15-16; 1 Chron 18:11-13; Ps 60 heading). King Amaziah is said to have done something similar (2 Kings 14:7; 2 Chron 25:11-14). Various kings of Israel and Judah attempted to control at least part of Edom as a base from which to engage in trade (1 Kings 9:26-28; 22:47-49; 2 Kings 14:22; 2 Chron 8:17-18; 20:35-37). Not surprisingly, Edom attempted to throw off such domination (1 Kings 11:14; 2 Kings 8:20-22; 16:5-6; 2 Chron 21:8-10).

After Assyria destroyed the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BCE and dominated Judah after 701, Edom was able to break free and perhaps begin moving into the Negev claimed by Judah (2 Kings 16:5-6; 2 Chron 28:16-17). In later centuries under the Babylonian and Persian empires, Judah’s continuing weakness allowed Edomites to move further west, pressured by desert peoples to the east. By the fourth century BCE, Edomites had established Idumea, a territory in the southern Negev that formerly belonged to Judah. After the Babylonian destruction of Judah in 586 BCE, an explosion of writings expressed outrage toward Edomites, many accusing them of committing atrocities against Judah during and after this calamity (Pss 60:8-9; 83:5-6; 108:9-10; 137:7; Isa 21:11-17; 34:5-17; 63:1-6; Jer 25:17-26; 49:7-22; Lam 4:21-22; Ezek 25:12-14; 32:29; 35:1-15; 36:5; Joel 3:19; Amos 9:11-12; Obad 1-19; Mal 1:2-5). While some of these texts may exaggerate Edom’s offenses, it is quite likely that the power vacuum created by the Babylonian conquest allowed Edom to plunder Judah and seize territory, thereby retaliating for Judah’s offenses against Edom.

In contrast to this stream of tradition portraying Israel and Edom as bitter enemies, another depicts them as “brothers” who should respect each other. Israel and Edom are descended from Isaac and Rebekah’s twin sons Jacob and Esau respectively (Gen 32:28; 35:10; 36:1, 8). The conflict between them is caused mostly by Jacob’s selfish and immoral actions (25:29-34; 27:18-29). Despite Esau’s initial rage at Jacob’s theft of the blessing, he eventually mellows and forgives Jacob, making possible one of the Bible’s most touching reconciliation scenes (Gen 33:4-11).

God’s choice of Jacob ensures that Esau/Edom remains distant from the covenant community of Israel. The harsh sentiments expressed elsewhere toward Edomites might lead us to expect an origins story resembling the stories about Israel’s neighbors the Moabites and Ammonites, who are depicted as products of drunken incest between Lot and his daughters (Gen 19:30-38). Instead, Genesis dignifies Esau as Jacob/Israel’s twin brother, even devoting an entire chapter to listing the Edomite clans and kings descended from Esau (36:1-43). Israel’s story requires respectful attention to Edomite cousins (cf. 1 Chron 1:43-54).

Deuteronomy also speaks positively of Edom as Israel’s brother. As the Israelites are about to “cross the boundary of your brothers, the descendants of Esau” (2:4 AT and emphasis), God commands Israel not to attack Edom because God is not granting Israel even a single foot of Edomite territory. God has gifted Edom with a homeland just like God is gifting Israel with Canaan (2:5). God even commands Israel to pay for any food and water it consumes while passing through Edom (2:6). While stipulating that Ammonites and Moabites must never be admitted into Israel’s worshiping body, Deuteronomy allows an Edomite to be admitted after living in the community for three generations because “he is your brother” (23:7 AT and emphasis).

This background information about the Israel-Edom relationship is essential for understanding Obadiah and for grappling with the theological problems that Obadiah poses.

Edom Is Doomed (vv. 1b-14)

Obadiah begins by portraying God’s punishment of Edom from four different angles:

vv. 1b-4 God will humble arrogant Edom

vv. 5-7 Enemies have looted Edom

vv. 8-11 God will punish Edom for betraying brother Jacob

vv. 12-14 Eight atrocities Edom should not have committed against Judah

According to vv. 1-4, a messenger has gone out, summoning the nations to attack Edom. Edom has been deluded by its rugged mountainous terrain—featuring many narrow, easily-defended gorges—into a false sense of security and has proclaimed itself invincible. God mocks Edom by declaring that even if it would soar like an eagle, God would drag it to the ground.

