Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
Men of thy confederacy--that is, thy confederates.
brought thee . . . to the border--that is, when Idumean ambassadors shall go to confederate states seeking aid, these latter shall conduct them with due ceremony to their border, giving them empty compliments, but not the aid required [DRUSIUS]. This view agrees with the context, which speaks of false friends deceiving Edom: that is, failing to give help in need (compare Job 6:14-15). CALVIN translates, "have driven," that is, shall drive thee; shall help to drive thee to thy border on thy way into captivity in foreign lands.
the men that were at peace with thee--literally, "the men of thy peace." Compare Psalms 41:9; Jeremiah 38:22, Margin, where also the same formula occurs, "prevailed against thee."
they that eat thy bread--the poorer tribes of the desert who subsisted on the bounty of Edom. Compare again Psalms 41:9, which seems to have been before Obadiah's mind, as his words were before Jeremiah's.
have laid a wound under thee--"laid" implies that their intimacy was used as a SNARE laid with a view to wound; also, these guest friends of Edom, instead of the cushions ordinarily laid under guests at table, laid snares to wound, that is, had a secret understanding with Edom's foe for that purpose. MAURER translates, "a snare." But English Version agrees with the Hebrew, which means, literally, "a bandage for a wound."
none understanding--none of the wisdom for which Edom was famed (see Obadiah 1:8) to extricate him from his perilous position.
in him--instead of "in thee." The change implies the alienation of God from Edom: Edom has so estranged himself from God, that He speaks now of him, not to him.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Obadiah 1:21
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