Obadiah 1:20 · Bible study
Obadiah 1:20 Commentary: Exiles Reclaim the Land
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
This verse promises that exiles from Israel and Judah will possess lands from Zarephath to the Negev, reversing their captivity.
Research Summary
- Meaning: God promises restoration of both northern and southern exiles to possess lands from Zarephath to Negev.
- Key words: גלות (exile), ירש (possess/inherit), Zarephath, Sepharad, Negev.
- Main debate: The location of Sepharad, possibly Sardis in Lydia, the Bosphorus, or Spain.
- Theological theme: Reversal of exile and the restoration of a unified kingdom under Yahweh.
- Best use: A sermon on hope, restoration, and God's sovereignty over geography and history.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And the exiles of this host of the Israelites will possess the land of the Canaanites as far as Zarephath; and the exiles from Jerusalem who are in Sepharad will possess the cities of the Negev.
WEB World English Bible 2000
The captives of this army of the children of Israel, who are among the Canaanites, will possess even to Zarephath; and the captives of Jerusalem, who are in Sepharad, will possess the cities of the Negev.
KJV King James Version 1769
And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And the captives of this host of the children of Israel, that are among the Canaanites, shall possess even unto Zarephath; and the captives of Jerusalem, that are in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the South.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And the removed of this force of the sons of Israel, That is with the Canaanites unto Zarephat, And the removed of Jerusalem that is with the Sepharad, Possess the cities of the south.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
and the captives of this host of the children of Israel [shall possess] what belonged to the Canaanites, unto Zarephath; and the captives of Jerusalem, who [were] in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel, all the places of the Chanaanites even to Sarepta: and the captivity of Jerusalem that is in Bosphorus, shall possess the cities of the south.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y los cautivos de aqueste ejército de los hijos de Israel poseerán lo de los Cananeos hasta Sarepta; y los cautivos de Jerusalem, que están en Sepharad, poseerán las ciudades del mediodía.
E os cativos deste exército dos filhos de Israel possuirão o que era dos cananeus até Sarepta; e os cativos de Jerusalém, que estão em Sefarade, possuirão as cidades do Negueve.
Les captifs de cette armée des enfants d’ Israël
Und die Vertriebenen dieses Heeres der Kinder Israel, so unter den Kanaanitern bis gen Zarpath sind, und die Vertriebenen der Stadt Jerusalem, die zu Sepharad sind, werden die Städte gegen Mittag besitzen.
En de gevankelijk weggevoerden van dit heir der kinderen Israels, hetgeen der Kanaanieten was, tot Zarfath toe; en de gevankelijk weggevoerden van Jeruzalem, hetgeen in Sefarad is, zij zullen de steden van het zuiden erfelijk bezitten.
I deportati di questo esercito dei figliuoli d’Israele che sono fra i Cananei fino a Sarepta, e i deportati di Gerusalemme che sono a Sefarad, possederanno le città del mezzogiorno.
A zaprowadzeni w niewolę tego wojska synów Izraelskich posiędą to, co było Chananejczyków aż do Sarepty; a zaprowadzeni w niewolę Jeruzalemczyków posiędą to, co jest na końcu państwa, posiędą z miastami na południe.
И переселенные из войска сынов Израилевых завладеют землею Ханаанскою до Сарепты, а переселенные из Иерусалима, находящиеся в Сефараде, получат во владение города южные.
在迦南人 中被擄的 以色列 眾 人 必得地直到 撒勒法； 在西法拉 中被擄的 耶路撒冷人 必得 南地 的城邑。
And those of the children of Israel who were the first to be taken away as prisoners, will have their heritage among the Canaanites as far as Zarephath; and those who were taken away from Jerusalem, who are in Sepharad, will have the towns of the South.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Obadiah 1:20
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse announces the restoration of both northern and southern exiles to territorial possession. Barnes sees it as the reunification of Israel and Judah into one fold. Gill explains that the captives return to possess the lands formerly held by Canaanites, as far as Zarephath on the Phoenician coast. Keil and Delitzsch describe the verse as part of Obadiah's vision of God's nation extending its territory to every region under heaven. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown parallel the clause: the ten tribes of Israel (the northern kingdom) will take the western Canaanite region, while the captives of Jerusalem (the southern kingdom) will possess the southern cities including the Negev. The Cambridge Bible suggests the verse refers to two specific bodies of captives, those carried into Phoenicia and those into an unknown location called Sepharad, both of whom will find a home in the south. All agree on the central promise: the exile is reversed, and the people will inherit what was lost.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Literal geographic restoration: Post-exilic return under Ezra/Nehemiah; cross-references Jeremiah 32:44, 33:13; the specific place names argue for actual land possession.
