Obadiah 1:20

“And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel [shall possess] that of the Canaanites, [even] unto Zarephath, etc.] That is, the host or army, the great number of the children of Israel, that have been carried captive, upon their return shall possess that part of the land of Israel which was inhabited formerly by the Canaanites, even as far as to Zarephath, said to belong to Zidon, (<111710>1 Kings 17:10); and called Sarepta of Sidon; (see <420426>Luke 4:26). It is mentioned by Pliny f32 along with Sidon, where glass was made; and perhaps this place might have its name from the melting of glass in it, from Prx, which signifies to melt metals, glass, etc. it is called by Josephus…”

“the captivity of this host--that is, the captives of this multitude of Israelites. shall possess that of the Canaanites--MAURER translates, "the captives . . . whom the Canaanites (carried away captive into PhÅ“nicia) even unto Zarephath, shall possess the south," namely, Idumea as well as the south (). HENDERSON, similarly, "the captives that are among the Canaanites," &c. But the corresponding clauses of the parallelism are better balanced in English Version, "the ten tribes of Israel shall possess the territory of the Canaanites," namely, Western Palestine and PhÅ“nicia (). "And the captives of Jerusalem (and Judah) shall possess the southern cities," namely, Edom, &c. Each has the region…”

“And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel - , (it must, I believe, be rendered,) “which are among the Canaanites, as far as Zarephath, and the captivity of Jerusalem which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the South.” Obadiah had described how the two tribes, whose were the promises to the house of David, should spread abroad on all sides. Here he represents how Judah should, in its turn, receive into its bosom those now carried away from them; so should all again be one fold. Zarephath - (probably “smelting-house,” and so a place of slave-labor, pronounced Sarepta in Luke) Luke 4:26. belonged to Sidon 1 Kings 17:9, lying on the sea about halfway between it and Tyre.…”

“The captivity - Those of the ten tribes that were carried away captive by Salmanesar. Of the Canaanites - All the country they anciently possessed with this addition, that what the Canaanites held by force, and the Israelites could not take from them, shall now be possessed by these returned captives. Zarephath - Near Sidon. Of Jerusalem - The two tribes carried captive by Nebuchadnezzar. Sepharad - Probably a region of Chaldea. The cities - All the cities which were once their own. Obadiah 1:21”

“1:20 in the north: Hebrew in Sepharad, probably a colony of Jewish exiles in Asia Minor who would return to the Negev. The scene corresponds with some actual events but looks beyond any single movement of refugees to the end times.”

“the captivity of this: Jer 3:18, Jer 33:26; Eze 34:12, Eze 34:13; Hos 1:10, Hos 1:11; Amo 9:14, Amo 9:15; Zac 10:6-10 Zarephath: Kg1 17:9, Kg1 17:10; Luk 4:26, Sarepta which is in Sepharad, shall possess: or, shall possess that which is in Sepharad, they shall possess, Jer 13:19, Jer 32:44, Jer 33:13 Obadiah 1:21”