Blessings of the A. M. cir. 3217. B. C. cir. 787. CHAP. IX. a Gospel dispensation. plant vineyards, and drink the | and they shall no more be wine thereof; they shall also pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God. make gardens, and eat the fruit of them. 15 And I will plant them upon their land, a Isai. Ix. 21. Jer. xxxii. 41. Ezek. xxxiv. 28. Joel iii. 20. November; and that the sowing season begins at the close of October, and lasts through all November. Here, then, the ploughman, sower, grape-gatherer, and operator at the wine-press, not only succeed each other, but have parts of these operations going on at the same time. But great fertility in the land, | abundance in the crops, and regularity of the seasons, seem to be the things which the prophet especially predicts. These are all poetical and prophetical images, by which happy times are pointed out. Verse 14. They shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine] When threatened with great evils, chap. v. 11, it is said, They shall plant pleasant vineyards, but shall not drink the wine of them." Previously to their restoration, they shall labour for others; after their restoration, they shall labour for themselves. A. M. cir. 3217. Verse 15. I will plant them upon their land] They shall receive a permanent establishment there. And they shall no more be pulled up] Most certainly this prophecy has never yet been fulfilled. They were pulled out by the Assyrian captivity, and by that of Babylon. Many were planted in again, and again pulled out by the Roman conquest and captivity, and were never since planted in, but are now scattered among all the nations of the earth. I conclude, as the word of God cannot fail, and this has not yet been fulfilled, it therefore follows that it will and must be fulfilled to the fulness of its spirit and intention. And this is established by the conclusion: "Saith the Lord thy God." He is JEHOVAH, and cannot fail; He is THY GOD, and will do it. He can do it, because he is JEHOVAH; and he will do it, because he is THY GOD.-Amen. THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET OBADIA H. Chronological Notes relative to this book, upon the supposition that it was written about five hundred and eighty-seven years before the commencement of the Christian era. Year from the Creation, according to Archbishop Usher, 3417.-Year of the Jewish era of the world, 3174. -Year since the Flood, 1761.-Year from the vocation of Abram, 1335.-Year from the foundation of Solomon's temple, 425.-Year since the division of Solomon's monarchy into the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, 389.-Year of the era of Iphitus, 298.-Second year of the forty-eighth Olympiad.-Year from the building of Rome, according to the Varronian or generally received computation, 167.-Year from the building of Rome, according to the Fasti Consulares, 166.-Year from the building of Rome, according to Polybius the historian, 165.-Year from the building of Rome, according to Fabius Pictor, 161.-Year since the overthrow of the kingdom of Israel by Shalmaneser, king of Assyria, 135.— Year since the destruction of the kingdom of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, 2.-Year of the Julian Period, 4127.-Year of the era of Nabonassar, 161.-Year before the birth of Christ, 583. -Year before the vulgar era of Christ's nativity, 587.-Cycle of the Sun, 11.-Cycle of the Moon, 4.-Thirtieth year of Tarquinius Priscus, the fifth king of the Romans.-Thirty-ninth year of Cyaxares or Cyaraxes, the fourth king of Media.-Nineteenth year of Agasicles, king of Lacedæmon, of the family of the Proclidæ.-Twenty-first year of Leon, king of Lacedæmon, of the family of the Eurysthenidæ.-Thirty-third year of Alyattes II., king of Lydia.-Sixteenth year of Eropas, the seventh king of Macedon.-Eighth year of Apries, king of Egypt; the same with the celebrated Pharaoh-hophra.-Ninth year of Baal, king of the Tyrians.-Twentieth year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. OBADIAH. God is here represented as summoning the nations against Edom, and declaring that his strongholds should not save him, 1-4; that not a remnant, not a gleaning, should be left of him, 5; that the enemy would search out his people, and totally subdue them; and that none of their allies should stand by them, 6-9. He then enlarges on their particular offence, and threatens them with a speedy recompence, 10—16. The Babylonians accordingly subdued the Edomites, and expelled them from Arabia Petræa, of which they never afterwards recovered possession. The remaining verses contain a prophecy of the restoration of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity, and of their victory over all their enemies, 17-21. Some commentators think that these last verses were fulfilled by the conquests of the Maccabees over the Edomites. See 1 Macc. v. 3-5, 65, &c. A. M. cir. 3417. 3. C. cir. 587. 1. XLVIII. 2. arquinii Prisci, R. Roman., cir. annum 30. THE HE vision of Obadiah. | and an ambassador is sent among a b us rise up against her in battle. 2 Behold, I have made thee a Isai. xxi. 11. xxxiv. 