Today's reading is a list of Edom's misdeeds in participating in the capture and pillaging of Jerusalem. In this portion of the prophecy, the name of Esau is mentioned more than once. This is a reference to the close relationship between Judah (thought to be descendants of Jacob) and Edom (thought to be descendants of Esau, his older twin). Worse than mere plunder is the fact that Edom was battling alongside foreigners against a nation of people of similar heritage -- in fact, the text suggests that it is a battle of brother against brother.
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Reading the Bible in Its Entirety
If you are planning to read the Bible in its entirety, you should read Obadiah 1:5-14 today.
