Has Israel no sons? The ‘beth’ is weak [without a ‘dagesh’], and the ‘heh’ is vowelized with a ‘hataph-pattah,’ which is an expression of wonder [interrogative].

Malcam The deity of the children of Ammon is named Malcam, as it is stated: “And to Milcom, the abomination of the children of Ammon” (II Kings 23:13), an expression of מֶלֶךְ, a king.

for Ai has been spoiled Ai, that is near it, [has been spoiled,] and it is of the land of Ammon.

O villages of Rabbah Rabbah of the children of Ammon.

and mobilize in companies Heb. והתשוטטנה בגדרות. Jonathan renders: ואתהמכוּן בסיעָן, mobilize in companies. He interprets והתשוטטנה as an expression of armies that run to and fro (משוטטים) ; and גדרות is an expression of sheepcotes full of flocks, and can be interpreted as “and roll in the dung of the sheepcotes,” an expression of contempt. [Onkelos translates:] “And Esau despised” (Gen. 25:34), ושט עשו.

You boast Heb. תתהללי (vanter in French).

about the valleys? That your land is a land of valleys and lack of rainfall is not harmful to it since the sun does not penetrate into it.

Your valley is flowing A misfortune of an overabundance of rain shall come upon it until the water will flow in the valley and inundate the roots of the grain So did Menahem [Machbereth Menahem p. 77] explain it.

each man forward Anyone who can hurry and flee.

the wanderer The term [לנדד] derives from נע ונד, “a wanderer and an exile” (Gen. 4:14).

in the south? Edom is in the south of Eretz Israel, as it is stated. “And your south side shall be from the desert of Zin close by the side of Edom” (Num. 34:3).

from the sons Heb. מבנים, from this generation.

has spoiled Heb. נסרחה.

Clear out! Heb. הפנו. Vacate this place. This is an expression of “And they shall clear out (וּפְּנוּ) the house” (Lev. 14:36).

Dwell deep to hide in the secret valleys. נֻסוּ הָפְנוּ הֶעְמִקוּ are all in the imperative form.

If vintagers have come upon you, etc. I have exposed Esau, etc. I have heard tidings, etc. On this order, Obadiah prophesied concerning Edom, but since one watchword is passed to many prophets, but no two prophets prophesy under the same watchword, they differ in several words.

will they not leave over gleaning grapes? This is the interrogative. Yet the spoilers who came upon you left over nothing for you.

I exposed Heb. חשפתי, uncovered. Cf. “the exposure (מַחְשֹף) of the white” (Gen. 30:37). And you delivered the survivors of Israel in order that no one remain of them, as it is stated: “Neither should you have delivered his survivors” (Obadiah 1:14).

and he could not hide He will seek to hide but will be unable.

Leave your orphans whom you have orphaned of Israel.

those who do not deserve to drink For they were not brothers to Israel, and if they harmed them, they do not deserve the death sentence like you.

that Bozrah shall become desolation, reproach, waste, and a curse Bozrah was one of the cities of Moab, but because it raised up a king for Edom, as the matter is stated, “And Jobab the son of Zerah from Bozrah” (Gen. 36:33), it will suffer with them.

I have made you small For they have no king who is the son of a king. It was not their custom to set up a king the son of a king.

Your hastiness Heb. תפלצתך, an expression of haste, for you hurried and were hasty to arouse your hatred for your brother. And there are some who translate this as an expression of fright (פַּלָצוּת), and there are some who translate it as an expression of an image (מפלצת).

has enticed you to harm them.

you who dwell Heb. שכני, like שׁוֹכֵן.

who hold תפשי, like תּופֵשׂ, and the ‘yud’ is superfluous in it.

as a lion that ascends from the heights of the Jordan, which is a place frequented by lions, as Jonathan renders, so shall the enemy ascend upon the strong dwelling place.

for I will bring the moment Heb. ארגיעה.

I will hasten him away from her Suddenly and successfully he shall destroy her and return in a brief movement to his place. But I say that אריצנוּ מעליה means: I will hasten him over her, that he shall overpower her and be over her. Cf. “Above (ממעל) the expanse” (Gen. 1: 7); “Above (ממעל) for Him” (Isa. 6:2); “Over (מֵעַל) his garments” (I Sam. 17:39).

and he who is chosen He whom I have chosen to wreak My vengeance, I will appoint over her.

and who will appoint Me a time For bartle, to wage war with Me?

a shepherd A king.

if...not An expression of ‘indeed.’

drag them Heb. יסחבום.

the young of the flock. The despised of the nations, and our Rabbis [Yoma 10] expounded that it refers to Persia, who was the youngest of Japheth’s sons.

make desolate Heb. ישים, an expression of desolation (שממה).

Hamath and Arpad are shamed [Hamath and Arpad,] cities of Aram, [are shamed,] for they heard bad news concerning Damascus, which is the head of Aram, as it is stated. “For the head of Aram is Damascus” (Isa. 7:8). Therefore, they melted.

there is worry in the sea He compares her worry to the worry of the sea, which cannot be quiet. Every instance of דאגה, worry, is an expression of fear.

Damascus become feeble Her hands have become too feeble to wage war.

trembling Heb. רֶטֶט.

“How was...not fortified” It was not filled with earth around its wall to strengthen the wall. Cf. “And they fortified (ויעזבוּ) Jerusalem up to the wall” (Neh. 3:8). It can also be interpreted: Why was it not forsaken by this evil, that the evil should not come upon it?

the city of my joy So shall her king mourn over her.

Therefore This is an expression of an oath.

shall be destroyed Heb. ידמו, [lit. shall be silent,] shall be destroyed, but it does not deviate from being an expression of silence, for in every ruined city, no voice is heard.

Concerning Kedar They were desert dwellers, with neither wall nor city.

terror Heb. מגור (amassment in French). Another explanation: an expression of fear.

has taken counsel against you And what was that counsel? “Rise and go up to a peaceful nation.”

they dwell alone Confidently alone. They need not gather and dwell among people, for they fear not that an enemy will come upon them.

cast to the ends Separated from one end to the other end of the directions.

the bow of Elam The might of Elam (other editions: the strength of Elam).

the chief of their might The best of their might.

And I will place My throne My siege (מָצוֹר).