In vv. 5-7 God elaborates on Edom’s punishment by depicting it as looted by enemies and abandoned by former allies. Whereas thieves and looters are somewhat picky about what they cart off because there is only so much that they can carry, and grape harvesters will leave some fruit behind for gleaners, Edom’s enemies will leave no valuables behind.

Verses 8-11 announce that God will target Edom by destroying its wise persons, which means the diplomats, engineers, scribes, and other trained officials necessary to run a country. Also, God will eliminate Edom’s warriors, leaving it so defenseless that the entire population will be annihilated. The reason for such harsh punishment is Edom’s participation in the conquest and looting of Jerusalem, which must refer to the Babylonian destruction of the city. Obadiah uses brotherhood language, repeatedly calling Edom “Esau,” to heighten the reader’s disgust at Edom’s betrayal of brother Jacob. Obadiah’s rhetoric encourages readers to celebrate God’s annihilation of an entire people, many of whom would have been innocent. Christians should resist such harmful sentiments that are a central feature of Obadiah (see Conclusion below and Epp-Tiessen: 304–8).

Verses 12-14 consist of eight parallel statements enumerating abuses Edom should not have committed against his brother, the people of Judah. The repetition emphasizes God’s disapproval and seeks to arouse the reader’s outrage at Edom’s betrayal. Obadiah accuses Edom of gloating over Judah’s calamity, invading, looting, murdering refugees, and participating in Judah’s desolation. Some commentators argue that Obadiah’s accusations have minimal connection to real events (O’Brien: 161–68; Ben Zvi: 145–46). While parts of Obadiah’s critique may be exaggerated, there are good reasons to believe that Edom did take advantage of Judah’s weakness to loot, encroach on Judah’s territory, and exact revenge for centuries of conquest and domination by Israel. Otherwise, it is difficult to explain the proliferation of post-586 texts announcing Edom’s judgment.

The Day of the Lord: Doom for the Nations but Restoration for Israel (vv. 15-21)

Obadiah’s announcement that the day of the Lord against the nations is near marks the major turning point in the book (v. 15). The day of the Lord is an important prophetic theme. It is not a twenty-four hour period but a time of God’s intervention to punish evildoers and establish God’s purposes on earth (Epp-Tiessen: 293–94). While Edom still remains the focus, its sins and judgment come to symbolize the sins and punishment of all the nations opposed to God’s agenda (vv. 15-16).

The destruction of enemies on the day of the Lord makes possible Judah’s restoration. Mount Zion/Jerusalem will become a safe haven, and Judah will dispossess its oppressors (v. 17). Israel will become a raging fire that consumes every last Edomite (v. 18). Verses 19-20 describe the movements of various peoples that entail the return of Israel’s exiles and a divinely-enabled conquest and resettling of Canaan. This resettlement will enlarge Israel’s territory to match the glory days of old. From Mount Zion, Israel’s leaders will rule Edom, symbolic also of other nations. Obadiah concludes by declaring that this state of affairs represents the establishment of God’s kingdom or reign (v. 21).

Conclusion and the Anabaptist Tradition

Obadiah seeks to reassure a community that was physically, psychologically, and spiritually traumatized by the death, destruction, and dislocation caused by the Babylonian conquest. Obadiah voices the community’s anguish and rage, refusing to be silent in the face of suffering and injustice (Stulman and Kim: 204–5). It affirms God’s sovereignty over the nations (vv. 8, 15, 21), claiming that God is not indifferent but will punish offenders on the day of the Lord (vv. 15-16). God will restore Israel, bring exiles home, and grant abundant living space (vv. 17-21).

Despite a number of positive features, Obadiah bristles with theological problems that can cause harm if we do not name and challenge them. Because of the important role that the Bible plays in shaping Christian faith, failure to address theological and ethical problems in the Bible may lead Christians to perpetuate similar problems in the present. We need only think of how for centuries many Christians used pro-slavery texts from the Bible to justify the brutal trans-Atlantic slave trade.

Obadiah’s demonization of Edom may promote self-righteousness among contemporary readers. Obadiah condemns Edom’s abuses of brother Jacob/Israel without acknowledging the many abuses Israel committed against Edom (see above “Who Is Edom?). Obadiah may encourage us to demonize the people with whom we have conflicts, laying all the blame on them without taking responsibility for our own harmful actions.

