"לא ישא גוי אל גוי חרב" או "לאום מלאום יאמץ": החזון המקראי לאחרית הימים
(א) הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָזָ֔ה יְשַֽׁעְיָ֖הוּ בֶּן־אָמ֑וֹץ עַל־יְהוּדָ֖ה וִירֽוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ (ב) וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית הַיָּמִ֗ים נָכ֨וֹן יִֽהְיֶ֜ה הַ֤ר בֵּית־יְהֹוָה֙ בְּרֹ֣אשׁ הֶהָרִ֔ים וְנִשָּׂ֖א מִגְּבָע֑וֹת וְנָהֲר֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִֽם׃ (ג) וְֽהָלְכ֞וּ עַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֗ים וְאָֽמְרוּ֙ לְכ֣וּ ׀ וְנַעֲלֶ֣ה אֶל־הַר־יְהֹוָ֗ה אֶל־בֵּית֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב וְיֹרֵ֙נוּ֙ מִדְּרָכָ֔יו וְנֵלְכָ֖ה בְּאֹרְחֹתָ֑יו כִּ֤י מִצִּיּוֹן֙ תֵּצֵ֣א תוֹרָ֔ה וּדְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה מִירוּשָׁלָֽ͏ִם׃ (ד) וְשָׁפַט֙ בֵּ֣ין הַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְהוֹכִ֖יחַ לְעַמִּ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וְכִתְּת֨וּ חַרְבוֹתָ֜ם לְאִתִּ֗ים וַחֲנִיתֽוֹתֵיהֶם֙ לְמַזְמֵר֔וֹת לֹא־יִשָּׂ֨א ג֤וֹי אֶל־גּוֹי֙ חֶ֔רֶב וְלֹֽא־יִלְמְד֥וּ ע֖וֹד מִלְחָמָֽה׃ {פ}
(ה) בֵּ֖ית יַעֲקֹ֑ב לְכ֥וּ וְנֵלְכָ֖ה בְּא֥וֹר יְהֹוָֽה׃ (ו) כִּ֣י נָטַ֗שְׁתָּה עַמְּךָ֙ בֵּ֣ית יַעֲקֹ֔ב כִּ֤י מָֽלְאוּ֙ מִקֶּ֔דֶם וְעֹנְנִ֖ים כַּפְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וּבְיַלְדֵ֥י נׇכְרִ֖ים יַשְׂפִּֽיקוּ׃ (ז) וַתִּמָּלֵ֤א אַרְצוֹ֙ כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֔ב וְאֵ֥ין קֵ֖צֶה לְאֹצְרֹתָ֑יו וַתִּמָּלֵ֤א אַרְצוֹ֙ סוּסִ֔ים וְאֵ֥ין קֵ֖צֶה לְמַרְכְּבֹתָֽיו׃ (ח) וַתִּמָּלֵ֥א אַרְצ֖וֹ אֱלִילִ֑ים לְמַעֲשֵׂ֤ה יָדָיו֙ יִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֔וּ לַאֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשׂ֖וּ אֶצְבְּעֹתָֽיו׃ (ט) וַיִּשַּׁ֥ח אָדָ֖ם וַיִּשְׁפַּל־אִ֑ישׁ וְאַל־תִּשָּׂ֖א לָהֶֽם׃ (י) בּ֣וֹא בַצּ֔וּר וְהִטָּמֵ֖ן בֶּעָפָ֑ר מִפְּנֵי֙ פַּ֣חַד יְהֹוָ֔ה וּמֵהֲדַ֖ר גְּאֹנֽוֹ׃ (יא) עֵינֵ֞י גַּבְה֤וּת אָדָם֙ שָׁפֵ֔ל וְשַׁ֖ח ר֣וּם אֲנָשִׁ֑ים וְנִשְׂגַּ֧ב יְהֹוָ֛ה לְבַדּ֖וֹ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃ {פ}
