Obadiah 1:18
“And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Jacob and Joseph become a consuming fire to the stubble of Esau, until none of Edom remains, for the LORD has spoken it.
What Does Obadiah 1:18 Mean?
The restored house of Jacob and Joseph is pictured as fire and flame, while the house of Esau is dry stubble before it. The judgment Edom set in motion against her brother is fully reversed: the fire consumes the stubble until nothing of Esau is left. The closing words, for the LORD hath spoken it, guarantee the outcome.
This completes the reversal that runs through Obadiah. The proud who preyed on the weak are themselves undone, and God's word stands behind it all. For the reader, the certainty rests not in the imagery but in the One who speaks; what the Lord has promised, whether judgment or deliverance, He will surely bring to pass.