Obadiah 1:19
What does Obadiah 1:19 mean?
A plain-English look at Obadiah 1:19 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Obadiah 1:19 means
Restoration is mapped across the land. Those in the South (the Negev) will possess the mount of Esau, reversing former hostilities. Those in the lowland (the Shephelah) will possess territory of the Philistines. Fields of Ephraim and Samaria—once the northern kingdom’s heartland—will be reclaimed, and Benjamin will possess Gilead east of the Jordan. The breadth shows comprehensive restoration: from south to west to north to east. God’s people will not merely return; they will expand into areas long contested or lost. The verse underlines the tangible nature of God’s promise—inheritance tied to real places—assuring the remnant that their future is both spiritual and territorial under Jehovah’s hand.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And they of the South shall possess the mount of Esau, and they of the lowland the Philistines; and they shall possess the field of Ephraim, and the field of Samaria; and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau; and they of the plain the Philistines: and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And they of the South shall possess the mount of Esau, and they of the lowland the Philistines; and they shall possess the field of Ephraim, and the field of Samaria; and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And they will take the South, and the lowland, and the country of Ephraim, and Gilead, as their heritage.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And they have possessed the south with the mount of Esau, And the low country with the Philistines, And they have possessed the field of Ephraim, And the field of Samaria, And Benjamin with Gilead.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And 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.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And [they of] the south shall possess the mount of Esau; and they of the lowland the Philistines; yea, they shall possess the field of Ephraim and the field of Samaria; and Benjamin [shall possess] Gilead;
Context
This verse follows the declaration of Edom’s destruction by describing how the restored people will occupy surrounding regions. It pairs with verse 20, which extends the scope to returning exiles from far-flung places. Together, they paint a picture of wide-reaching repossession that mirrors the earlier judgments’ comprehensiveness. The narrative momentum is toward fullness—of people, land, and promise—culminating in the final verse’s statement about rulers (“saviours”) on Zion and Jehovah’s universal reign.
v.18And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall burn among them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining to the house of Esau; for Jehovah hath spoken it.
v.19This passage
v.20And the captives of this host of the children of Israel, that are among the Canaanites, shall possess even unto Zarephath; and the captives of Jerusalem, that are in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the South.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Amos 9:12
that they may possess the remnant of Edom, and all the nations that are called by my name, saith Jehovah that doeth this.
- Jeremiah 49:1
Of the children of Ammon. Thus saith Jehovah: Hath Israel no sons? hath he no heir? why then doth Malcam possess Gad, and his people dwell in the cities thereof?
- Ezekiel 48:1
Now these are the names of the tribes: From the north end, beside the way of Hethlon to the entrance of Hamath, Hazar-enan at the border of Damascus, northward beside Hamath (and they shall have their sides east and west), Dan, one portion.
- Zechariah 9:5
Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also, and shall be sore pained; and Ekron, for her expectation shall be put to shame; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.
- Joshua 18:21
Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, and Beth-hoglah, and Emek-keziz,
- Ezekiel 25:16
therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I will stretch out my hand upon the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites, and destroy the remnant of the sea coast.