Obadiah paints an entire people as cruel and abusive, thereby encouraging othering and racial stereotyping. While some Edomites probably did commit atrocities against Judah, it is not fair or accurate to portray the entire community as guilty. Such stereotyping is dangerous because it stokes fear and hatred of the other, legitimating violence against them. By claiming that God wishes to annihilate every Edomite and defeat other nations, Obadiah asserts that the salvation of God’s people requires the destruction of their enemies. This perspective invites us to imagine that our own salvation requires the elimination of our human enemies. In the book’s closing scene, deliverance entails divinely empowered conquest, genocide, and ethnic cleansing so that the Israelites can take over the territory of their neighbors. Many European colonizers were shaped by such a vision inspired by biblical texts similar to Obadiah, believing that as God’s people they had divine approval to sail anywhere in the world, conquer the indigenous peoples, and steal their land.

Out of respect for Obadiah, we should recognize how the book expresses the agony and anger of a community experiencing a level of trauma few of us can imagine. Such people have legitimate reasons for their rage and desire for revenge. Obadiah’s harsh attitude toward enemies is understandable and was probably not very dangerous given Judah’s lack of military muscle to act out its rage and desire for revenge. Obadiah may represent an act of “throwing one’s moral outrage upon the shoulders of God” (Brown: 8). The venting of anger and outrage may have served as a spiritual and psychological escape valve to release hateful feelings and bring them to God, thereby preventing them from inspiring concrete actions against Edom.

Given that our life experience is probably very different from that of Obadiah’s community, we should recognize that some of Obadiah’s core convictions are spiritually and theologically unhealthy for us. We should not let the book poison our attitude toward other peoples. We should not imagine ourselves as God’s chosen people whose national interests God will champion at the expense of other peoples’ interests. Nor should we believe that our salvation and well-being require the annihilation of our human enemies.

The Bible sometimes offers more than one perspective on an issue. Scripture’s counter voices provide an important basis from which to challenge Obadiah. Discomfort with Obadiah’s message goes back at least as far as Jewish editors of the Book of the Twelve who placed Jonah immediately after Obadiah, thereby providing an alternate portrayal of God and enemies that must also be considered (see above “Obadiah and the Book of the Twelve;” Epp-Tiessen: 116–17). While one stream of biblical tradition depicts Edom as hateful enemy, another portrays Edom as long-lost brother toward whom Israel has “family” obligations (see above “Who Is Edom?” and Epp-Tiessen: 120–22). Anabaptist Christians who read all of Scripture through the interpretive lens of Jesus, should give less weight to Obadiah and more to the call of Jesus to imitate God by loving enemies and seeking their welfare (Matt 5:43-48; Luke 6:27-36). According to the New Testament, God responds to the crucifixion of Jesus not by taking revenge on the “enemies” responsible, as Obadiah might imagine, but by turning the crucifixion into the means of making peace in the world, reconciling humans both to each other and to God (Eph 2:11-22). One of Obadiah’s major goals is to comfort and provide hope to a devastated community by foretelling the destruction of Israel’s enemies and its restoration into a great nation state. In Christ we see that our ultimate security, well-being, and hope do not depend on the power of any nation state or the defeat of our adversaries, but on the fact that if we commit ourselves to Jesus Christ, there is no power in the cosmos that can “separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 8:39).

Recommended Essays in the Commentary

Book of the Twelve
Day of the LORD
God’s Judgment
Salvation and the Destruction of Enemies
Strategies for Interpreting Problematic Texts

Bibliography

• Barton, John. Joel and Obadiah: A Commentary. Old Testament Library. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2001.
• Ben Zvi, Ehud. A Historical-Critical Study of the Book of Obadiah. Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft 242. New York: de Gruyter, 1996.
• Block, Daniel I. Obadiah. Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2013.
• Brown, William P. Obadiah through Malachi. Westminster Bible Companion. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1996.
• Epp-Tiessen, Daniel. Joel, Obadiah, Micah. Believers Church Bible Commentary. Harrisonburg, VA: Herald, 2022.
• Nogalski, James D. The Book of the Twelve: Hosea–Jonah. Smyth and Helwys Bible Commentary. Macon, GA: Smyth and Helwys, 2011.
• O’Brien, Julia M. Challenging Prophetic Metaphor: Theology and Ideology in the Prophets. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2008.
• Raabe, Paul R. Obadiah: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. The Anchor Bible 24D. New York: Doubleday, 1996.
• Stulman, Luis, and Hyun Chul Paul Kim. You Are My People: An Introduction to Prophetic Literature. Nashville: Abingdon, 2010.
• Wolff, Hans Walter. Obadiah and Jonah: A Commentary. Translated by Margaret Kohl. Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1986.

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—Daniel Epp-Tiessen