(יב) כִּ֣י י֞וֹם לַיהֹוָ֧ה צְבָא֛וֹת עַ֥ל כׇּל־גֵּאֶ֖ה וָרָ֑ם וְעַ֖ל כׇּל־נִשָּׂ֥א וְשָׁפֵֽל׃ (יג) וְעַל֙ כׇּל־אַרְזֵ֣י הַלְּבָנ֔וֹן הָרָמִ֖ים וְהַנִּשָּׂאִ֑ים וְעַ֖ל כׇּל־אַלּוֹנֵ֥י הַבָּשָֽׁן׃ (יד) וְעַ֖ל כׇּל־הֶהָרִ֣ים הָרָמִ֑ים וְעַ֖ל כׇּל־הַגְּבָע֥וֹת הַנִּשָּׂאֽוֹת׃ (טו) וְעַ֖ל כׇּל־מִגְדָּ֣ל גָּבֹ֑הַּ וְעַ֖ל כׇּל־חוֹמָ֥ה בְצוּרָֽה׃ (טז) וְעַ֖ל כׇּל־אֳנִיּ֣וֹת תַּרְשִׁ֑ישׁ וְעַ֖ל כׇּל־שְׂכִיּ֥וֹת הַחֶמְדָּֽה׃ (יז) וְשַׁח֙ גַּבְה֣וּת הָאָדָ֔ם וְשָׁפֵ֖ל ר֣וּם אֲנָשִׁ֑ים וְנִשְׂגַּ֧ב יְהֹוָ֛ה לְבַדּ֖וֹ בַּיּ֥וֹם הַהֽוּא׃ (יח) וְהָאֱלִילִ֖ים כָּלִ֥יל יַחֲלֹֽף׃ (יט) וּבָ֙אוּ֙ בִּמְעָר֣וֹת צֻרִ֔ים וּבִמְחִלּ֖וֹת עָפָ֑ר מִפְּנֵ֞י פַּ֤חַד יְהֹוָה֙ וּמֵהֲדַ֣ר גְּאוֹנ֔וֹ בְּקוּמ֖וֹ לַעֲרֹ֥ץ הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (כ) בַּיּ֤וֹם הַהוּא֙ יַשְׁלִ֣יךְ הָאָדָ֔ם אֵ֚ת אֱלִילֵ֣י כַסְפּ֔וֹ וְאֵ֖ת אֱלִילֵ֣י זְהָב֑וֹ אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָֽשׂוּ־לוֹ֙ לְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֔ת לַחְפֹּ֥ר פֵּר֖וֹת וְלָעֲטַלֵּפִֽים׃ (כא) לָבוֹא֙ בְּנִקְר֣וֹת הַצֻּרִ֔ים וּבִסְעִפֵ֖י הַסְּלָעִ֑ים מִפְּנֵ֞י פַּ֤חַד יְהֹוָה֙ וּמֵהֲדַ֣ר גְּאוֹנ֔וֹ בְּקוּמ֖וֹ לַעֲרֹ֥ץ הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (כב) חִדְל֤וּ לָכֶם֙ מִן־הָ֣אָדָ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר נְשָׁמָ֖ה בְּאַפּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־בַמֶּ֥ה נֶחְשָׁ֖ב הֽוּא׃ {פ}
(1) The word that Isaiah son of Amoz prophesied concerning Judah and Jerusalem. (2) In the days to come,
The Mount of GOD’s House
Shall stand firm above the mountains
And tower above the hills;
And all the nations
Shall gaze on it with joy.
(3) And the many peoples shall go and say:
“Come,
Let us go up to the Mount of GOD,
To the House of the God of Jacob;
That we may be instructed in God’s ways,
And that we may walk in God’s paths.”
For instruction shall come forthainstruction shall come forth I.e., oracles will be obtainable. from Zion,
The word of GOD from Jerusalem.
(4) Thus [God] will judge among the nations
And arbitrate for the many peoples,
And they shall beat their swords into plowsharesbplowshares More exactly, the iron points with which wooden plows were tipped.
