Obadiah 1:11
What does Obadiah 1:11 mean?
A plain-English look at Obadiah 1:11 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Obadiah 1:11 means
Obadiah recalls the day of Judah’s calamity. Foreigners entered Jerusalem’s gates, casting lots over the city’s spoils, and Edom “stood on the other side.” By refusing aid and acting as a passive onlooker, Edom made themselves “as one of them.” Neglect in the face of a brother’s ruin is complicity. The verse exposes the first step in Edom’s descent: indifference. Failing to help became the doorway to further sin. Distance from a suffering neighbor is not neutrality in God’s eyes, especially when kinship is involved. Edom’s posture in Judah’s crisis betrayed their heart, aligning them with the invaders even before they lifted a hand to plunder or betray.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that strangers carried away his substance, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.
KJV
King James Version · 1611In 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that strangers carried away his substance, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Because you were there watching when men from other lands took away his goods, and strange men came into his doors, and put the fate of Jerusalem to the decision of chance; you were like one of them.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862In the day of thy standing over-against, In the day of strangers taking captive his force, And foreigners have entered his gates, And for Jerusalem have cast a lot, Even thou <FI>art<Fi> as one of them!
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752In 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.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that strangers carried away captive his substance, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.
Context
Following the announcement of judgment for violence, this verse begins a narrative of Edom’s behavior during Jerusalem’s fall. It starts with their stance of aloofness, which the prophet equates with participation. The subsequent verses (12–14) shift to direct prohibitions that reveal what Edom actually did—gloating, robbery, ambush, and betrayal. The movement from passivity to active wrongdoing underscores how sin often progresses in stages during times of others’ distress.
v.10For the violence done to thy brother Jacob, shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever.
v.11This passage
v.12But look not thou on the day of thy brother in the day of his disaster, and rejoice not over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction; neither speak proudly in the day of distress.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Joel 3:3
and have cast lots for my people, and have given a boy for a harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they may drink.
- Psalms 50:18
When thou sawest a thief, thou consentedst with him, And hast been partaker with adulterers.
- Jeremiah 52:28
This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year three thousand Jews and three and twenty;
- 2 Kings 24:10
At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged.
- Psalms 137:7
Remember, O Jehovah, against the children of Edom The day of Jerusalem; Who said, Rase it, rase it, Even to the foundation thereof.
- 2 Kings 25:11
And the residue of the people that were left in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to the king of Babylon, and the residue of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away captive.