Obadiah 1:18

“And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, etc.] The former may denote the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, the latter the ten tribes, which after the separation in Rehoboam’s time were called Ephraim, and sometimes Joseph; though they may here signify one and the same, since all the tribes will be united, and become one people, at the time the prophecy refers to: the meaning is, that the people of Judah and Israel shall have strength and power to conquer and destroy their enemies, with as much ease, as flames of fire consume chaff or stubble, or any such combustible matter they light upon, as it follows: and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle…”

“fire--See the same figure, ; ; . house of Jacob . . . Joseph--that is, the two kingdoms, Judah and Ephraim or Israel [JEROME]. The two shall form one kingdom, their former feuds being laid aside (; ; ; ). The Jews returned with some of the Israelites from Babylon; and, under John Hyrcanus, so subdued and, compelling them to be circumcised, incorporated the Idumeans with themselves that they formed part of the nation [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 13.17; 12.11]. This was but an earnest of the future union of Israel and Judah in the possession of the enlarged land as one kingdom (, &c.). stubble-- ().”

“Having given, in summary, the restoration and expansion of Judah, Obadiah, in more detail, first mentions a further chastisement of Edom, quite distinct from the former. In the first, for which God summoned the pagan, there is no mention of Judah, the desolation of whose holy City, Jerusalem, for the time, and their own captivity is presupposed. In the second, which follows on the restoration of its remnant, there is no mention of pagan. Obadiah, whose mission was to Judah, gives to it the name of the whole, “the house of Jacob.” It alone had the true worship of God, and His promises. Apart from it, there was no oneness with the faith of the fathers, no foreshadowing sacrifice for sin. Does…”

“Shall kindle - This was fulfilled in part by Hyrcanus and the Maccabees, 1 Macc. 5:3, but will be more fully accomplished, when the Lord shall make his church as a fire to all its enemies. Obadiah 1:19”

“1:18 The principle of retribution is expressed in the vivid image of a raging fire burning Edom to extinction. Edomite cities were burned by Babylonian king Nabonidus in 553 BC.”

“shall be: Isa 10:17, Isa 31:9; Mic 5:8; Zac 12:6 the house of Joseph: Sa2 19:20; Eze 37:16, Eze 37:19; Amo 5:15, Amo 6:6 for stubble: Psa 83:6-15; Isa 5:24, Isa 47:14; Joe 2:5; Nah 1:10; Co1 3:12 and there: Oba 1:9, Oba 1:10, Oba 1:16 Obadiah 1:19”

“"And the house of Jacob will be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble. And they will burn among them, and consume them, and there will not be one left to the house of Esau, for Jehovah hath spoken." This verse not only resumes the discussion of the retribution, so that it corresponds to Oba 1:15, but it also affirms, as an appendix to Oba 1:17, that Edom is to be utterly destroyed. By the "house of Jacob" Judah is intended, as the co-ordination of the house of Joseph, i.e., of the ten tribes, clearly shows. The assumption that "house of Jacob" signifies all Israel, in connection with which that portion is also especially mentioned, which might be supposed…”