And their spears into pruning hooks:
Nation shall not take up
Sword against nation;
They shall never again knowcknow Cf. Judg. 3.2. war.
(5) O House of Jacob!
Come, let us walk
By the light of GOD.
(6) For you have forsaken [the ways of] your people,
O House of Jacob!
For they are full [of practices] from the East,
And of soothsaying like the Philistines;
They abound in customsdcustoms Cf. Targum; lit. “children.” of the aliens.eFor they are full [of practices] from the East, / And of soothsaying like the Philistines; / They abound in customs of the aliens Emendation yields “For they are full of divination / and have abundance of soothsaying, / Like Philistines / And like alien folk.”
(7) Their land is full of silver and gold,
There is no limit to their treasures;
Their land is full of horses,
There is no limit to their chariots.
(8) And their land is full of idols;
They bow down to the work of their hands,
To what their own fingers have wrought.
(9) But human shall be humbled,
And mortal brought low—
Oh, do not forgive them!fOh, do not forgive them Meaning of Heb. uncertain. Emendation yields “And their idols with them”; cf. vv. 17–21.
(10) Go deep into the rock,
Bury yourselves in the ground,
Before the terror of GOD
And God’s dread majesty!
(11) The haughty look of humans shall be brought low,
And the pride of mortals shall be humbled.
None but GOD shall be
Exalted in that day.
(12) For GOD of Hosts has ready a day
Against all that is proud and arrogant,
Against all that is lofty—so that it is brought low:
(13) Against all the cedars of Lebanon,
Tall and stately,
And all the oaks of Bashan;
(14) Against all the high mountains
And all the lofty hills;
(15) Against every soaring tower
And every mighty wall;
(16) Against all the ships of Tarshishgships of Tarshish Probably a type of large ship.
And all the gallant barks.
(17) Then human haughtiness shall be humbled
And the pride of mortals brought low.
None but GOD shall be
Exalted in that day.
(18) As for idols, they shall vanish completely. (19) And people shall enter caverns in the rock
And hollows in the ground—
Before the terror of GOD
And God’s dread majesty,
When [the Holy One] comes forth to overawe the earth.
(20) On that day, humans shall fling away,
To the flying foxeshflying foxes Exact meaning of Heb. uncertain. and the bats,
The idols of silver
And the idols of gold
Which they made for worshiping.
(21) And they shall enter the clefts in the rocks
And the crevices in the cliffs,
Before the terror of GOD
And God’s dread majesty,
When [the Holy One] comes forth to overawe the earth.
(22) Oh, cease to glorify human beings,
Who have only a breath in their nostrils!
For by what do they merit esteem?