5. Ezek. xxv. 12, 13, 14. Joel iii. 19. Mal. i. 3. b Jer. xlix. 14, &c. Who was this prophet? where born? of what counry? at what time did he prophesy? who were his arents? when and where did he die? are questions which have been asked from the remotest antiquity; nd which, to this day, have received no answer worthy of recording. There is a multitude of opinions A. M. cir. 3417. B. C. cir. 587. concerning these points; and their multitude and discrepancy are the strongest proofs of their uncertainty. All that seems probable is, that, as he prophesied concerning the destruction of Edom, he flourished a little before, or a little after, the taking of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, which happened The prophecy of Obadiah art greatly despised. OBADIAH. A. M. cir. 3417. small among the heathen: thou not have stolen till they had 5 If thieves came to thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou cut off!) would they a 2 Kings xiv. 7. b Isai. xiv. 13, 14, 15. Rev. xviii. 7. e Job xx. 6. Jer. xlix. 16. li. 53. Amos ix. 2. d Isai. xiv. 13. Nah. iii. 16. Hab. ii. 9.-e Jer. xlix. 9.- - Deut. xxiv. 21. Isai. xvii. 6. xxiv. 13. 8 Or, gleanings. about five hundred and eighty-eight years before Christ; and the destruction of Idumea by the same monarch, which took place a short time after; probably between 588 B. C. and 575 B. C., in the interval of the thirteen years which Nebuchadnezzar employed in the siege of Tyre, which he undertook immediately after the capture of Jerusalem. Obadiah foretels the subduction of the Idumeans by the Chaldeans, and finally by the Jews, whom they had used most cruelly when brought low by other enemies. These prophecies have been literally fulfilled; for the Idumeans, as a nation, are totally extinct. Whoever will be at the trouble to collate this short prophecy with the forty-ninth chapter of Jeremiah, will find a remarkable similarity, not only in the sentiments and words, but also in whole verses. In the above chapter Jeremiah predicts the destruction of the Idumeans. Whether he copied Obadiah, or Obadiah copied him, cannot be determined; but it would be very strange if two prophets, unacquainted with each other, should speak of the same event precisely in the same terms. See the parallel texts in the margin, and the notes on Jer. xlix. 1, &c. NOTES ON THE BOOK OF OBADIAH. Verse 1. We have heard a rumour] See Jer. xlix. 14, where the same expressions are found. The prophet shows that the enemies of Idumea had confederated against it, and that Jehovah is now summoning them to march directly against it. leave against Edom. A. M. cir. 3417. O. XLVIII. 2 Tarquinii Prisci, R. Roman., cir. annum 30. B C. cir. 587. 6 How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up! 7 All the men of thy confederacy have brought thee even to the border: the 'men that were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and prevailed against thee; they that eat thy bread have laid a wound under thee: there is none understanding in him. n m 8 Shall I not in that day, saith the LORD, h Heb. the men of thy peace.- – Jer. xxxviii, 22.—Heh the men of thy bread.- Isai. xix. 11, 12." Job v. 12, 13. Isai. xxix. 14. Jer. xlix. 7. Or, of t they are said to dwell in the clefts of the rock, in ference to the caverns above mentioned. In the they conceived themselves to be safe, and though that no power brought against them could dislodg them from those fastnesses. Some think that by yo sela, rock, Petra, the capital of Idumea, is tended. Verse 4. Though thou exalt thyself as the eag Though like this bird thou get into the highest cliff the highest rock, it will not avail thee. To deferi thee when Jehovah has determined thy destruction thy deepest caves and highest rocks will be equiṛ useless. See Jer. xlix. 16. Verse 5. If thieves came to thee] That is, if thi entered thy dwellings, they would not have takes every thing; they would have laid hold on thy wealth, and carried off as much as they could escape with conveniently; if grape-gatherers entered t vineyards, they would not have taken every bunch, some gleanings would have been left. But the Chaldeans have stripped thee bare; they have searched out all thy hidden things, ver. 6, they have left the nothing. How art thou cut off! Thou art tota and irretrievably ruined! The prophet speaks d this desolation as if it had already taken place. Verse 7. All the men of thy confederacy] T Chaldeans are here intended, to whom the Idumes were attached, and whose agents they became i exercising cruelties upon the Jews. Have brought thee even to the border] Have hermed thee in on every side, and reduced thee to i tress. Or, they have driven thee to thy border; as thee out of thy own land into the hands of the enemies. Verse 2. I have made thee small among the heathen] God ever attributes to himself the rise and fall of nations. If they be great and prosperous, it is by God's providence; if they be low and depressed, it is The men that were at peace with thee] The me by his justice. Compared with the Assyrians, Chal- thy covenant, with whom thou hadst made a lengur. deans, Egyptians, Syrians, Arabs, and other neigh- That eat thy bread] That professed to be tr bouring nations, the Idumeans were a small people.firmest friends, have all joined together to destr Verse 3. The pride of thine heart] St. Jerome observes that all the southern part of Palestine, from Eleutheropolis to Petra and Aialath, was full of caverns hewn out of the rocks, and that the people had subterranean dwellings similar to ovens. Here thee. Have laid a wound] Placed a snare or trap under thee. See Newcome. There is none understanding in him.] Priva counsels and public plans are all in operation agains OBADIAH. even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau ? 