Obadiah – Chapter 1

Old Testament21 Verses

Chapter Summary

"The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord God to Edom: We have heard a rumour from the Lord, and he hath sent an ambassador to the…" — so begins Obadiah 1. The chapter centers on Esau, Jacob and Joseph. Across its 21 verses, two threads run through the text: family and covenant relationships and wisdom for daily living. Taken as a whole, the chapter forms one movement in the account, preparing what follows and completing what came before.

1The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord God to Edom: We have heard a rumour from the Lord, and he hath sent an ambassador to the nations: Arise, and let us rise up to battle against him.

2Behold I have made thee small among the nations: thou art exceeding contemptible.

3The pride of thy heart hath lifted thee up, who dwellest in the clefts of the rocks, and settest up thy throne on high: who sayest in thy heart: Who shall bring me down to the ground?

4Though thou be exalted as an eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars: thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord.

5If thieves had gone in to thee, if robbers by night, how wouldst thou have held thy peace? would they not have stolen till they had enough? if the grapegatherers had come in to thee, would they not have left thee at the least a cluster?

6How have they searched Esau, how have they sought out his hidden things?

7They have sent thee out even to the border: all the men of thy confederacy have deceived thee: the men of thy peace have prevailed against thee: they that eat with thee shall lay snares under thee: there is no wisdom in him.

8Shall not I in that day, saith the Lord, destroy the wise out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau?

9And thy valiant men of the south shall be afraid, that man may be cut off from the mount of Esau.

10For the slaughter, and for the iniquity against thy brother Jacob, confusion shall cover thee, and thou shalt perish for ever.

11In the day when thou stoodest against him, when strangers carried away his army captive, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem: thou also wast as one of them.

12But thou shalt not look on in the day of thy brother, in the day of his leaving his country: and thou shalt not rejoice over the children of Juda, in the day of their destruction: and thou shalt not magnify thy mouth in the day of distress.

13Neither shalt thou enter into the gate of my people in the day of their ruin: neither shalt thou also look on in his evils in the day of his calamity: and thou shalt not be sent out against his army in the day of his desolation.

14Neither shalt thou stand in the crossways to kill them that flee: and thou shalt not shut up them that remain of him in the day of tribulation.

15For the day of the Lord is at hand upon all nations: as thou hast done, so shall it be done to thee: he will turn thy reward upon thy own head.

16For as you have drunk upon my holy mountain, so all nations shall drink continually: and they shall drink, and sup up, and they shall be as though they were not.

17And in mount Sion shall be salvation, and it shall be holy, and the house of Jacob shall possess those that possessed them.

18And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau stubble: and they shall be kindled in them, and shall devour them: and there shall be no remains of the house of Esau, for the Lord hath spoken it.

19And they that are toward the south, shall inherit the mount of Esau, and they that are in the plains, the Philistines: and they shall possess the country of Ephraim, and the country of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Galaad.

20And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel, all the places of the Chanaanites even to Sarepta: and the captivity of Jerusalem that is in Bosphorus, shall possess the cities of the south.

21And saviours shall come up into mount Sion to judge the mount of Esau: and the kingdom shall be for the Lord.

Important Verses in Obadiah 1

The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord God to Edom: We have heard a rumour from the Lord, and he hath sent an ambassador to the nations: Arise, and let us rise up to battle against him.

Obadiah 1:1

Though thou be exalted as an eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars: thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord.

Obadiah 1:4

And in mount Sion shall be salvation, and it shall be holy, and the house of Jacob shall possess those that possessed them.

Obadiah 1:17

And saviours shall come up into mount Sion to judge the mount of Esau: and the kingdom shall be for the Lord.

Obadiah 1:21

Historical Context

Obadiah addresses edom under judgment, and devastated Judah awaiting vindication within the broader story of God's covenant people. Chapter 1 of 1 opens the book and sets the stage for everything that follows. It is a prophetic oracle addressed to Israel in a moment of covenant crisis or renewal with 21 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. The chapter focuses on Esau, Jacob and Joseph, whose actions and words drive the passage forward. The passage starts with these words: "The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord God to Edom: We have heard a rumour from the Lord, and he hath sent an…" It concludes: "And saviours shall come up into mount Sion to judge the mount of Esau: and the kingdom shall be for the Lord. " In terms of historical background, The shortest book of the Old Testament (21 verses) is an oracle against Edom, Israel's brother-nation descended from Esau, which gloated over Jerusalem's destruction and cut down its fugitives. Scholarly and ecclesial tradition places the composition of Obadiah around Probably shortly after 587 BC.

Who Wrote It

The prophet Obadiah

When It Was Written

Probably shortly after 587 BC

Catholic Commentary

At the literal level, this oracle names the sins, judgments, or promises relevant to its original hearers. A pivotal line is verse 1: "The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord God to Edom: We have heard a rumour from the Lord, and he hath sent an ambassador to the nations: Arise, and let us…" The passage repeatedly touches on family and covenant relationships.

According to Catholic interpretation, this chapter contributes to the book's portrait of judgment on Edom and hope for Israel. God defends His people against their enemies (CIC 269). The Catechism and the liturgy frequently draw on such passages to nourish faith and moral life (CIC 1700).

The moral and spiritual import remains timely: The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.. St. Jerome insisted that ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ; this chapter offers material for meditation, examination of conscience, and deeper love of God.

Main Teachings

  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • True wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord and is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
  • God's kingdom is not of this world; every earthly throne stands under His eternal reign.

People in This Chapter

Esau7 mentionsJacob3 mentionsJoseph1 mention

Reflection for Today

In Obadiah Chapter 1, the Church invites us to listen attentively to God's Word within the broader narrative of judgment on Edom and hope for Israel.

The Second Vatican Council reminded the faithful that Scripture should permeate Catholic spirituality (Dei Verbum, 21-26). Obadiah Chapter 1 supports that call by drawing attention to humility before the mystery of God within the wider message that The kingdom shall be the Lord's.

As you continue through Obadiah, carry this chapter's lesson into your family, parish, and work. Catholic faith is always ecclesial—God speaks to us as members of Christ's Body, not as isolated individuals.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Obadiah Chapter 1 about?

Obadiah 1 contains 21 verses. It opens with "The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord God to Edom: We have heard a rumour from the Lord, and he hath sent an…" and closes with "And saviours shall come up into mount Sion to judge the mount of Esau: and the kingdom shall be for the Lord. ". The book as a whole is prophetic oracle.

What is a key verse in Obadiah 1?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord God to Edom: We have heard a rumour from the Lord, and he hath sent an ambassador to the nations: Arise, and let us rise up to battle…" It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Obadiah Chapter 1?

This chapter mentions Esau, Jacob, Joseph.

Who wrote Obadiah and when?

The prophet Obadiah. Probably shortly after 587 BC.

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