(א) וְיָצָ֥א חֹ֖טֶר מִגֵּ֣זַע יִשָׁ֑י וְנֵ֖צֶר מִשׇּׁרָשָׁ֥יו יִפְרֶֽה׃ (ב) וְנָחָ֥ה עָלָ֖יו ר֣וּחַ יְהֹוָ֑ה ר֧וּחַ חׇכְמָ֣ה וּבִינָ֗ה ר֤וּחַ עֵצָה֙ וּגְבוּרָ֔ה ר֥וּחַ דַּ֖עַת וְיִרְאַ֥ת יְהֹוָֽה׃ (ג) וַהֲרִיח֖וֹ בְּיִרְאַ֣ת יְהֹוָ֑ה וְלֹֽא־לְמַרְאֵ֤ה עֵינָיו֙ יִשְׁפּ֔וֹט וְלֹא־לְמִשְׁמַ֥ע אׇזְנָ֖יו יוֹכִֽיחַ׃ (ד) וְשָׁפַ֤ט בְּצֶ֙דֶק֙ דַּלִּ֔ים וְהוֹכִ֥יחַ בְּמִישׁ֖וֹר לְעַנְוֵי־אָ֑רֶץ וְהִֽכָּה־אֶ֙רֶץ֙ בְּשֵׁ֣בֶט פִּ֔יו וּבְר֥וּחַ שְׂפָתָ֖יו יָמִ֥ית רָשָֽׁע׃ (ה) וְהָ֥יָה צֶ֖דֶק אֵז֣וֹר מׇתְנָ֑יו וְהָאֱמוּנָ֖ה אֵז֥וֹר חֲלָצָֽיו׃ (ו) וְגָ֤ר זְאֵב֙ עִם־כֶּ֔בֶשׂ וְנָמֵ֖ר עִם־גְּדִ֣י יִרְבָּ֑ץ וְעֵ֨גֶל וּכְפִ֤יר וּמְרִיא֙ יַחְדָּ֔ו וְנַ֥עַר קָטֹ֖ן נֹהֵ֥ג בָּֽם׃ (ז) וּפָרָ֤ה וָדֹב֙ תִּרְעֶ֔ינָה יַחְדָּ֖ו יִרְבְּצ֣וּ יַלְדֵיהֶ֑ן וְאַרְיֵ֖ה כַּבָּקָ֥ר יֹאכַל־תֶּֽבֶן׃ (ח) וְשִֽׁעֲשַׁ֥ע יוֹנֵ֖ק עַל־חֻ֣ר פָּ֑תֶן וְעַל֙ מְאוּרַ֣ת צִפְעוֹנִ֔י גָּמ֖וּל יָד֥וֹ הָדָֽה׃ (ט) לֹא־יָרֵ֥עוּ וְלֹֽא־יַשְׁחִ֖יתוּ בְּכׇל־הַ֣ר קׇדְשִׁ֑י כִּֽי־מָלְאָ֣ה הָאָ֗רֶץ דֵּעָה֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֔ה כַּמַּ֖יִם לַיָּ֥ם מְכַסִּֽים׃ {ס} (י) וְהָיָה֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא שֹׁ֣רֶשׁ יִשַׁ֗י אֲשֶׁ֤ר עֹמֵד֙ לְנֵ֣ס עַמִּ֔ים אֵלָ֖יו גּוֹיִ֣ם יִדְרֹ֑שׁוּ וְהָיְתָ֥ה מְנֻחָת֖וֹ כָּבֽוֹד׃ {פ}
(יא) וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא יוֹסִ֨יף אֲדֹנָ֤י ׀ שֵׁנִית֙ יָד֔וֹ לִקְנ֖וֹת אֶת־שְׁאָ֣ר עַמּ֑וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִשָּׁאֵר֩ מֵֽאַשּׁ֨וּר וּמִמִּצְרַ֜יִם וּמִפַּתְר֣וֹס וּמִכּ֗וּשׁ וּמֵעֵילָ֤ם וּמִשִּׁנְעָר֙ וּמֵ֣חֲמָ֔ת וּמֵֽאִיֵּ֖י הַיָּֽם׃ (יב) וְנָשָׂ֥א נֵס֙ לַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְאָסַ֖ף נִדְחֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּנְפֻצ֤וֹת יְהוּדָה֙ יְקַבֵּ֔ץ מֵאַרְבַּ֖ע כַּנְפ֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (יג) וְסָ֙רָה֙ קִנְאַ֣ת אֶפְרַ֔יִם וְצֹרְרֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה יִכָּרֵ֑תוּ אֶפְרַ֙יִם֙ לֹא־יְקַנֵּ֣א אֶת־יְהוּדָ֔ה וִיהוּדָ֖ה לֹא־יָצֹ֥ר אֶת־אֶפְרָֽיִם׃ (יד) וְעָפ֨וּ בְכָתֵ֤ף פְּלִשְׁתִּים֙ יָ֔מָּה יַחְדָּ֖ו יָבֹ֣זּוּ אֶת־בְּנֵי־קֶ֑דֶם אֱד֤וֹם וּמוֹאָב֙ מִשְׁל֣וֹחַ יָדָ֔ם וּבְנֵ֥י עַמּ֖וֹן מִשְׁמַעְתָּֽם׃ (טו) וְהֶחֱרִ֣ים יְהֹוָ֗ה אֵ֚ת לְשׁ֣וֹן יָם־מִצְרַ֔יִם וְהֵנִ֥יף יָד֛וֹ עַל־הַנָּהָ֖ר בַּעְיָ֣ם רוּח֑וֹ וְהִכָּ֙הוּ֙ לְשִׁבְעָ֣ה נְחָלִ֔ים וְהִדְרִ֖יךְ בַּנְּעָלִֽים׃ (טז) וְהָיְתָ֣ה מְסִלָּ֔ה לִשְׁאָ֣ר עַמּ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יִשָּׁאֵ֖ר מֵאַשּׁ֑וּר כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר הָיְתָה֙ לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּי֥וֹם עֲלֹת֖וֹ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(1) But a shoot shall grow out of the stump of Jesse,
A twig shall sprout from his stock.