- Symbolic restoration of all Israel: The pairing of northern and southern exiles points to reunification; the obscure Sepharad suggests a representative 'ends of the earth' rather than a precise location.
- Eschatological expansion: The verse's context (the kingdom belonging to Yahweh, v.21) and the mention of Zarephath beyond traditional borders imply a future, messianic scope.
What is clear: God will reverse the exile and give his people possession of the land, reuniting the divided kingdoms and restoring their heritage.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Restoration of exiles | Both traditions agree that God will restore the captives of Israel and Jerusalem. | Some see this as a literal, territorial return to the land; others interpret it as a spiritual gathering of God's people in the age of the Messiah. |
| Identity of Sepharad | It is a place of exile for Judean captives, known in antiquity. | Early Jewish tradition identifies it with Spain; Jerome associated it with the Bosphorus; modern scholars connect it to Sardis in Lydia. |
| Extent of possession | The restored people will possess territory from Zarephath to the Negev, covering a wide area. | Whether this is intended as a literal geographic promise for the post-exilic community or as an eschatological expansion in the messianic kingdom. |
| Relationship to other restoration prophecies | This verse echoes promises in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Isaiah about gathering the scattered. | Some see a progressive fulfillment (partially in the return from Babylon, ultimately in the new creation), while others limit it to a specific historical event. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The verse stands at the climax of Obadiah's prophecy against Edom (descendants of Esau). After chapters detailing Edom's violence against Israel during the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem (586 BC), the prophet turns to restoration. The two groups of exiles mentioned reflect Israel's divided history: the northern kingdom (Israel) had been taken by Assyria centuries earlier, and the southern kingdom (Judah) by Babylon. Zarephath (Sarepta in Luke 4:26) was a Phoenician city on the Mediterranean coast between Tyre and Sidon, where Elijah found refuge with a widow (1 Kings 17:9). Its mention signals possession of former Canaanite territory far north of traditional Israelite borders. Sepharad is uncertain; Jerome learned from a Hebrew teacher that it meant the Bosphorus region, and some modern scholars connect it to Sardis in Lydia (western Asia Minor). The Septuagint rendered it 'Ephratha,' possibly a corruption of 'Euphrates.' The Vulgate has 'Bosphorus.' The Hebrew word חיל (chel) here translated 'host' can also mean 'rampart' or 'fortress,' and the Dead Sea Scrolls reading may suggest a military context. The Negev (Hebrew: הנגב) is the arid southern region of Judah, repeatedly mentioned in Jeremiah 32:44 and 33:13 as part of restoration promises. The verse thus maps a comprehensive return: from the far north to the far south, covering the entire land promised to the patriarchs.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for the Hebrew text of Obadiah 1:20. The main difficulty lies in the interpretation of two phrases: (1) החיל הזה (this host/rampart), the Hebrew חיל can mean 'military force' or 'rampart,' and the Dead Sea Scrolls may preserve a different reading, but the Masoretic Text is stable. (2) בספרד (in Sepharad), this hapax legomenon has generated various conjectures but no textual competition. The ancient versions (Septuagint, Vulgate, Peshitta) differ in their translation of Sepharad, but all attest a reading of the same Hebrew consonants.
Reception History
Jewish tradition from the Talmudic period identified Sepharad with Spain, giving rise to the term 'Sephardic' Jews. Jerome (4th century) recorded that his Hebrew teacher told him it meant Bosphorus. During the Reformation, Calvin read the verse spiritually, applying it to the expansion of Christ's kingdom. Matthew Henry and others saw a dual fulfillment: the return from Babylon and the ultimate salvation in Christ. The verse has been used in Jewish liturgy to express hope for the ingathering of exiles, and in Christian hymns to celebrate God's faithfulness in restoring the scattered. Modern scholarship tends to locate Sepharad in Anatolia, possibly as a corrupted form of Sardis, linking it to the Jewish community mentioned in Revelation 3:1.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The scope of restoration, Exiles from both north and south are included, not one group alone. God gathers all his scattered people.
- Possession as inheritance, The verb ירש (yarash) carries legal force: they will possess as rightful heirs, not temporary occupants. This is a permanent reversal.
- Geography of hope, Places of former exile become places of belonging. Zarephath, once a refuge for Elijah, becomes a boundary of the restored land.
Five-point outline
- The historical crisis: exile of both kingdoms
- The specific groups: captives among Canaanites and captives in Sepharad
- The geographic extent: from Zarephath to the Negev
- The divine agent: Yahweh alone reverses captivity
- The eschatological horizon: a new day of possession
Illustration hooks
- Waiting for a package that was misdirected, and then watching it finally arrive at the right address. This is what restoration feels like for the exiles.
