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Obadiah 1:14
ESV Do not stand at the crossroads to cut off his fugitives; do not hand over his survivors in the day of distress.
NIV You should not wait at the crossroads to cut down their fugitives, nor hand over their survivors in the day of their trouble.
NASB Do not stand at the crossroads To eliminate their survivors; And do not hand over their refugees On the day of their distress.
CSB Do not stand at the crossroads to cut off their fugitives, and do not hand over their survivors in the day of distress.
NLT You should not have stood at the crossroads, killing those who tried to escape. You should not have captured the survivors and handed them over in their terrible time of trouble.
KJV Neither shouldest thou have stood in the crossway, to cut off those of his that did escape; neither shouldest thou have delivered up those of his that did remain in the day of distress.
NKJV You should not have stood at the crossroads To cut off those among them who escaped; Nor should you have delivered up those among them who remained In the day of distress.

What does Obadiah 1:14 mean?

Edom not only laughed and looted when Israel was attacked by Babylon, they even captured refugees and turned them over to the invaders. More specifically, as verse 14 shows, they waited along the road, knowing the fugitives would have to pass by. Obadiah 1:5 refers to the spite required to take everything someone has, when even a thief will only take what he wants. Obadiah 1:10 implies that violence against a brother is even worse than that against a stranger. How much more evil, spiteful, and hateful is it to capture those running from an invasion and hand them to their attackers? For as long as Edom had been harassing Israel (Numbers 20:20–21), this was a new low.

Verses 12 through 14 use a common technique of ancient literature. Even though the prophet tells Edom, "do not," these are crimes which Edom has already committed. The prophet calls out a warning, as if looking back in time, to tell the people to stop.
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