(2) The spirit of GOD shall alight upon him:
A spirit of wisdom and insight,
A spirit of counsel and valor,
A spirit of devotion and reverence for GOD.
(3) He shall sense the truthaHe shall sense the truth Lit. “His sensing [shall be]”; meaning of Heb. uncertain. by his reverence for GOD:
He shall not judge by what his eyes behold,
Nor decide by what his ears perceive.
(4) Thus he shall judge the poor with equity
And decide with justice for the lowly of the land.
He shall strike down a landba land Emendation yields “the ruthless.” with the rod of his mouth
And slay the wicked with the breath of his lips.
(5) Justice shall be the girdle of his loins,
And faithfulness the girdle of his waist.
(6) The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
The leopard lie down with the kid;
The calf, the beast of prey, and the fatlingcThe calf, the beast of prey, and the fatling 1QIsᵃ reads: “The calf and the beast of prey shall feed”; so too the Septuagint. together,
With a little child to herd them.
(7) The cow and the bear shall graze,
Their young shall lie down together;
And the lion, like the ox, shall eat straw.
(8) A babe shall play
Over a viper’s hole,
And an infant passdpass Meaning of Heb. uncertain. its hand
Over an adder’s den.
(9) In all of My sacred mounteMy sacred mount I.e., the Holy Land; cf. Exod. 15.17; Ps. 78.54.
Nothing evil or vile shall be done;
For the land shall be filled with devotion to GOD
As water covers the sea.
(10) In that day,
The stock of Jesse that has remained standing
Shall become a standard to peoples—
Nations shall seek his counsel
And his abode shall be honored.
(11) In that day, my Sovereign will apply a divine hand again to redeeming the other partfthe other part I.e., the part outside the Holy Land; lit. “the rest that will remain.” of this people from Assyria—as also from Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath, and the coastlands. (12) [God] will hold up a signal to the nations
And assemble the banished of Israel,
And gather the dispersed of Judah
From the four corners of the earth.
(13) Then Ephraim’s envy shall cease
And Judah’s harassment shall end;
Ephraim shall not envy Judah,
And Judah shall not harass Ephraim.
(14) They shall pounce on the back of Philistia to the west,
And together plunder the peoples of the east;
Edom and Moab shall be subject to them
And the children of Ammon shall obey them.
(15) GOD will dry up the tongue of the Egyptian sea—and will raise a hand over the Euphrates with a mighty windga mighty wind Lit. “the might of His wind.” Meaning of Heb. uncertain. and break it into seven wadis, so that it can be trodden dry-shod. (16) Thus there shall be a highway for the other parththe other part See note at v. 11. of this people out of Assyria, such as there was for Israel when it left the land of Egypt.
