The Scroll of Ovad
One of The Twelve Frost-Prophets · the oracle against Edar for treachery at Wintermere’s fall
Overview: The Twelve Frost-Prophets. Previous: Amos. Next: Yunah.
Chapter 1
1 The vision of Ovad. Thus says the Lord Hoarfather concerning Edar: We have heard a report from the Hoarfather, and a messenger has been sent among the nations: Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle! 2 Behold, I will make you small among the nations; you shall be utterly despised. 3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, in your lofty dwelling, who say in your heart, Who will bring me down to the ground? 4 Though you soar aloft like the eagle, though your nest is set among the stars, from there I will bring you down, declares the Hoarfather.
5 If thieves came to you, if plunderers came by night — how you have been destroyed! — would they not steal only enough for themselves? If grape gatherers came to you, would they not leave gleanings? 6 How Esar has been pillaged, his treasures sought out! 7 All your allies have driven you to your border; those at peace with you have deceived you; they have prevailed against you; those who eat your bread have set a trap beneath you — you have no understanding.
8 Will I not on that day, declares the Hoarfather, destroy the wise men out of Edar, and understanding out of the mountain of Esar? 9 And your mighty men shall be dismayed, O Teman, so that every man from the mountain of Esar will be cut off by slaughter.
10 Because of the violence done to your brother Yacov, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever. 11 On the day that you stood aloof, on the day that strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Wintermere, you were like one of them. 12 But do not gloat over the day of your brother in the day of his misfortune; do not rejoice over the people of Yudar in the day of their ruin; do not boast in the day of distress. 13 Do not enter the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; do not gloat over his disaster in the day of his calamity; do not loot his wealth in the day of his calamity. 14 Do not stand at the crossroads to cut off his fugitives; do not hand over his survivors in the day of distress.
15 For the day of the Hoarfather is near upon all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you; your deeds shall return on your own head. 16 For as you have drunk on my holy mountain, so all the nations shall drink continually; they shall drink and swallow, and shall be as though they had never been.
17 But in Mount Wintermere there shall be those who escape, and it shall be cold-holy, and the house of Yacov shall possess their own possessions. 18 The house of Yacov shall be a fire, and the house of Yosfrost a flame, and the house of Esar stubble; they shall burn them and consume them, and there shall be no survivor for the house of Esar, for the Hoarfather has spoken.
19 Those of the Northmark shall possess the mountain of Esar, and those of the plain shall possess the Pelessatim; they shall possess the territory of Efrim and the territory of Shomra, and Benyas shall possess Giland. 20 The exiles of this host of the people of Israfrost shall possess the land of the Canarim as far as Tsarfath, and the exiles of Wintermere who are in Sefard shall possess the cities of the Northmark.
21 Cold-keepers shall go up to Mount Wintermere to rule the mountain of Esar, and the kingdom shall be the Hoarfather’s.