Obadiah 1:3–4
The pride of the one who lives on the heights deceives him; God says he will bring him down
Study it word by word3The arrogance of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, in the height of his dwelling, who says in his heart, “Who will bring me down to the earth?”
4Though you soar high like the eagle, and though among the stars your nest is set, from there I will bring you down, declares YHWH.
In its context
1The vision of Obadiah. Thus says Adonai YHWH concerning Edom: A report we have heard from YHWH, and an envoy has been sent among the nations: “Rise up, and let us rise against her for battle!”
2Look, small I have made you among the nations; despised are you greatly.
…
5If thieves came to you, if plunderers by night (how you have been destroyed!), would they not steal only what was enough for them? If grape gatherers came to you, would they not leave gleanings?
6How Esau has been searched out, his hidden treasures sought out!
Its words in the original
- זְדוֹןzedon· presumption, arrogance
Presumption, arrogance: daring to act on one's own against what was commanded.
- לִבְּlib· heart
Heart. In Hebrew it is not only the place of feelings: it is the center of the person, where one thinks, decides and wills; also the middle of something.
- הִשִּׁיאֶhishie· deceive
Deceive, mislead, make someone believe something false.
- שֹׁכְנִיshochni· dwell
Dwell, settle and live; in the causative form, set, make to dwell.
- חַגְוֵיchagve· cleft
A cleft in the rock.
- סֶּלַעsela· crag, cliff
Crag: a great, high rock; it also serves as a refuge.
- מְרוֹםmerom· height
Height, a high place. Also used for "on high," the heights of heaven.
- שִׁבְתּshivt· seat, dwelling
Seat, place where someone is or stays; the act of sitting or dwelling. In 2 Samuel 23:7 its sense is uncertain ("in their place").
- אֹמֵרomer· say
Say, speak. The most common verb for bringing in what someone says; sometimes "think" (say to oneself) or "command".
- יוֹרִדֵyoride· go down, bring down
Go down, come down, descend. In the causative form, bring down, take down. Going from Canaan to Egypt is "going down".
- אָרֶץarets· earth, land
The earth, in two senses: the whole world in contrast with the heavens, or a particular country or region ("the land of Egypt").
- תַּגְבִּיהַּtagbiha· be high, be proud
To be high, to rise up; figuratively, to be exalted or to become proud.
- נֶּשֶׁרnesher· eagle, vulture
Eagle; it may also refer to another large bird of prey, such as the vulture.
- כּוֹכָבִיםkochavim· star
Star.
- שִׂיםsim· put, set
Put, place, set; appoint, establish; make something into something.
- קִנֶּkine· nest; room
Nest; also the rooms or compartments of the ark.
- נְאֻםneum· declaration
Solemn declaration. "Declares YHWH" is the formula that marks words as spoken by God himself.
- יְהוָהyehva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.