{"id":77735,"date":"2020-07-20T16:04:30","date_gmt":"2020-07-20T13:04:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/?p=77735"},"modified":"2020-07-20T16:04:30","modified_gmt":"2020-07-20T13:04:30","slug":"esau-edom-rome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.929.org.il\/en\/esau-edom-rome\/","title":{"rendered":"Esau, Edom, Rome"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[281],"tags":[],"acf":{"old_id":"77735","type":"no","iframe":"","writer":33877,"related_cahpter":"528","type_929":"2","show_author_image":false,"old_create_date":"","old_url":"","post_main_content":{"description":"Incarnations of the Evil Empire\r\n\r\n","content":"

Obadiah, the shortest book in the Hebrew Bible, begins with a brief superscription: \u201cThe prophecy (or vision) of Obadiah \u2013 <\/span>Chazon Ovadyah<\/span><\/em>\u201d. The Prophet Obadiah is just one of eleven apparently different persons named <\/span>Ovadyah<\/em> <\/span>(\u201cServant or Worshipper of the Lord\u201d). Significantly, the name <\/span>Ovadyah<\/span><\/em>, <\/span><\/i>written in paleo-Hebrew script, was discovered in the 1960\u2019s on a number of ostraca (potsherds used as a writing surface), from Arad in the Negev, dated from between the period of the United Monarchy, in the 10<\/span>th<\/span> century BCE, to the Babylonian conquest of Judah, in the early sixth century BCE.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One of these inscriptions mentions an individual named <\/span>Ben Ovadyah<\/span><\/em> (\u201cSon of Obadiah\u201d), who seems to have been the commander of the Arad fortress protecting this Israelite settlement from encroaching Edomites. Indeed, the Book of Obadiah, from beginning to end, deals with the antagonistic relations between the Israelites and the Edomites, who descended from Esau, the brother of Jacob, the progenitor of Israel (see Genesis 26:22-34, 36:6-9).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Obadiah echoes this severed genealogical bond: \u201cIn that day \u2014declares the Lord\u2014 I will make the wise vanish from Edom, understanding from Esau\u2019s mount\u2026 And not a man on Esau\u2019s mount shall survive the slaughter\u2026The House of Jacob shall be fire\u2026And the House of Esau shall be straw\u2026And no survivor shall be left of the House of Esau \u2014for the Lord has spoken.\u201d (verses 8-9, 18).<\/span><\/p>\n

In later Jewish tradition \u201cEsau\/Edom\u201d became a metaphor for the \u201cEvil Empire\u201d of Rome that dominated Israel in Second Temple and Rabbinic times. This is related to the Edomite descent of the Roman client King Herod, who ruled Judea until his death in 4 BCE. An example of this metaphorical usage is found in Talmud Bavli Yoma 10a, which foresees the ultimate fall of Rome, based on: \u201cHear, then, the plan which the Lord has devised against Edom\u2026At the sound of their downfall, the earth shall shake\u201d (Jeremiah 49:20-21). This eschatological tradition may also be related to the conclusion of the Book of Obadiah: \u201cFor liberators shall march up on Mount Zion to wreak judgment on Mount Esau. And dominion shall be the Lord\u2019s\u201d (verse 21).<\/span><\/p>\n

This verse is employed in several \u201cmessianic perorations\u201d that serve as the typical conclusion of the \u201cliterary homily\u201d, as described by Joseph Heinemann in <\/span>Literature of the Synagogue<\/span><\/i> (1975, pp. 111-112). For example, the first such composite sermon in Deuteronomy Rabbah (1:20) concludes with the tradition that Esau said to Jacob: My brother, let the two of us walk together in this world as one. Jacob replied: \u201cLet my lord go on ahead of his servant\u201d (Genesis 33:14), acknowledging that Rome will precede Israel in ruling the world. But later Israel asked God until when will we remain under their (i.e. Rome\u2019s) oppressive rule? God replied: Until \u201cliberators shall march up on Mount Zion to wreak judgment on Mount Esau. And dominion shall be the Lord\u2019s.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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