Obadiah 1 11

Obadiah 1:11 kjv

In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.

Obadiah 1:11 nkjv

In the day that you stood on the other side? In the day that strangers carried captive his forces, When foreigners entered his gates And cast lots for Jerusalem? Even you were as one of them.

Obadiah 1:11 niv

On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them.

Obadiah 1:11 esv

On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them.

Obadiah 1:11 nlt

When they were invaded,
you stood aloof, refusing to help them.
Foreign invaders carried off their wealth
and cast lots to divide up Jerusalem,
but you acted like one of Israel's enemies.

Obadiah 1 verses

Obadiah 1 11 Meaning

Obadiah 1:11 condemns Edom's profound complicity during the foreign invasion and plunder of Jerusalem. It details how Edom stood by as their kin, the Israelites, suffered immensely under foreign oppressors. Rather than offering aid or protection to their brother nation, Edom adopted a posture that was functionally equivalent to that of the invaders, watching idly as Judah's wealth was seized, strangers breached Jerusalem's gates, and lots were cast for the city's possessions and people. Edom's actions, or lack thereof, during this catastrophic event rendered them morally complicit, aligning them with the very enemies of God's people.

Obadiah 1 11 Context

Obadiah 1:11 stands within a concise prophetic book entirely devoted to pronouncements of divine judgment against the nation of Edom. The preceding verses (Obad 1:1-9) establish Edom's pride and their impending downfall. Verse 10 accuses Edom of "violence against your brother Jacob," referring to their long-standing historical antagonism. Verse 11 then precisely elaborates on this "violence," not as a direct armed assault in this instance, but as a treacherous betrayal during Judah's most vulnerable moment.

The historical backdrop is primarily the destruction of Jerusalem, most notably by the Babylonians in 586 BC, though earlier incursions also fit. Edom, located southeast of Judah, descended from Esau, the brother of Jacob. Despite their fraternal lineage, there was deep-seated hostility between the two nations (as seen in Num 20:14-21, 2 Kgs 8:20-22, Ps 137:7). During Jerusalem's calamity, Edom failed to come to Judah's aid, and instead, capitalised on the situation, looting alongside the invaders or hindering those attempting to flee (Obad 1:14). Verse 11 highlights their reprehensible passive and active complicity in the destruction and dismemberment of Judah's heritage.

Obadiah 1 11 Word analysis

• In the day that thou stoodest on the other side:

  • In the day that: Refers to a specific, critical time – the day of Jerusalem's overthrow. This points to the Babylon invasion around 586 BC, a defining moment of national tragedy for Judah.
  • thou stoodest: Hebrew: 'amad (עָמַד). Implies taking a static position, often watching. In this context, it signifies a culpable inaction. Edom did not physically assist Judah, which was their duty as a related nation, but merely watched as destruction unfolded. This inaction was a form of silent consent and moral alignment with the invaders.
  • on the other side: Hebrew: minneged (מִנֶּגֶד). Literally means "opposite," "over against." It implies distance or neutrality in position, yet ironically, this "other side" for Edom became one of opposition and betrayal rather than aid. It indicates Edom stood watching the despoiling of their brethren without intervention, despite geographical proximity and kinship ties.

• in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces:

  • the strangers: Hebrew: zarim (זָרִים). Refers to foreign, non-covenant invaders, particularly the Babylonian forces. These were alien nations with no relationship to Judah, acting purely as hostile conquerors.
  • carried away captive: Hebrew: shavu (שָׁבוּ). Refers to taking spoils, prisoners, or valuable possessions, a standard act of conquest.
  • his forces: Hebrew: heilo (חֵילֹו). Can mean wealth, army, strength, or resources. Here it signifies the physical assets and perhaps even the skilled people or fighting men of Judah taken as plunder.

• and foreigners entered into his gates:

  • and foreigners: Hebrew: nokrim (נָכְרִים). Similar to zarim, denoting foreign, alienated peoples. This parallel term intensifies the image of non-Israelite invaders violating the city.
  • entered into his gates: The gates of a city were crucial. They were the points of defense, entry, commerce, and public gathering where legal and civic matters were conducted. The entry of foreign invaders into the gates signified total breach of security, complete conquest, humiliation, and subjugation. The city was utterly vanquished.

• and cast lots upon Jerusalem:

  • and cast lots: Hebrew: yappillu goral (יַפִּילּוּ גֹרָל). This refers to the practice of dividing captured people or spoil by lot after a conquest. It signifies complete disregard for the defeated people and their identity, reducing them to mere property to be apportioned. This was a deep humiliation and objectification of Judah's populace and its very sacred space. It stripped away all dignity and divine association.

• even thou wast as one of them:

  • even thou: Refers directly to Edom, the subject of the prophecy.
  • wast as one of them: Hebrew: k'echad mehem (כְּאַחַד מֵהֶם). This is the damning conclusion. Edom's passive, hostile stance or active participation made them morally indistinguishable from the brutal foreign invaders. Their complicity equated them with the enemies of God's people. This highlights the severity of their sin: their kinship with Jacob rendered their actions, or inaction, a profound act of betrayal and disloyalty. This is why their judgment would be so severe, "measure for measure" with what they allowed or participated in.

Obadiah 1 11 Bonus section

The consistent use of terms like "strangers" and "foreigners" emphasizes the alien nature of the invaders who violated the covenant people. Edom, while not covenant people in the same direct line as Jacob, were kin. Their failure to recognise this kinship and stand with Judah against the "outsiders" compounded their sin. The divine judgment upon Edom is an illustration of how God upholds the dignity and safety of His chosen people, and that those who stand against them or betray them, even passively, will face consequences. The ancient feud between Jacob and Esau, seemingly settled, manifested on a national scale in this act, bringing their ancestral hatred to its prophetic conclusion of Edom's judgment. Edom’s ultimate destruction, as foretold by Obadiah, is a testament to the fact that sins of omission and malicious inaction against God's people are not overlooked but carry significant weight in the eyes of God, just as direct acts of violence do.

Obadiah 1 11 Commentary

Obadiah 1:11 encapsulates Edom's central sin that brings about God's devastating judgment: their abject failure of brotherly solidarity. The passage paints a vivid picture of the destruction of Jerusalem and Edom's shameful role. By "standing on the other side," Edom demonstrated a treacherous neutrality that bordered on malicious intent. This wasn't merely apathy but a cold indifference or even active enjoyment of their kin's downfall, contrary to the principle of "neighborly love" and the command not to hate one's brother (Lev 19:18, Deut 23:7).

The verse moves from Edom's culpable passivity to a stronger indictment of their assimilation into the invading force's wickedness. Witnessing "strangers carried away captive his forces" and "foreigners entered into his gates" portrays Judah's ultimate vulnerability. Yet, Edom did not grieve or defend; instead, their behavior effectively aligned them with those who exploited Judah's weakness. The phrase "cast lots upon Jerusalem" emphasizes the ultimate despoliation and humiliation of the holy city, implying not just plunder of physical goods but the cynical distribution of people and territory as spoils of war. For Edom to be considered "as one of them" implies they either physically participated in this casting of lots or, by their willing inaction, were perceived by God to have consented and thereby gained from the calamity, making them equally guilty in divine estimation. This complicity underlines a severe spiritual failing: the neglect of covenant kinship and the malicious rejoicing in the suffering of God's chosen people, ensuring Edom's own utter devastation as divine retribution.

Examples:

• Apathy to a suffering brother is condemned.
• Exploiting a person's vulnerability for personal gain is sinful.
• Remaining silent in the face of injustice can equate to complicity.