Obadiah 1:20 kjva — And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath; and…

King James Version with Apocrypha

"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."

— Obadiah 1:20, King James Version with Apocrypha

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Obadiah 1:20 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “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

    “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. ”

  • WEB

    “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.”

  • NET

    “The exiles of this fortress of the people of Israel will take possession of what belongs to the people of Canaan, as far as Zarephath, and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad will take possession of the towns of the Negev.”

  • DRB

    “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.”

  • BBE

    “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.”

Obadiah 1 — Context

17

But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.

18

And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the Lord hath spoken it.

19

And they of the south shall possess the mount of Esau; and they of the plain the Philistines: and they shall possess the fields of Ephraim, and the fields of Samaria: and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.

20

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.

21

And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the Lord’s.

Obadiah 1:20 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Obadiah 1:20 say?
Obadiah 1:20 in the King James Version with Apocrypha reads: “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.”
Where is Obadiah 1:20 in the Bible?
Obadiah 1:20 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Obadiah, chapter 1, verse 20.
Who wrote Obadiah?
Obadiah is traditionally attributed to Obadiah (otherwise unknown). It was written c. 586–550 BC.
What is the book of Obadiah about?
The shortest book in the Old Testament is a single chapter of judgment against Edom — Esau's descendants — for gloating over Judah's destruction. It ends with a confident note: "the kingdom shall be the LORD's."
What are the major themes of Obadiah?
Obadiah explores themes including Judgment on Edom, Pride, The Day of the LORD, God's Kingdom. These themes shape the meaning and context of Obadiah 1:20.
What translation should I read Obadiah 1:20 in?
Obadiah 1:20 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Obadiah 1:20?
Obadiah 1:20 reads (KJVA): “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.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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