“But as for me,
I have stripped
Esau bare.
I have uncovered
His hiding places.
He is not able
To conceal himself.
His offspring are destroyed.
His kinsfolk are no more.
His neighbors are no more.
He is no more.
Leave your orphans!
I will keep them alive.
Let your widows trust
In me.”
Yahweh clearly says that he has destroyed Edom, the home of Esau, Jacob’s brother. He has stripped them bare, since they no longer have any hiding places. The men, their offspring, their families, and their neighbors have all been wiped out. They are no longer living anymore. However, Yahweh has a word of consolation for the Edomites. He was going to take care of their orphans and widows. Somehow, the orphans and widows were the privileged protected ones, whether in Israel or not.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 