(א) חֲז֖וֹן עֹֽבַדְיָ֑ה כֹּֽה־אָמַר֩ אֲדֹנָ֨י יֱהֹוִ֜ה לֶאֱד֗וֹם שְׁמוּעָ֨ה שָׁמַ֜עְנוּ מֵאֵ֤ת יְהֹוָה֙ וְצִיר֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֣ם שֻׁלָּ֔ח ק֛וּמוּ וְנָק֥וּמָה עָלֶ֖יהָ לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃ (ב) הִנֵּ֥ה קָטֹ֛ן נְתַתִּ֖יךָ בַּגּוֹיִ֑ם בָּז֥וּי אַתָּ֖ה מְאֹֽד׃ (ג) זְד֤וֹן לִבְּךָ֙ הִשִּׁיאֶ֔ךָ שֹׁכְנִ֥י בְחַגְוֵי־סֶ֖לַע מְר֣וֹם שִׁבְתּ֑וֹ אֹמֵ֣ר בְּלִבּ֔וֹ מִ֥י יוֹרִדֵ֖נִי אָֽרֶץ׃ (ד) אִם־תַּגְבִּ֣יהַּ כַּנֶּ֔שֶׁר וְאִם־בֵּ֥ין כּֽוֹכָבִ֖ים שִׂ֣ים קִנֶּ֑ךָ מִשָּׁ֥ם אוֹרִֽידְךָ֖ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ (ה) אִם־גַּנָּבִ֤ים בָּאֽוּ־לְךָ֙ אִם־שׁ֣וֹדְדֵי לַ֔יְלָה אֵ֣יךְ נִדְמֵ֔יתָה הֲל֥וֹא יִגְנְב֖וּ דַּיָּ֑ם אִם־בֹּֽצְרִים֙ בָּ֣אוּ לָ֔ךְ הֲל֖וֹא יַשְׁאִ֥ירוּ עֹלֵלֽוֹת׃ (ו) אֵ֚יךְ נֶחְפְּשׂ֣וּ עֵשָׂ֔ו נִבְע֖וּ מַצְפֻּנָֽיו׃ (ז) עַֽד־הַגְּב֣וּל שִׁלְּח֗וּךָ כֹּ֚ל אַנְשֵׁ֣י בְרִיתֶ֔ךָ הִשִּׁיא֛וּךָ יָכְל֥וּ לְךָ֖ אַנְשֵׁ֣י שְׁלֹמֶ֑ךָ לַחְמְךָ֗ יָשִׂ֤ימוּ מָזוֹר֙ תַּחְתֶּ֔יךָ אֵ֥ין תְּבוּנָ֖ה בּֽוֹ׃ (ח) הֲל֛וֹא בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה וְהַאֲבַדְתִּ֤י חֲכָמִים֙ מֵֽאֱד֔וֹם וּתְבוּנָ֖ה מֵהַ֥ר עֵשָֽׂו׃ (ט) וְחַתּ֥וּ גִבּוֹרֶ֖יךָ תֵּימָ֑ן לְמַ֧עַן יִכָּֽרֶת־אִ֛ישׁ מֵהַ֥ר עֵשָׂ֖ו מִקָּֽטֶל׃ (י) מֵחֲמַ֛ס אָחִ֥יךָ יַעֲקֹ֖ב תְּכַסְּךָ֣ בוּשָׁ֑ה וְנִכְרַ֖תָּ לְעוֹלָֽם׃ (יא) בְּיוֹם֙ עֲמׇֽדְךָ֣ מִנֶּ֔גֶד בְּי֛וֹם שְׁב֥וֹת זָרִ֖ים חֵיל֑וֹ וְנׇכְרִ֞ים בָּ֣אוּ שְׁעָרָ֗ו וְעַל־יְרוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ יַדּ֣וּ גוֹרָ֔ל גַּם־אַתָּ֖ה כְּאַחַ֥ד מֵהֶֽם׃ (יב) וְאַל־תֵּ֤רֶא בְיוֹם־אָחִ֙יךָ֙ בְּי֣וֹם נׇכְר֔וֹ וְאַל־תִּשְׂמַ֥ח לִבְנֵֽי־יְהוּדָ֖ה בְּי֣וֹם אׇבְדָ֑ם וְאַל־תַּגְדֵּ֥ל פִּ֖יךָ בְּי֥וֹם צָרָֽה׃ (יג) אַל־תָּב֤וֹא בְשַֽׁעַר־עַמִּי֙ בְּי֣וֹם אֵידָ֔ם אַל־תֵּ֧רֶא גַם־אַתָּ֛ה בְּרָעָת֖וֹ בְּי֣וֹם אֵיד֑וֹ וְאַל־תִּשְׁלַ֥חְנָה בְחֵיל֖וֹ בְּי֥וֹם אֵידֽוֹ׃ (יד) וְאַֽל־תַּעֲמֹד֙ עַל־הַפֶּ֔רֶק לְהַכְרִ֖ית אֶת־פְּלִיטָ֑יו וְאַל־תַּסְגֵּ֥ר שְׂרִידָ֖יו בְּי֥וֹם צָרָֽה׃ (טו) כִּֽי־קָר֥וֹב יוֹם־יְהֹוָ֖ה עַל־כׇּל־הַגּוֹיִ֑ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ יֵעָ֣שֶׂה לָּ֔ךְ גְּמֻלְךָ֖ יָשׁ֥וּב בְּרֹאשֶֽׁךָ׃ (טז) כִּ֗י כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֤ר שְׁתִיתֶם֙ עַל־הַ֣ר קׇדְשִׁ֔י יִשְׁתּ֥וּ כׇֽל־הַגּוֹיִ֖ם תָּמִ֑יד וְשָׁת֣וּ וְלָע֔וּ וְהָי֖וּ כְּל֥וֹא הָיֽוּ׃ (יז) וּבְהַ֥ר צִיּ֛וֹן תִּהְיֶ֥ה פְלֵיטָ֖ה וְהָ֣יָה קֹ֑דֶשׁ וְיָֽרְשׁוּ֙ בֵּ֣ית יַֽעֲקֹ֔ב אֵ֖ת מוֹרָֽשֵׁיהֶֽם׃ (יח) וְהָיָה֩ בֵית־יַעֲקֹ֨ב אֵ֜שׁ וּבֵ֧ית יוֹסֵ֣ף לֶהָבָ֗ה וּבֵ֤ית עֵשָׂו֙ לְקַ֔שׁ וְדָלְק֥וּ בָהֶ֖ם וַאֲכָל֑וּם וְלֹֽא־יִֽהְיֶ֤ה שָׂרִיד֙ לְבֵ֣ית עֵשָׂ֔ו כִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה דִּבֵּֽר׃ (יט) וְיָרְשׁ֨וּ הַנֶּ֜גֶב אֶת־הַ֣ר עֵשָׂ֗ו וְהַשְּׁפֵלָה֙ אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים וְיָרְשׁוּ֙ אֶת־שְׂדֵ֣ה אֶפְרַ֔יִם וְאֵ֖ת שְׂדֵ֣ה שֹׁמְר֑וֹן וּבִנְיָמִ֖ן אֶת־הַגִּלְעָֽד׃ (כ) וְגָלֻ֣ת הַֽחֵל־הַ֠זֶּ֠ה לִבְנֵ֨י יִשְׂרָאֵ֤ל אֲשֶֽׁר־כְּנַעֲנִים֙ עַד־צָ֣רְפַ֔ת וְגָלֻ֥ת יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּסְפָרַ֑ד יִֽרְשׁ֕וּ אֵ֖ת עָרֵ֥י הַנֶּֽגֶב׃ (כא) וְעָל֤וּ מֽוֹשִׁעִים֙ בְּהַ֣ר צִיּ֔וֹן לִשְׁפֹּ֖ט אֶת־הַ֣ר עֵשָׂ֑ו וְהָיְתָ֥ה לַֽיהֹוָ֖ה הַמְּלוּכָֽה׃
(1) The prophecy of Obadiah.
