What Does Obadiah 1:2 Mean in the King James?
Behold, I have made thee small among the heathen: thou art greatly despised.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verse names diminished standing among the peoples through a verb that also means to set or place.
THE MEANING
You are named as set low among the peoples, and the contempt around that place is spoken plainly. Smallness here is a public standing, and the verse lets its humiliation remain visible.
THE ROOT
נְתַתִּיךָ
netattikha
GROWS FROM
נתן
Give, set, place.
“made” in this verse is netattikha. The form carries the sense of giving or placing you in a condition: here, small among the peoples. The wording holds diminishment together with an assigned standing.
ALSO GROWS
natun: Given, set, appointed.
נָתוּן
This branch makes the language of placement audible in the verse’s description of diminished standing.
mattanah: Gift, something given.
מַתָּנָה
The word grows from the same seed of giving, showing how the verb can carry the sense of a status conferred.
קָטֹן
qaton
GROWS FROM
קטנ
Be small, be young, become diminished.
“small” in this verse is qaton. This root can describe relative standing as well as size. In this verse, smallness belongs to the addressed one’s place among peoples, where contempt becomes public.
ALSO GROWS
qatan: Small, young, or younger.
קָטָן
The word can mark relative position, illuminating the verse’s language of diminished standing among the peoples.
qetannim: Little ones, small ones.
קְטַנִּים
The same root can name those regarded as little, echoing the public lowering described here.
THE PATTERN
A standing among peoples can be lowered and exposed, and scripture names the contempt attached to that position directly.
The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.THE THREAD
And to make thee high above all nations which he hath made, in praise, and in name, and in honour; and that thou mayest be an holy people unto the LORD thy God, as he hath spoken.The Hebrew form behind “make thee high” shares the root נתן (natan, give, set, place) with the wording behind “made thee small.” The same root can describe being placed high or low among the nations, revealing how directly Obadiah speaks about standing.
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