What does Obadiah say about Edom being betrayed by its allies?

Obadiah says those “at peace with you” will deceive Edom and prevail against it, pushing it “to the border” (Obadiah 1:7). He also says people who eat Edom’s bread will set a trap under it, and “you have no understanding” (Obadiah 1:7).

Passage context

In Obadiah 1:5–7 the prophet portrays Edom’s coming ruin as unusually thorough. Ordinary thieves take only what they want, and harvesters leave something behind, but Edom will be stripped far beyond that. The lament then turns to betrayal: Edom’s allies and trusted table-companions will escort them to the edge, trick them, and overpower them. These verses sit within Obadiah’s opening announcement of Edom’s downfall (Obadiah 1:1–9), which moves from Edom’s proud security to the certainty of collapse. Verses 5–7 sharpen the picture by using everyday comparisons (thefts and grape harvest) to show that this disaster will not be partial or restrained.

Why it matters

Obadiah 1:5–7 presents Edom’s downfall as unusually complete. The prophet uses everyday comparisons: thieves typically stop once they have enough, and grape harvesters usually leave some leftover clusters. By contrast, Edom will be stripped beyond what people would expect from ordinary raiding or normal wartime loss (explicit in the text’s contrasts).

Read carefully

A careful answer keeps the immediate passage, the book's argument, and the whole-Bible storyline together, so the question is answered in context instead of as a detached idea.

Keep reading

Start with Obadiah 1:7, then read the surrounding section so the answer stays connected to the passage's flow.