Obadiah 1 · Verse 2

Obadiah 1:2

Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.
Obadiah 1:2, King James Version

Obadiah 1:2 in other translations

BSB“Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you will be deeply despised.
WEBBehold, I have made you small among the nations. You are greatly despised.
ASVBehold, I have made thee small among the nations: thou art greatly despised.
YLTLo, little I have made thee among nations, Despised art thou exceedingly.
DARBYBehold, I have made thee small among the nations; thou art greatly despised.
BBESee, I have made you small among the nations: you are much looked down on.
WebsterBehold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.

What does Obadiah 1:2 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
2. I have made thee small--Thy reduction to insignificance is as sure as if it were already accomplished; therefore the past tense is used [Maurer]. Edom then extended from Dedan of Arabia to Bozrah in the north (Jr 49:8, 13). Calvin explains it, "Whereas thou wast made by Me an insignificant people, why art thou so proud" (Ob 3)? But if so, why should the heathen peoples be needed to subdue one so insignificant? Jr 49:15, confirms Maurer's view.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 2 I have made thee small among the heathen - God ever attributes to himself the rise and fall of nations. If they be great and prosperous, it is by God's providence; if they be tow and depressed, it is by his justice. Compared with the Assyrians, Chaldeans, Egyptians, Syrians, Arabs, and other neighboring nations, the Idumeans were a small people.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Obadiah 1:1-16

This prophecy is against Edom. Its destruction seems to have been typical, as their father Esau's rejection; and to refer to the destruction of the enemies of the gospel church. See the prediction of the success of that war; Edom shall be spoiled, and brought down. All the enemies of God's church shall be disappointed in the things they stay themselves on. God can easily lay those low who magnify and exalt…

Read the full comment on Obadiah 1:1-16 →

Obadiah 1:2 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

הִנֵּ֥הhi.Nehhere!H2009
קָטֹ֛ןka.TonsmallH6996
נְתַתִּ֖יךָne.ta.Ti.khaI will make youH5414
בַּגּוֹיִ֑םba.go.Yimamong the nationsH1471
בָּז֥וּיba.Zui[will be] despisedH959
אַתָּ֖ה'a.TahyouH859
מְאֹֽד\׃me.'OdexceedinglyH3966

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Obadiah 1:2

  • Isaiah 23:9

    The Lord of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.

  • Numbers 24:18

    And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.

  • Luke 1:51-52

    He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.

  • Micah 7:10

    Then she that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the Lord thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.

  • Job 34:25-29

    Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed. He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others; Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways: So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted. …

  • Ezekiel 29:15

    It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations: for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations.

  • 1 Samuel 2:7-8

    The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and he hath set the world upon them.

  • Psalms 107:39-40

    Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow. He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Nu 24:18; 1Sa 2:7,8; Job 34:25-29; Ps 107:39,40; Isa 23:9
Eze 29:15; Mic 7:10; Lu 1:51,52

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Obadiah 1:1

    The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord God concerning Edom; We have heard a rumour from the Lord, and an ambassador is sent among the heathen, Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.

  • Obadiah 1:2

    Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.

  • Obadiah 1:3

    The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?

Read all of Obadiah 1

Obadiah 1:2 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		He aquí, pequeño te he hecho entre las gentes; abatido eres tú en gran manera.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Voici, je t’ai fait petit parmi les nations; tu es fort méprisé.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Siehe, ich habe dich klein gemacht unter den Nationen, du bist sehr verachtet.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Ecce parvulum dedi te in gentibus: contemptibilis tu es valde.