Those of the Negeb shall possess Mount Esau, and those of the Shephelah shall possess the land of the Philistines; they shall possess the land of Ephraim and the land of Samaria, and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse details a future restoration where the descendants of Jacob, specifically represented by Judah and Benjamin, not only reclaim their ancestral lands but expand to encompass territories once held by their historical enemies like Edom and the Philistines, as well as the former northern kingdoms. It paints a picture of complete territorial restoration, signifying not just a return from exile but a profound and widespread re-establishment of God's people throughout the promised region.
Those of the Negeb shall possess Mount Esau, and those of the Shephelah shall possess the land of the Philistines; they shall possess the land of Ephraim and the land of Samaria, and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse marks the triumphant conclusion of Obadiah's prophecy, shifting from doom to restoration. After detailing judgment on Edom for its cruelty, the prophet paints a picture of God's people reclaiming and even expanding their territories. This promise of future possession, encompassing lands once held by Edom, Philistia, and the northern tribes of Israel, culminates in a vision of a unified and restored Israel.
Ever feel like your inheritance or your space is limited? This verse speaks of reclaiming and even expanding territories that seemed lost.
Obadiah paints a picture of restoration that isn't just about getting back what was taken, but about a significant expansion of God's people's land.
Geographical Sweep
The verse details this expansion by naming specific regions:
This is more than just returning to pre-exile borders; it's a fulfillment of the expansive promises made to Abraham and Jacob, suggesting a renewed and enlarged presence for God's people.
Historically, the tribes of Israel were divided. But in this prophecy, specific tribes are highlighted as key players in a unified restoration.
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Obadiah focuses on Judah and Benjamin, the two tribes that largely comprised the Southern Kingdom and eventually formed the core of those who returned from exile.
Tribal Significance
This mention of Judah and Benjamin isn't necessarily excluding the other tribes conceptually, but it emphasizes the historical reality of who would lead the restoration and how their borders would be re-established and enlarged, symbolically representing the re-unification of God's people.
This prophecy looks beyond the immediate aftermath of exile to a future restoration and expansion of Israel's territory, where the descendants of Jacob would not only reclaim their ancestral lands but also possess the territories of their historical enemies, like Edom and the Philistines, and the former northern kingdom.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Assyrian Exile
The Northern Kingdom of Israel, with its capital Samaria, falls to the Assyrian Empire, and its people are exiled. This marks the effective end of the ten northern tribes as a distinct entity.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Babylonian Exile
The Southern Kingdom of Judah, including its capital Jerusalem, is conquered by the Neo-Babylonian Empire. The Temple is destroyed, and a significant portion of the population is exiled to Babylon.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus Cylinder Issued
Cyrus the Great of Persia conquers Babylon, and his policies allow exiled peoples, including the Judeans, to return to their homelands.
c. 515 BC
Second Temple Completed
The Jewish exiles, having returned to Jerusalem, complete the rebuilding of the Temple, symbolizing the restoration of their community and religious life.
c. 140 BC - 130 BC— this verse
Hasmonean Conquests
Under the Hasmonean dynasty, the Jewish state expands its territory, conquering and forcibly converting Idumeans (descendants of Esau) and subjugating the Philistines and Samaritans.
c. 37 BC - AD 4
Herodian Dynasty
The Roman-backed Herodian kings rule Judea, continuing to control and expand territories, including regions historically associated with Ephraim, Samaria, and Gilead.
This verse echoes the promise to Jacob that his descendants would spread out in all directions, a promise Obadiah 1:19 directly illustrates by detailing the expansion of Judah and Benjamin's territory.
Joshua 15:21Obadiah 1:19 references the 'south' and 'plain' as areas to be possessed, which corresponds to the original tribal inheritances of Judah described in Joshua's distribution of the land.
Isaiah 54:2-3The expansive territorial promises in Obadiah 1:19 find a beautiful parallel in Isaiah's vision of the 'barren' woman (representing Jerusalem and its people) extending her tent pegs and increasing her offspring, signifying a vast spiritual and physical restoration.
Ezekiel 47:21-23Both Obadiah 1:19 and Ezekiel 47 describe the future inheritance of the land, with Ezekiel detailing how the land would be divided among the tribes, reinforcing the idea of restored and expanded boundaries for Israel.
Zechariah 10:10This verse speaks of God bringing His people back from Egypt and Assyria, and them 'dwelling securely' in Gilead and Lebanon, mirroring Obadiah's prophecy of Judah and Benjamin possessing territories beyond their original borders.
barnesObadiah 1:19: "And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau; and they of the plain the Philistines: and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead."
And they of the South shall possess the mount of Esau - The Church was now hemmed in within Judah and Benjamin. They too were to go into captivity. The prophet looks beyond the captivity and the return, and tells how that original promise to Jacob Genesis 28:14 should be fulfilled…
clarkeObadiah 1:19: "And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau; and they of the plain the Philistines: and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead."
They of the south - The Jews who possessed the southern part of Palestine, should render themselves masters of the mountains of Idumea which were contiguous to them. They of the plain - From Eleutheropolis to the Mediterranean Sea. In this and the following verse the prophet shows…
This verse details a future restoration where the descendants of Jacob, specifically represented by Judah and Benjamin, not only reclaim their ancestral lands but expand to encompass territories once held by their historical enemies like Edom and the Philistines, as well as the former northern kingdoms. It paints a picture of complete territorial restoration, signifying not just a return from exile but a profound and widespread re-establishment of God's people throughout the promised region.
This verse marks the triumphant conclusion of Obadiah's prophecy, shifting from doom to restoration. After detailing judgment on Edom for its cruelty, the prophet paints a picture of God's people reclaiming and even expanding their territories. This promise of future possession, encompassing lands once held by Edom, Philistia, and the northern tribes of Israel, culminates in a vision of a unified and restored Israel.
This verse marks the triumphant conclusion of Obadiah's prophecy, shifting from doom to restoration. After detailing judgment on Edom for its cruelty, the prophet paints a picture of God's people reclaiming and even expanding their territories. This promise of future possession, encompassing lands once held by Edom, Philistia, and the northern tribes of Israel, culminates in a vision of a unified and restored Israel.
"Those of the Negeb shall possess Mount Esau, and those of the Shephelah shall possess the land of the Philistines; they shall possess the land of Ephraim and the land of Samaria, and Benjamin shall possess Gilead." — This verse details a future restoration where the descendants of Jacob, specifically represented by Judah and Benjamin, not only reclaim their ancestral lands but expand to encompass territories once…
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Last reviewed October 2026