The Meaning of Obadiah 1:11 Explained

Obadiah 1:11

KJV: In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.

YLT: In the day of thy standing over-against, In the day of strangers taking captive his force, And foreigners have entered his gates, And for Jerusalem have cast a lot, Even thou art as one of them!

Darby: In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that strangers carried away captive his substance, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.

ASV: In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that strangers carried away his substance, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

In the day  that thou stoodest  on the other side, in the day  that the strangers  carried away captive  his forces,  and foreigners  entered  into his gates,  and cast  lots  upon Jerusalem,  even thou [wast] as one  of them. 

What does Obadiah 1:11 Mean?

Verse Meaning

God cited one specific instance of Edom"s violence against her brother, but as I explained in the introduction, which instance is unclear. Edom"s treachery against Judah had taken place on a particular "day" in the past. Likewise God"s judgment would come on a particular "day" yet future ( Obadiah 1:8). "Day" does not always refer to a period of12or24hours in the Bible. It sometimes refers to a longer period of time but one that is distinguishable as a period of time (e.g, Genesis 2:4). The Edomites" sin was that they failed to help the Israelites in their hour of need (cf. Luke 10:31-32). Instead they stood aloof and watched joyfully as Israel"s invader plundered Jerusalem. Enemies passing though a city"s gate signified the loss of its self-rule. [1] God considered the Edomites as guilty as Jerusalem"s invaders because the Edomites failed to help their brethren.
"In the sight of God, who looks not on the outward appearance but on the heart, there is little distinction in moral accountability between overt sin and an inner bias toward that sin that permits it to go unchecked (cf. Matthew 5:21-32)." [2]
". . . the Israelites are always commanded in the law to preserve a friendly and brotherly attitude towards Edom (Deut. ii4 , 5); and in Deut. xxiii7 it is enjoined upon them not to abhor the Edomite, because he is their brother." [3]

Chapter Summary: Obadiah 1

1  The destruction of Edom,
3  for their pride,
10  and for their wrong unto Jacob
17  The salvation and victory of Jacob

What do the individual words in Obadiah 1:11 mean?

In the day that you stood on the other side in the day that carried captive strangers his forces and when foreigners entered - his gates and for Jerusalem cast lots Even you [were] as one of them
בְּיוֹם֙ עֲמָֽדְךָ֣ מִנֶּ֔גֶד בְּי֛וֹם שְׁב֥וֹת זָרִ֖ים חֵיל֑וֹ וְנָכְרִ֞ים בָּ֣אוּ [שערו] (שְׁעָרָ֗יו) וְעַל־ יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ יַדּ֣וּ גוֹרָ֔ל גַּם־ אַתָּ֖ה כְּאַחַ֥ד מֵהֶֽם

בְּיוֹם֙  In  the  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
עֲמָֽדְךָ֣  that  you  stood 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
מִנֶּ֔גֶד  on  the  other  side 
Parse: Preposition-m
Root: נֶגֶד  
Sense: what is conspicuous, what is in front of adv.
בְּי֛וֹם  in  the  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
שְׁב֥וֹת  that  carried  captive 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁבָה  
Sense: to take captive.
זָרִ֖ים  strangers 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: זוּר 
Sense: to be strange, be a stranger.
חֵיל֑וֹ  his  forces 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חַיִל 
Sense: strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army.
וְנָכְרִ֞ים  and  when  foreigners 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: נָכְרִי  
Sense: foreign, alien.
בָּ֣אוּ  entered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
[שערו]  - 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
(שְׁעָרָ֗יו)  his  gates 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
וְעַל־  and  for 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙  Jerusalem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
יַדּ֣וּ  cast 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: יָדַד  
Sense: (Qal) to throw lots, cast lots n.
גוֹרָ֔ל  lots 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֹּורָל  
Sense: lot.
גַּם־  Even 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
אַתָּ֖ה  you  [were] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
כְּאַחַ֥ד  as  one 
Parse: Preposition-k, Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
מֵהֶֽם  of  them 
Parse: Preposition-m, Pronoun, third person masculine plural
Root: הֵם 
Sense: they, these, the same, who.