9 And thy mighty men, O : Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter. с 10 For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever. 11 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. f a Ps. lxxvi. 5. Amos ii. 16. b Jer. xlix. 7. - Gen. xxvii. 11. Ps. cxxxvii. 7. Ezek. xxv. 12. xxxv. 5. Amos i. 11. Ezek. xxxv. 9. Mal. i. 4. Or, carried away his substance.- Joel ii. 3. Nah. iii, 10.- -8 Or, do not behold, &c.b Ps. xxii. 17. liv. 7. lix. 10. Mic. iv. 11. vii. 10.- Ps. xxxvii. 13. cxxxvii. 7.- k Job xxxi. thee; and yet thou art so foolish and infatuated as not to discern thy own danger. It Verse 8. Shall I not-destroy the wise men] appears from Jer. xlix. 7, that the Edomites were remarkable for wisdom, counsel, and prudence. See on the above place. Verse 9. Thy mighty men, O Teman] This was one of the strongest places in Idumea; and is put here, as in Amos i. 2, and elsewhere, for Idumea itself. Mount of Esau] Mount Seir. Verse 10. For thy violence against thy brother Jacob] By this term the Israelites in general are understood; for the two brothers,-Jacob, from whom sprang the Jews, and Esau, from whom sprang the Idumeans or Edomites,—are here put for the whole people or descendants of both. We need not look for particular cases of the violence of the Edomites against the Jews. Esau, their founder, was not more inimical to his brother Jacob, who deprived him of his birthright, than the Edomites uniformly were to the Jews. See 2 Chron. xxviii. 17, 18. They had even stimulated the Chaldeans, when they took Jerusalem, to destroy the temple, and level it with the ground. See Ps. cxxxvii. 7. Verse 11. Thou stoodest on the other side] Thou not only didst not help thy brother when thou might est, but thou didst assist his foes against him. And cast lots] When the Chaldeans cast lots on the spoils of Jerusalem, thou didst come in for a share of the booty; "thou wast as one of them." Verse 12. Thou shouldest not have looked] It shows their enmity against Israel. A. M. cir. 3417. B. C. cir. 587. Ol. XLVIII. 2. Tarquinii Prisci, R. Roman., cir. annum 30. 13 Thou shouldest not have entered into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, thou shouldest not have looked on their affliction in the day of their calamity, nor have laid hand on their m substance in the day of their calamity. 14 Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have "delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress. 15° For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: Pas thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head. 16 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. 17 But upon Mount Zion shall be "de 29. Mic. vii. 8. Prov. xvii. 5. xxiv. 17, 18. Heb. magnified thy mouth.- m Or, forces.- n Or, shut up. Ps. xxxi. 8. Ezek. xxx. 3. Joel iii. 14.- -P Ezek. xxxv. 15. Hab. ii. 8.- -9 Jer. xxv. 28, 29. xlix. 12. Joel iii. 17. 1 Pet. iv. 17.- - Or, sup up. Joel ii. 32.- Amos ix. 8.-" Or, they that escape. a malevolent heart to rejoice in the miseries of those who have acted unkindly or wickedly towards us. The Edomites triumphed when they saw the judg ments of God fall upon the Jews. This the Lord severely reprehends in verses 12-15. If a man have acted cruelly toward us, and God punish him for this cruelty, and we rejoice in it, we make his crime our own; and then, as we have done, so shall it be done unto us; see ver. 15. All these verses point out the part the Edomites took against the Jews when the Chaldeans besieged and took Jerusalem, destroyed the temple, and divided the spoils. Verse 14. Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway] They are represented here as having stood in the passes and defiles to prevent the poor Jews from escaping from the Chaldeans. By stopping these passes, they threw the poor fugitives back into the teeth of their enemies. They had gone so far in this systematic cruelty as to deliver up the few that had taken refuge among them. Verse 15. The day of the Lord is near] God will not associate thee with him in the judgments which he inflicts. Thou also art guilty, and shalt have thy punishment in due course with the other sinful nations. Verse 16. For as ye have drunk] This address is to the Jews. As ye have been visited and punished upon my holy mountain in Jerusalem, so shall other nations be punished in their respective countries. See Jer. xlix. 12. Verse 17. But upon Mount Zion shall be deliverance] Here is a promise of the return from the |