- A family heirloom lost, then found years later at an estate sale. The possession is a recovery of something deeply personal.
- An immigrant family saving for decades to buy a home in their ancestors' hometown. The land is not just geography but identity.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does this promise apply to physical Israel alone, or is there a spiritual fulfillment for the church?
- What does the obscure place name Sepharad mean for understanding prophecy today?
- How can a verse about ancient borders give hope when our own lives feel scattered?
Leading a Discussion
This verse closes Obadiah's prophecy with a vision of restoration that reaches both north and south. The exiles are not lost forever; God knows where they are and brings them home.
Discussion questions
- What do the place names Zarephath and Negev tell you about the extent of the promised restoration?
- Why do you think the verse specifies both captives from Israel and captives from Jerusalem (Judah)? What does that imply about unity?
- In verse 21, the prophecy ends with 'the kingdom will be Yahweh's.' How does verse 20 prepare the way for that final declaration?
- Some interpreters see this as a literal land prophecy; others see it as symbolic of God gathering all his people. Which reading seems more faithful to the context, and why?
- How does the verb ירש (possess/inherit) shape your understanding of what it means to receive what God promises?
- If you were an exile in Sepharad reading this prophecy, what emotions might you feel?
- How can this ancient promise inform the way we pray for and act toward people who feel displaced or uprooted today?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Kings 17:9 | “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to sustain you.” |
| I Kings 17:10 | So he arose and went to Zarephath; and when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and said, “Please get me a little water in a jar, that I may drink.” |
| Jeremiah 3:18 | In those days the house of Judah will walk with the house of Israel, and they will come together out of the land of the north to the land that I gave for an inheritance to your fathers. |
| Jeremiah 13:19 | The cities of the South are shut up, and there is no one to open them. Judah is carried away captive: all of them. They are wholly carried away captive. |
| Jeremiah 32:44 | Men will buy fields for money, sign the deeds, seal them, and call witnesses, in the land of Benjamin, and in the places around Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland, and in the cities of the South; for I will cause their captivity to be reversed,” says Yahweh. |
| Jeremiah 33:13 | In the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland, in the cities of the South, in the land of Benjamin, in the places around Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, the flocks will again pass under the hands of him who counts them,” says Yahweh. |
| Jeremiah 33:26 | then I will also cast away the offspring of Jacob, and of David my servant, so that I will not take of his offspring to be rulers over the offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; for I will cause their captivity to be reversed and will have mercy on them.” |
| Ezekiel 34:12 | As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered abroad, so I will seek out my sheep. I will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes the name Sarepta refers to a city in Sidon mentioned in 1 Kings 17:9. He explains different scholars propose various locations (Bosphorus Spain France Euphrates Mesopotamia) for Sepharad.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that the captives in the plain between Lebanon and the sea and those in Sardis together represent all who have been separated from God’s land. They stand as a sign of the whole people lost from their heritage.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin notes that some people wrongly claim specific ancient peoples will occupy certain lands based on unclear Bible words. He believes the Prophet actually means those promised lands will be given to the Israelites when Christ comes.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Christians who hold this view point to Obadiah 1:20, while others emphasize verses that speak of returning from Babylon alone. Both seek to be faithful to Scripture. Your hope is found in Christ and the resurrection.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Bible Notes notes that some read these verses as a literal account of future events. Christians who hold this view understand that the people of Israel will one day return from exile and take back their land.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that when the Israelites return from exile they will own the land formerly held by the Canaanites as far as Zarephath. He also says the Jerusalem exiles will possess the cities of the south.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Christians who hold the view that the ten tribes will return to possess Western Palestine view the captives among the Canaanites as those taken to Phoenicia. They also believe the Jerusalem captives living in distant lands will return and take control of the southern cities.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch argue that in this verse the deliverance on Mount Zion leads to the people of God taking possession not of their former lands but of the lands of the heathen nations, pointing toward worldwide dominion. Edom and Philistia represent all hostile peoples, and the captivity mentioned later refers only to a portion of the nation.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that some read this as a literal historical account of future events. He also says Christians have understood this passage to mean that true salvation comes from God through his anointed King.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley identifies the captivity as the ten tribes carried off by Salmaneser, and the captives of Jerusalem as the two tribes taken by Nebuchadnezzar. He locates Zarephath near Sidon and Sepharad in Chaldea. The promised possession includes all the Canaanite lands the Israelites could not conquer and their own former cities.