Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Obadiah

Obadiah

The Book of the Prophet Obadiah is the only book of the Bible that is not used or cited in any of the liturgies of the Roman Catholic Church.  It is also the shortest of the books in the biblical canon.  It has been speculated that it's inclusion was to complete then number of books in the minor prophets at twelve (12) a significant number in Hebrew numerology.

The book consists of only 21 verses and is primarily a polemic against Edom.  "The prophecy is a bitter cry for vengeance against Edom for its pride and its crimes. Mount Esau in Edom will be occupied and ravaged by the enemy, while Mount Zion will be restored to its former sanctity and security. The triumphant refrain of Israelite eschatology will be heard once more: “The kingdom is the Lord’s!” The opening verses of this prophecy (vv. 1–5) are very similar to part of an oracle against Edom in Jer 49 (vv. 9, 14–16), suggesting that Israel’s prophets drew upon traditional language and idioms in the composition of prophetic speech." [1]

[1] See NAB Introduction to Obediah

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