Will I not on that day, declares the LORD, destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of Mount Esau?
English Standard Version (ESV)
While Edom was known for its wisdom, this verse reveals that God doesn't just defeat their armies; He dismantles the very source of their supposed strength by removing their understanding. This isn't just about a loss of knowledge, but a divine removal of the ability to think, plan, or discern.
Will I not on that day, declares the LORD, destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of Mount Esau?
English Standard Version (ESV)
This prophecy unfolds as God declares judgment against Edom for their cruel treatment of Judah. Edom, known for its supposed wisdom and counsel, will have these very strengths stripped away by God in their time of need. This divine stripping of their wisdom is a direct consequence of their pride and mistreatment of God's people, leading to their ultimate downfall.
Edom was known for its wise men and understanding. But Obadiah predicts this wisdom will vanish. What does this tell us about human wisdom?
The Frailty of Human Wisdom
Obadiah's prophecy against Edom is striking because it targets their wisdom and understanding. The text highlights that Edom, particularly the region of Mount Esau (or Seir), was renowned for its practical wisdom, counsel, and prudence. This is echoed by other prophets, like Jeremiah, who questioned if wisdom had truly vanished from a place so known for it.
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Edom's downfall wasn't just about losing smart people; it was tied to their arrogance and how they treated others. What's the connection between pride, injustice, and divine judgment?
The Fall of the Proud
The prophecy against Edom is not arbitrary. Their famed wisdom and understanding were apparently coupled with arrogance and a lack of compassion, especially towards God's people, Judah. Obadiah's prophecy unfolds in the context of Edom's betrayal and mistreatment of Judah during a time of crisis.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenantal name of the God of Israel. It represents the self-existent, faithful, and personal Creator who remains eternally committed to His redemptive promises.
chakam · Hebrew Noun/Adjective
Those noted for their intellectual or strategic insight. In the context of divine judgment, worldly wisdom is frequently contrasted with the fear of the Lord, proving useless when facing God’s sovereignty.
Har Esau · Hebrew Proper Noun
Refers to the rugged, mountainous terrain of Edom, serving as a symbol of their pride and perceived impregnability. Often used synonymously with Edom itself.
Obadiah's prophecy against Edom is deeply rooted in the political and military context of the Babylonian exiles, where Edom's betrayal of Judah during its downfall becomes a focal point for God's judgment. The loss of Edom's wisdom is not just a loss of intellect, but a sign of divine abandonment, rendering their self-reliance utterly futile.
c. 8th century BC
Edom's reputation for wisdom
Edom, particularly its inhabitants from Teman, was renowned for its wisdom and counsel. This reputation is reflected in figures like Eliphaz, one of Job's friends, and in later traditions that esteemed Edomite thinkers.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation of Judah
Nebuchadnezzar's initial conquest of Jerusalem resulted in the deportation of many Judean nobles and skilled individuals to Babylon. This event marked the beginning of Judah's exile.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Second Deportation
The final destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar led to a second, larger deportation of Judeans. Edomite sympathizers and those who rejoiced in Judah's downfall are condemned by Obadiah.
c. 580 BC
Jeremiah prophesies against Edom
The prophet Jeremiah echoes Obadiah's message, lamenting the loss of wisdom and counsel from Edom and prophesying its destruction, reinforcing the severity of the judgment.
This passage echoes Obadiah's prophecy, stating that the wisdom of the wise and the understanding of the prudent will be hidden, highlighting God's sovereign power to remove human insight.
Jeremiah 49:7Jeremiah directly references Edom's wisdom and counsel perishing, showing a consistent prophetic theme about the failure of human understanding when confronted by God's judgment.
1 Kings 4:30This verse highlights the renowned wisdom of the 'children of the East,' including the region of Edom, providing context for why the loss of wisdom from Edom would be particularly significant.
These verses explicitly mention Theman (in Edom) as a place associated with the search for wisdom, further underscoring the significance of God's judgment on Edom's intellectual pride.
This passage describes God confounding Egypt's counsel and destroying its wise counselors, providing a parallel example of God withdrawing understanding from a nation facing His judgment.
barnesObadiah 1:8: "Shall I not in that day, saith the LORD, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau?"
Shall I not in that day even destroy the wise out of Edom? - It was then no common, no recoverable, loss of wisdom, for God, the Author of wisdom, had destroyed it. The pagan had a proverb, "whom God willeth to destroy, he first dements." So Isaiah foretells of Judah Isaiah 29:14 , "The wisdom of their wise shall perish, and the understanding of their pruden…
clarkeObadiah 1:8: "Shall I not in that day, saith the LORD, even destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of the mount of Esau?"
Shall I not - destroy the wise men - It appears, from Jeremiah 49:7 , that the Edomites were remarkable for wisdom, counsel, and prudence. See on the above place.
While Edom was known for its wisdom, this verse reveals that God doesn't just defeat their armies; He dismantles the very source of their supposed strength by removing their understanding. This isn't just about a loss of knowledge, but a divine removal of the ability to think, plan, or discern.
This prophecy unfolds as God declares judgment against Edom for their cruel treatment of Judah. Edom, known for its supposed wisdom and counsel, will have these very strengths stripped away by God in their time of need. This divine stripping of their wisdom is a direct consequence of their pride and mistreatment of God's people, leading to their ultimate downfall.
This prophecy unfolds as God declares judgment against Edom for their cruel treatment of Judah. Edom, known for its supposed wisdom and counsel, will have these very strengths stripped away by God in their time of need. This divine stripping of their wisdom is a direct consequence of their pride and mistreatment of God's people, leading to their ultimate downfall.
"Will I not on that day, declares the LORD, destroy the wise men out of Edom, and understanding out of Mount Esau?" — While Edom was known for its wisdom, this verse reveals that God doesn't just defeat their armies; He dismantles the very source of their supposed strength by removing their understanding. This isn't…
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Last reviewed October 2026