Obadiah is book 31 of the 39 books of the Old Testament and belongs to the Minor Prophets section. See how it fits with the rest in our guide to all 66 books of the Bible.
Quick facts
- Section
- Old Testament · Minor Prophets
- Genre
- Prophecy: oracle against a nation
- Author (traditional)
- Obadiah, whose name means 'servant of the LORD'; nothing else is known about him.
- Other views on authorship
- Generally accepted as the work of an otherwise unknown prophet; some suggest it combines older oracles against Edom.
- Date (traditional)
- Some traditions place it in the 9th century BC, linked to an Edomite revolt under King Jehoram.
- Other views on dating
- Most scholars date it soon after the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC, when Edom took advantage of Judah's fall.
- Chapters
- 1
- Verses
- 21
- Reading time
- About 3 minutes (614 words in the BSB)
What is Obadiah about?
Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament, just 21 verses. It is addressed to Edom, a nation living in the rocky highlands south-east of the Dead Sea, whose capital seemed unreachable among the cliffs. Edom descended from Esau, Jacob's twin brother, so the conflict is a family feud with ancient roots.
The charge is that when foreigners invaded Jerusalem, Edom stood by, gloated, looted and even handed over fugitives. Obadiah warns that Edom's pride and false security will not protect it: as it has done, so it will be done to it.
The book widens into a vision of the Day of the LORD for all nations. It ends with exiles returning, deliverers going up to Mount Zion, and the kingdom belonging to the LORD.
Outline of Obadiah
| VersesVv. | Section |
|---|---|
| vv. 1–9 | Edom's pride brought down Though Edom nests high among the rocks, God will bring it down. |
| vv. 10–14 | Edom's crimes Violence against its brother Jacob and gloating on the day of Jerusalem's disaster. |
| vv. 15–21 | The Day of the LORD Nations repaid, Mount Zion delivered, and the kingdom belongs to God. |
Key themes
- Pride before a fall. Edom trusted its mountain fortress and clever advisers. Obadiah shows that self-reliant pride is the deepest kind of deception.
- Family betrayal. Edom's sin is worse because Judah was its brother. The rivalry of Jacob and Esau in Genesis echoes through the book.
- Reaping what you sow. Edom will receive what it gave others. God's justice reverses cruelty.
- God's kingdom. The final line looks past all nations' conflicts to a time when the kingdom is the LORD's.
Key people and places
- Obadiah — Prophet whose name means 'servant of the LORD.'
- Esau (Edom) — Jacob's brother, ancestor of the Edomites.
- Jacob — Ancestor of Israel, Esau's twin.
Places: Edom, Teman, Mount Esau, Mount Zion, Jerusalem, the Negev.
Key verses in Obadiah
Quoted from the Berean Standard Bible (BSB).
“The pride of your heart has deceived you, O dwellers in the clefts of the rocks whose habitation is the heights, who say in your heart, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’ Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, even from there I will bring you down,” declares the LORD.”
“But you should not gloat in that day, your brother’s day of misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction, nor boast proudly in the day of their distress.”
“For the Day of the LORD is near for all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you; your recompense will return upon your own head.”
“The deliverers will ascend Mount Zion to rule over the mountains of Esau. And the kingdom will belong to the LORD.”
How Obadiah fits the big story
The tension between Israel and Edom begins with the twins Jacob and Esau in Genesis 25–33, continues when Edom refuses Israel passage in Numbers 20, and peaks when Edom profits from Jerusalem's fall, lamented in Psalm 137. Other prophets also condemn Edom, including Jeremiah 49, whose wording closely parallels Obadiah, and Ezekiel 35. Obadiah's hope that the kingdom belongs to the LORD anticipates the kingdom of God announced by Jesus.
How to read Obadiah
At 1 chapter a day you can read Obadiah in 1 day — in one sitting. Read Genesis 27 first to see where the family feud began, then read Obadiah in one sitting; it takes only a few minutes.