Obadiah 1 16

Obadiah 1:16 kjv

For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been.

Obadiah 1:16 nkjv

For as you drank on My holy mountain, So shall all the nations drink continually; Yes, they shall drink, and swallow, And they shall be as though they had never been.

Obadiah 1:16 niv

Just as you drank on my holy hill, so all the nations will drink continually; they will drink and drink and be as if they had never been.

Obadiah 1:16 esv

For as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations shall drink continually; they shall drink and swallow, and shall be as though they had never been.

Obadiah 1:16 nlt

Just as you swallowed up my people
on my holy mountain,
so you and the surrounding nations
will swallow the punishment I pour out on you.
Yes, all you nations will drink and stagger
and disappear from history.

Obadiah 1 verses

Obadiah 1 16 Meaning

Obadiah 1:16 declares God's righteous judgment against Edom and, by extension, all nations that oppose His people and His purposes. Just as Edom observed and even participated in the despoliation of Jerusalem, God's "holy mountain," so too will they and all hostile nations experience a similar, yet perpetual, judgment from God. They will consume the "cup of wrath" relentlessly, to the point of utter destruction, vanishing from existence as if they had never been. This verse highlights the principle of divine reciprocity and the ultimate obliteration awaiting those who stand against God's kingdom.

Obadiah 1 16 Context

Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament, consisting of a single chapter, primarily focused on the prophecy against Edom. The historical context is critical: Jerusalem's fall to Babylon in 586 BC. While Judah suffered immensely, Edom, a neighboring nation descended from Esau (Jacob's brother), instead of offering aid, rejoiced over Judah's calamity, looted the city, blocked escapees, and handed over survivors to the Babylonians (Obadiah 1:10-14). Obadiah 1:16 is a direct divine declaration that the joy and destructive "drinking" of Edom during Judah's demise would be met with an even more severe and permanent "drinking" of divine wrath, not just for Edom, but for all nations acting similarly against God's people. It transitions from a specific judgment on Edom to a universal principle of judgment, culminating in utter annihilation for the wicked.

Obadiah 1 16 Word analysis

• For as you drank (כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר שְׁתִיתֶם, ki ka'asher shetitem):

  • שְׁתִיתֶם (shetitem) comes from the root שָׁתָה (shatah), "to drink." Here, "drinking" is a metaphor for participating in the plunder, celebrating the destruction, or reveling in the suffering of Judah. Edom indulged themselves at Jerusalem's expense.
  • This sets up a direct, one-to-one correspondence of retribution (lex talionis), a key theme of the verse.

• on My holy mountain (עַל־הַר קָדְשִׁי, al-har qodshi):

  • Refers to Jerusalem/Mount Zion, the site of God's Temple and His dwelling place among His people.
  • Highlights the profound sacrilege of Edom's actions; they desecrated what was holy to God, escalating the gravity of their sin from mere national aggression to affront against the Divine.

• so all the nations (וְשָׁתוּ כָל־הַגּוֹיִם, v'shatu kol-haggoyim):

  • כָּל־הַגּוֹיִם (kol-haggoyim), literally "all the Gentiles/nations."
  • The judgment, initially against Edom, now expands in scope. It establishes a universal principle: what happens to Edom is a template for the fate of all nations who embody similar hostility, arrogance, and anti-Godly behavior. This indicates God's justice extends to all humanity.

• will drink continually (תָּמִיד, tamid):

  • תָּמִיד (tamid) means "continually, perpetually, always."
  • In stark contrast to Edom's temporary "drinking" during Jerusalem's fall, the nations' judgment will be ongoing, relentless, without end—a ceaseless pouring out of divine wrath. This emphasizes the comprehensive and lasting nature of the coming destruction.

• yes, they will drink and gulp down (וְשָׁתוּ וְלָעוּ, v'shatu v'la'u):

  • וְשָׁתוּ (v'shatu) repeats "drink."
  • וְלָעוּ (v'la'u) from the root לָעַע (la'a), meaning "to swallow greedily," or "to suck in."
  • This double verb intensifies the imagery of consumption. It suggests a desperate, unavoidable, and exhaustive swallowing of judgment, leaving no reprieve or escape. They will consume it fully and bitterly.

• and be as though they had never been (וְהָיוּ כְּלֹא הָיוּ, v'hayu k'lo hayu):

  • A powerful Hebrew idiom, literally "and they will be as though they had not been."
  • Signifies utter annihilation, complete eradication, non-existence, oblivion. Their memory, influence, and very presence will vanish from history and the earth.
  • This is the ultimate judgment, the removal from any trace, underscoring the severity of God's judgment and the finality of the destruction of those who stand against Him.

Words-Group Analysis:

• "For as you drank on My holy mountain, so all the nations will drink continually": This parallelism vividly illustrates the lex talionis principle. Edom's enjoyment of Judah's calamity is met with a divine reversal where the cup of wrath is turned on them and extended to all nations. The sacrilege against God's holy place invites universal and perpetual judgment.
• "yes, they will drink and gulp down, and be as though they had never been": This phrase accelerates and culminates the prophecy. The initial 'drinking' leads to an intense 'gulping down' of judgment, leading to an irreversible outcome: complete annihilation. It speaks to a divine decree of erasure for those consumed by opposition to God's reign and people.

Obadiah 1 16 Bonus section

The "cup of wrath" imagery used here is a robust prophetic motif across both Testaments. It represents a bitter destiny administered by God, an unavoidable suffering for wickedness. Its application in Obadiah transitions from a specific judgment on Edom to a broader eschatological statement about God's dealings with all hostile nations leading to their final dissolution, hinting at the consummation of history when all evil will be definitively judged and removed. This verse thus serves as a beacon of hope for the oppressed (Judah in this context) and a dire warning for the oppressors.

Obadiah 1 16 Commentary

Obadiah 1:16 powerfully communicates God's unwavering commitment to justice. Edom's sin was not merely geopolitical but deeply spiritual, stemming from a cruel glee at the downfall of their kin and, more critically, an attack on God's chosen city. This verse serves as a crucial theological turning point within Obadiah's prophecy, expanding the scope of judgment beyond Edom to encompass all "nations." This universalization means that any nation, people, or individual embodying similar traits—arrogance, malice toward God's people, delight in others' suffering, or active opposition to God's redemptive plan—will ultimately face an inevitable and thorough reckoning. The imagery of "drinking" the cup of wrath is prevalent throughout biblical prophecy, signifying the pouring out of divine indignation. "Continually" emphasizes its ceaseless nature for the wicked, unlike the temporary chastisement God allows for His own. The grim climax, "and be as though they had never been," signifies absolute obliteration, an ultimate removal from memory and existence. This complete vanishing underscores the finality of divine judgment against unrepentant evil, contrasting sharply with God's eternal remembrance of His faithful.