Obadiah 1:9
What does Obadiah 1:9 mean?
A plain-English look at Obadiah 1:9 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Obadiah 1:9 means
The blow now reaches Edom’s warriors. The mighty men of Teman—renowned in the region—will be dismayed. Courage will fail, leading to cutting off by slaughter from the mount of Esau. Military strength proves useless when God ordains judgment. Fear, confusion, and defeat follow the loss of wisdom described previously. The verse completes the picture: Edom’s trusted props—alliances, counsel, and armies—collapse in sequence. The result is depopulation and the end of their dominance. This is not random tragedy; it is the outworking of Jehovah’s word, showing that no combination of human assets can stand when God Himself contends against a proud and violent nation.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one may be cut off from the mount of Esau by slaughter.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And 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.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one may be cut off from the mount of Esau by slaughter.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And your men of war, O Teman, will be overcome with fear, so that every one of them may be cut off from the mountain of Esau.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And broken down have been thy mighty ones, O Teman, So that every one of the mount of Esau is cut off.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And thy valiant men of the south shall be afraid, that man may be cut off from the mount of Esau.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, to the end that every one may be cut off from the mount of Esau by slaughter.
Context
After wisdom is removed, valor melts. Verse 9 concludes the triad of undone supports for Edom. With the mechanics of judgment clear, the prophecy turns to the moral reason for such severity. Verses 10–14 list Edom’s guilt toward Jacob: violence, gloating, looting, and betrayal during Judah’s calamity. This transition from “how” to “why” is vital for the reader to grasp that God’s judgments are not arbitrary but answer real offenses, especially against covenant kin.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Jeremiah 49:7
Of Edom. Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Is wisdom no more in Teman? is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished?
- Deuteronomy 2:5
contend not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as for the sole of the foot to tread on; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession.
- Jeremiah 49:20
Therefore hear ye the counsel of Jehovah, that he hath taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely they shall drag them away, even the little ones of the flock; surely he shall make their habitation desolate over them.
- Jeremiah 49:22
Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread out his wings against Bozrah: and the heart of the mighty men of Edom at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.
- Jeremiah 50:36
A sword is upon the boasters, and they shall become fools; a sword is upon her mighty men, and they shall be dismayed.
- Isaiah 19:16
In that day shall the Egyptians be like unto women; and they shall tremble and fear because of the shaking of the hand of Jehovah of hosts, which he shaketh over them.