In it, Obadiah prophesied against Edom, Judah and Israel’s neighbor. Judah and Israel had a long history of discord with Edom. Centuries earlier, the Edomites refused to allow Moses and the Israelites to pass through Edom on their way to the Promised Land. As a result, the Israelites had to take a long detour.

This time, however, Edom went too far. The Edomites helped the Babylonians capture Judah. “You shouldn’t have plundered the land of Israel when they were suffering such calamity. You shouldn’t have gloated over the destruction of your relatives, looting their homes and making yourselves rich at their expense. You shouldn’t have stood at the crossroads, killing those who tried to escape. You shouldn’t have captured the survivors, handing them over to their enemies in that terrible time of trouble.” (NLT, Obadiah 1:13–14)

At twenty-one verses, Obadiah is the shortest book in the Bible.