New English Translation
Obadiah 1:4
4Even if you were to soar high like an eagle, even if you were to make your nest among the stars, I can bring you down even from there!” says the Lord.
Obadiah 1:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,” declares the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Though you soar aloft like the eagle, though your nest is set among the stars, from there I will bring you down, declares the Lord.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Though you ascend as high as the eagle, And though you set your nest among the stars, From there I will bring you down,” says the Lord.
Context of Obadiah 1:4
2The Lord says, “Look! I will make you a weak nation; you will be greatly despised! 3Your presumptuous heart has deceived you – you who reside in the safety of the rocky cliffs, whose home is high in the mountains. You think to yourself, ‘No one can bring me down to the ground!’ Even if you were to soar high like an eagle, even if you were to make your nest among the stars, I can bring you down even from there!” says the Lord. 5“If thieves came to rob you during the night, they would steal only as much as they wanted! If grape pickers came to harvest your vineyards, they would leave some behind for the poor! But you will be totally destroyed! 6How the people of Esau will be thoroughly plundered! Their hidden valuables will be ransacked!
Read all of Obadiah 1Obadiah 1:4 word by word
אִם־תַּגְבִּ֣יהַּ כַּנֶּ֔שֶׁר וְאִם־בֵּ֥ין כּֽוֹכָבִ֖ים שִׂ֣ים קִנֶּ֑ךָ מִשָּׁ֥ם אוֹרִֽידְךָ֖ נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Though thou exaltגָּבַהּgâbahh · be highH1361
- as the eagleנֶשֶׁרnesher · eagleH5404
- and though thou setשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
- thy nestקֵןqên · nestH7064
- among the starsכּוֹכָבkôkâb · starH3556
- thence will I bring thee downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- saithנְאֻםne'ûm · utteranceH5002
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for Obadiah 1:4
- Job 20:6Even though his stature reaches to the heavens and his head touches the clouds,
- Job 39:27Is it at your command that the eagle soars, and builds its nest on high?
- Jeremiah 49:16The terror you inspire in others and the arrogance of your heart have deceived you. You may make your home in the clefts of the rocks; you may occupy the highest places in the hills. But even if you made your home where the eagles nest, I would bring you down from there,” says the Lord.
- Habakkuk 2:9The one who builds his house by unjust gain is as good as dead. He does this so he can build his nest way up high and escape the clutches of disaster.
- Isaiah 14:12Look how you have fallen from the sky, O shining one, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O conqueror of the nations!
- Jeremiah 51:53Even if Babylon climbs high into the sky and fortifies her elevated stronghold, I will send destroyers against her,” says the Lord.
- Amos 9:2Even if they could dig down into the netherworld, my hand would pull them up from there. Even if they could climb up to heaven, I would drag them down from there.
Commentaries on Obadiah 1:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle - Though like this bird thou get into the highest cliff of the highest rock, it will not avail thee. To defend thee, when Jehovah has determined thy destruction, thy deepest caves and highest rocks will be equally useless. See Jeremiah 49:16.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle - (or, thy nest) The eagle builds its nest in places nearly inaccessible to man. The Edomites were a race of eagles. It is not the language of poetry or exaggeration; but is poetic, because so true. “And though thou set thy nest in the stars.” This is men‘s language, strange as it is. “I shall touch the stars with my crown;” “I shall strike the stars with my lofty crown;” “since I have touched heaven with my lance.”…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-4I will make you small: Several messages of judgment describe Edom’s specific sins against Israel (Obadiah 1:10–14; Jeremiah 49:7–22; Ezekiel 25:12–14; 36:5). Edom often appears among the nations that opposed Israel and the Lord (Isaiah 34; Ezekiel 35–36; Amos 9:1–15). small among the nations … The pride of your heart: Edom’s rocky landscape reflected the pride of its people. Just as their land was high and difficult to reach, the people of Edom thought…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. exalt thyself--or supply from the second clause, "thy nest" [Maurer] (Compare Job 20:6; Jr 49:16; Am 9:2). set ... nest among ... stars--namely, on the loftiest hills which seem to reach the very stars. Edom is a type of Antichrist (Is 14:13; Da 8:10; 11:37). thence will I bring thee down--in spite of thy boast (Ob 3), "Who shall bring me down?"Read the comment
Topics related to Obadiah 1:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Obadiah 1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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