Obadiah 1:19-21
The Kingdom Will Be the LORD's
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19Those from the Negev will possess the mountains of Esau; those from the foothills will possess the land of the Philistines. They will occupy the fields of Ephraim and Samaria, and Benjamin will possess Gilead.
20And the exiles of this host of the Israelites will possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath; and the exiles from Jerusalem who are in Sepharad will possess the cities of the Negev.
21The deliverers will ascend Mount Zion to rule over the mountains of Esau. And the kingdom will belong to the LORD.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
Obadiah ends with particular people receiving particular places. People from the Negev will possess Esau’s mountains, and those from the foothills will possess the Philistines’ land. Ephraim’s and Samaria’s fields will be occupied, and Benjamin will possess Gilead.
Israelite exiles will possess Canaanite land as far as Zarephath. Exiles from Jerusalem living in Sepharad will possess the Negev’s cities. The people who have been scattered are included in the promise.
Deliverers will ascend Mount Zion to rule Esau’s mountains. The closing sentence names the kingdom’s ruler: it will belong to the LORD. After the account of Edom’s pride and Jacob’s suffering, the book ends with His authority over the land and its people.
Questions
1 What will people from the Negev possess?
AnswerThey will possess the mountains of Esau. The territory associated with Edom is included in the LORD’s promise of restoration for His people.
2 Which exiles will possess cities in the Negev?
AnswerThe exiles from Jerusalem who are living in Sepharad. Their distance from Jerusalem does not keep them out of the promise.
3 Where will the deliverers go?
AnswerThey will ascend Mount Zion to rule over the mountains of Esau. The passage connects deliverance with the LORD’s rule over that land.
4 To whom will the kingdom belong?
AnswerIt will belong to the LORD. That is the final word of Obadiah’s vision, after the warnings to Edom and the promises to Jacob.
What This Means for Us
God’s promise includes exiles who have lost their homes. The places named in the reading remind us that displacement involves real fields, cities, and people.
Pray for those who need a safe place to live. When someone is new to your neighborhood or church, offer a welcome that helps them settle: a meal, useful local information, or time to listen. Receive your own home with gratitude and use it generously.
Prayer
Lord, give the displaced a place to stand and the wounded a way home. Make our homes generous with welcome, and keep us humble when we have influence. The kingdom is yours, and we are glad to belong to you. Amen.