THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET OBADIAH. _THE Scripture gives us no information concerning the life or death of this prophet, of the time when he lived, of his country, or his mission; all that the Jewish writers say concerning him is totally uncertain, and not at all to be relied upon. There is a great s... [ Continue Reading ]
WE HAVE HEARD A RUMOUR, &C.— See Jeremiah 49:14. _Obadiah 1:3. Thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock_] _He that dwelleth,_ &c.—_hath said in his heart,_ &c. St. Jerome informs us, that all the southern part of Palestine was full of caverns scooped out of the rocks, and of subterraneous abodes... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THIEVES CAME, &C.— _When thieves come to thee, when nightly robbers, when thou art laid to rest, will they not plunder as much as shall seem good to them? When the grape-gatherers shall come to thee, will they leave no grapes?_ Houbigant.... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THE MEN, &C.— _They have driven thee even to the border; all the men of thy confederacy have betrayed thee; have prevailed over thee: The men of thy peace, of thy bread, have spread a share under thee: There is no understanding in thee._... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THE DAY THAT THOU STOODEST, &C.— _Thou stoodest on the other side in the day that strangers,_ &c. The prophet considers the Chaldeans as preparing for the siege of Jerusalem, and demanding succours from the neighbouring people; particularly the Edomites.... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THOU SHOULDEST NOT HAVE LOOKED ON— Houbigant reads the verbs in these verses in the imperative mood. _Look not—rejoice not,_ &c. Instead of, _Nor have laid hands on,_ &c. Obadiah 1:13. Houbigant reads, _Be not thou sent against his army, when the day of his ruin is at hand._ We have, under no af... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR AS YE HAVE DRUNK, &C.— _For as I have given my wine to drink in my holy mountain, so,_ &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HOUSE OF JACOB SHALL POSSESS THEIR POSSESSIONS— _Shall possess what they had before possessed;_ that is to say, their return from the Babylonish captivity.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE CAPTIVITY OF THIS HOST— _And those very children of Israel, who had been captives to the Canaanites, even to Zarephath, and the captives of Jerusalem, who shall have been in Sepharad,_ [that is to say, as some suppose, a province of Babylon] _shall possess,_ &c. Houbigant. The prophet here f... [ Continue Reading ]