Obadiah 10-14--Edom's Violence Against Jacob

Obadiah 10-14
English Standard Version

Edom's Violence Against Jacob
10 Because of the violence done to your brother Jacob,
    shame shall cover you,
    and you shall be cut off forever.
11 On the day that you stood aloof,
    on the day that strangers carried off his wealth
and foreigners entered his gates
    and cast lots for Jerusalem,
    you were like one of them.
12 But do not gloat over the day of your brother
    in the day of his misfortune;
do not rejoice over the people of Judah
    in the day of their ruin;
do not boast
    in the day of distress.
13 Do not enter the gate of my people
    in the day of their calamity;
do not gloat over his disaster
    in the day of his calamity;
do not loot his wealth
    in the day of his calamity.
14 Do not stand at the crossroads
    to cut off his fugitives;
do not hand over his survivors
    in the day of distress.

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Let's look more closely at the indictment against Edom.  They did nothing to defend Jacob's family (the people of Israel and Judah) when they were attacked.  They should have been allies because they were family, but, instead, Edom actively participated in helping the attackers.  They either stood by and allowed them to come in through their land in order to attack Israel and Judah, or they acted as bounty hunters and caught the escaping Israelites and turned them over to their enemies for profit.  They hoped that they would be allowed to divide the spoils with the enemy and take some of the covenant blessings for themselves.

The LORD tells the people of Edom not to try to steal the wealth of Judah or enter into the Land where they don't belong to try to take it for themselves.  They are to stop being bounty hunters and they are to stop giving aid to the enemy--instead they should be giving aid to the people of Judah.