Obadiah 1:8

“Shall I not in that day, saith the Lord, even destroy the wise [men] out of Edom, etc.] When they shall be invaded by the enemy, and treacherously dealt with by their allies; so that there shall be no wise counsellors at court to give advice what proper methods should be taken at such a season; they should either be taken off by death, or their wisdom should be turned into folly, and they be rendered incapable of giving right counsel: and understanding out of the mount of Esau? that is, men of understanding, as the Targum, should be destroyed out of Edom or Idumea, which was a mountainous country; such as were well versed in politics, or understood military affairs, and how to conduct at…”

“(; compare ; ; ). in that day . . . even destroy--Heretofore Edom, through its intercourse with Babylon and Egypt, and from its means of information through the many caravans passing to and fro between Europe and India, has been famed for knowledge; but in that day at last ("even") I will destroy its wise men. mount of Esau--that is, Idumea, which was a mountainous region.”

“Shall I not in that day even destroy the wise out of Edom? - It was then no common, no recoverable, loss of wisdom, for God, the Author of wisdom, had destroyed it. The pagan had a proverb, “whom God willeth to destroy, he first dements.” So Isaiah foretells of Judah Isaiah 29:14, “The wisdom of their wise shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent shall be hid.” Edom was celebrated of old for its wisdom. Eliphaz, the chief of Job’s friends, the representative of human wisdom, was a Temanite Job 4:1. A vestige of the name of the Shuhites, from where came another of his friends, probably still lingers among the mountains of Edom. Edom is doubtless included among the “sons of the…”

“1:8 At that time (literally in that day): The Hebrew word yom, “day,” occurs twelve times in 1:8-15, often translated “when” or “at that time.” The time referred to in 1:8 is the beginning of the end, when God steps in to reverse the fortunes of his people. • wise person . . . everyone who has understanding: Edom took pride in its wisdom tradition (cp. Jer 49:7). For example, the book of Job is set in Edomite territory.”

“even: Job 5:12-14; Psa 33:10; Isa 19:3, Isa 19:13, Isa 19:14, Isa 29:14; Co1 3:19, Co1 3:20 Obadiah 1:9”

“"Does it not come to pass in that day, is the saying of Jehovah, that I destroy the wise men out of Edom, and discernment from the mountains of Esau? Oba 1:9. And thy heroes despair, O Teman, that every one may be cut off by murder from the mountains of Esau." In order to give up the Edomites to destruction at that time, the Lord will take away discernment from their wise men, so that even they will not be able to help them. The destruction of the wise men is not to be understood as signifying that the wise men will all be slain, or slain before any others, but simply that they will be destroyed as wise men by the withdrawal or destruction of their wisdom. This meaning is sustained, not only…”