We have received tidings from GOD,
And an envoy has been sent out among the nations:
“Up! Let us rise up against her for battle.”
Thus said the Sovereign GOD concerning Edom:
(2) I will make you least among nations,
You shall be most despised.
(3) Your arrogant heart has seduced you,
You who dwell in clefts of the rock,
In your lofty abode.
You think in your heart,
“Who can pull me down to earth?”
(4) Should you nest as high as the eagle,
Should your eyrie be lodged ’mong the stars,
Even from there I will pull you down
—declares GOD.
(5) If thieves were to come to you,
Marauders by night,
They would steal no more than they needed.
If vintagers came to you,
They would surely leave some gleanings.
How utterly you are destroyed!
(6) How thoroughly rifled is Esau,aEsau I.e., the Edomites, descendants of Jacob’s twin brother; cf. Gen. 36.1.
How ransacked his hoards!
(7) All your allies turned you back
At the frontier;
Your own confederates
Have duped and overcome you;
[Those who ate] your bread
Have planted snares under you.
He is bereft of understanding.
(8) In that day
—declares GOD—
I will make the wise vanish from Edom,
Understanding from Esau’s mount.
(9) Your warriors shall lose heart, O Teman,
And no one on Esau’s mount
Shall survive the slaughter.
(10) For the outrage to your brother Jacob,
Disgrace shall engulf you,
And you shall perish forever.
(11) On that day when you stood aloof,
When aliens carried off his goods,
When foreigners entered his gates
And cast lots for Jerusalem,
You were as one of them.
(12) How could youbHow could you Lit. “Do not,” and so through v. 14. gaze with glee
On your brother that day,
On his day of calamity!
How could you gloat
Over the people of Judah
On that day of ruin!
How could you loudly jeer
On a day of anguish!
(13) How could you enter the gate of My people
On its day of disaster,
Gaze in glee with the others
On its misfortune
On its day of disaster,
And lay hands on its wealth
On its day of disaster!
(14) How could you stand at the passescpasses Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
To cut down its fugitives!
How could you betray those who fled
On that day of anguish!
(15) As you did, so shall it be done to you;
Your conduct shall be requited.
Yea, against all nations
The day of GOD is at hand.
(16) That same cup that youdyou I.e., the Israelites. drank on My Holy Mount
Shall all nations drink evermore,eevermore Emendation yields “at My hand,” cf. Isa. 51.17; Jer. 25.15; Ps. 75.9.
Drink till their speech grows thick,
And they become as though they had never been.
(17) But on Zion’s mount a remnant shall survive,
And it shall be holy.fholy I.e., inviolate; cf. Jer. 2.3.
The House of Jacob shall dispossess
Those who dispossessed them.
(18) The House of Jacob shall be fire,
And the House of Joseph flame,
And the House of Esau shall be straw;
They shall burn it and devour it,
And no survivor shall be left of the House of Esau
—for GOD has spoken.
(19) gMeaning of parts of vv. 19–21 uncertain. Thus they shall possess the Negeb and Mount Esau as well, the Shephelah and Philistia. They shall possess the Ephraimite country and the district of Samaria,hdistrict of Samaria After the exile of the northern tribes, the city and district of Samaria were occupied mainly by non-Israelites. and BenjaminiBenjamin Emendation yields “the land of the Ammonites.” along with Gilead. (20) And that exiled force of Israelites [shall possess] what belongs to the Phoenicians as far as Zarephath,jZarephath A town in southern Phoenicia; see 1 Kings 17.9. while the Jerusalemite exile community of SepharadkSepharad Probably Asia Minor, called Saparda in Persian cuneiform inscriptions. shall possess the towns of the Negeb. (21) For liberators shall march uplliberators shall march up Several ancient versions read “they [the exiles from Jerusalem named in the preceding verse] shall march up victorious.” on Mount Zion to wreak judgment on Mount Esau; and dominion shall be GOD’s.