Obadiah 1:21Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They will conquer these lands, extended ‘to Ephrath’ or ‘to the Bosphorus,’ and will subjugate ‘the cities of Nagevah,’ which pertains to the southern regions. The prophetic message seems to hint at India, as it is situated to the far south. This notion conveys a broader sense of possession, implying that they will fill all territories, north and south, east and west, thereby claiming every city and nation.

The phrase ‘and the men shall come up’ concisely encapsulates the prophecy’s primary focus; the inhabitants of Zion, saved by God and liberated from bondage, shall one day ‘come up’ and exact retribution upon Esau. Historically, they engaged in conflict with the Idumeans following their captivity, under the reign of the sovereign God who, despite having once turned away from Judah due to their idolatry, re-established His mercy upon them and resumed His reign.

Their defense consisted of sharing the gospel to secure salvation for the faithful, enabling them to be liberated from the dominion of darkness and to enter the Kingdom of God. The prophet encapsulated this in his closing statement, affirming, "And the kingdom of the Lord shall be" (Abd. 1:21). Mount Zion refers to Judea, wherein the prophecy foretold that salvation and the Holy One—namely, Jesus Christ—would occur. The mountain of Esau denotes Idumea, which signifies the Gentile Church. As explained, this church is supported by those saved from Zion to establish it as a kingdom for the Lord. Though this reality was once obscure, who among believers does not recognize its fulfillment?

Benjamin, adjacent to the wilderness, will particularly inherit Gilead. On the eastern side, they will occupy all the land of the Canaanites extending to Sarepta of Sidon, where a widow once provided for Elijah. The settlers removed from Jerusalem, the primary city, to Safarad, which we interpret as the 'Bosphorus,' shall possess the southern cities belonging to the tribe of Judah: upon their return to their city, they will reclaim the neighboring areas. When these events come to pass, the Lord will send deliverers to liberate the people from bondage, similar to the accounts in the book of Judges; thus, they will arrive at the mountain of Zion to render judgment and decree upon the mountain of Esau, which is subjugated, specifically over the Idumeans, leading to the establishment of a kingdom for the Lord. In our text, where we have translated 'Bosphorus,' the Hebrew term 'Sapharad' is found, which the LXX inexplicably rendered as 'Ephratha.' The translations of Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion align with the authentic Hebrew text. A Jewish teacher of ours informed us that this refers to the Bosphorus, and as a Jew, he asserted that this was the territory where Hadrian relocated the captives. Therefore, when Christ returns, these captives will return to Judea. We might also consider a location in the Babylonian kingdom, though I have another theory. The prophets often utilize distinct language from Babylon, the Ammonites, Moabites, Philistines, and other nations, maintaining the local linguistic features. Since the term for 'limit' in Hebrew, 'gebul,' corresponds with the Assyrian 'sarcharad,' I interpret it to mean that the inhabitants of Jerusalem stationed throughout the territories will once more occupy the southern cities within their tribe. Instead of our rendering 'the saviours shall ascend,' which the LXX translates as 'the saved,' the Hebrew reads "mosim;" this should not be interpreted as in the passive sense of σεσωμένοι or ὰνασωζ´μενοι, as Aquila, LXX, and Theodotion suggest, but according to Simmachus in the active sense of σώζοντες, meaning 'saviours.' Indeed, the saved are referred to in Hebrew as 'pheletim' or 'rhlettim.' Having concluded our historical interpretation to the best of our ability and navigated through potential pitfalls, let us raise the sails of spiritual insight so that, aided by the wind of the Lord revealing His mysteries, we may joyfully reach the safe harbor. When Benjamin occupies Gilead, the displaced army of the children of Israel, or the initial settlers, previously earthly, will enter the land of Canaan, and the prophetic word, which once faced famine in Judah, will transition to the dew of the Gentiles: it will sustain and nourish, as it is both embraced by the faithful and nourishes them in turn. 'Sarepta' may either be a compound meaning "need of bread" or singularly signify 'burning.' Conversely, 'Canaan' conveys σάλον, meaning “movement,” or it may signify “merchant” and 'humble.' Therefore, when the displaced children of Israel abandon the deathly letter and attain the life-giving spirit, they will set aside the matters of the law. They will procure a single precious pearl among many and, renouncing Jewish pride, embrace Christian humility and arrive at the place where once there was a need for bread, where a widow, abandoned by her Creator, struggled to provide for her son, and where all their sins and vices shall be consumed in fire. The captives or settlers from Jerusalem, who once knew peace and are now scattered, will reclaim the southern cities, otherwise known as the churches of true and perfect light, and will join the bride in repentance, saying, 'where you graze, where you rest at noon!' They will reunite with Joseph in their homeland, filled with the blood of the shepherd and prince. If we read 'Ephratha' in the LXX, it undoubtedly signifies the faith of Christ. For Ephrathah means χαααρποφορία, or 'fertility,' and is known by two names, also called Bethlehem, from which the bread of heaven arose. When all these things are fulfilled, the saviors, or those who have been redeemed from the remnant of the Jewish people, will ascend Mount Zion and judge the mountain of Esau. Just as the Lord, who is light, declares His apostles as light, saying, 'ye are the light of the world,' and as He, being the cornerstone, made Peter a stone, so too, as the good shepherd, named them shepherds, desiring that all pertaining to Him would also be ascribed to His servants; thus, the Saviour Himself intended for His apostles to act as the saviors of the world, who, having ascended to the heights of the church, would topple the pride of the Jews and all those who oppose the knowledge of God, preparing the kingdom of the Lord. I hastily transcribed this, relying on the wisdom of the ancients and particularly Jewish insights, and opened my mouth, though I cannot say if Christ filled it. Therefore, the discerning reader should seek coherence of thought over stylistic elegance. Dictation differs from written expression; we do not refine our words while dictating as we do in writing. It is one thing, dear Pammachius, to frequently refine and articulate thoughts deserving exposition and another to verbalize whatever arises when the scribe is prepared, especially when a sense of urgency makes silence impossible. We have engaged with this prophet in our youth, and now in our old age, we dare to undertake it. Should anyone possess better insights or a closer approximation of the truth, he should be welcomed.