Obadiah 1:11

Hebrew Bible
10 “Because you violently slaughtered your relatives, the people of Jacob, shame will cover you, and you will be destroyed forever. 11 You stood aloof while strangers took his army captive and foreigners advanced to his gates. When they cast lots over Jerusalem, you behaved as though you were in league with them. 12 You should not have gloated when your relatives suffered calamity. You should not have rejoiced over the people of Judah when they were destroyed. You should not have boasted when they suffered adversity.
Date: 6th Century B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates) Source

Sirach 37:4

Ben Sira, Ecclesiasticus
Deuterocanon
2 Is it not a sorrow like that for death itself when a dear friend turns into an enemy? 3 O inclination to evil, why were you formed to cover the land with deceit? 4 Some companions rejoice in the happiness of a friend, but in time of trouble they are against him. 5 Some companions help a friend for their stomachs' sake, yet in battle they will carry his shield.
Date: 195-175 B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates) Source

Notes and References

"... Sirach 37:4 also contains an indirect allusion to Edom’s failure to help his brother Jacob: (“on the day that you stood aloof,” Obadiah 11) during an attack by “foreigners” (Obadiah 11). In contrast, Sirach 37:5 praises the good friend who fights against a “foreigner” ..."
Corley, Jeremy Ben Sira's Teaching on Friendship (p. 78) Brown University, 2020

* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.

Your Feedback:

User Comments

Do you have questions or comments about these texts? Please submit them here.

Anonymous comments are welcome. All comments are subject to moderation.