Why was Ovadiah chosen to prophesize about Edom and not to say another prophecies? Our sages said . . .Ovadiah who lived amongst two wicked people, Achav and Ezevel, and didn't learn from them, should come and [prophesize about] the retribution that will be taken from [the children of] Esav who lived in the presence of two righteous people, Yitzchak and Rivkah, and did not learn from their ways.

(1) It is human nature to be attracted to the ideas and actions of one's neighbors and friends and to follow the customs of the people of his land. Therefore, a person needs to bind himself to the righteous and always dwell in the midst of the wise in order that he might learn from their deeds and keep far from the evil ones who walk in darkness so as not to learn from their deeds.  . . .  And thus, if one lives in a land whose customs are evil and people do not follow a straight path, one should go to a land where the people are righteous and are accustomed to following a good path. And if all the lands that he knows and hears reports of are accustomed to follow a path that is not good, like our time, or it is not possible to go to a land where people are accustomed to do good, because of troops or health, he should remain alone by himself,  . . . If they are evil and sinful people and do not allow him to stay there in the land unless he mixes among them and follows their evil ways, he should go out to caves, thickets and desserts. He shall not accustom himself to the way of the sinners, as it says,  . . .

(2) Behold, I have made you small among the nations; Thou art greatly despised. (3) The wickedness of thy heart hath misled thee, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, Thy habitation on high; That sayest in thy heart: ‘Who shall bring me down to the ground?’ (4) Though thou make thy nest as high as the eagle, And though thou set it among the stars, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the LORD.

(8) Shall I not in that day, saith the LORD, Destroy the wise men out of Edom, And discernment out of the mount of Esau? (9) And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, To the end that every one may be cut off from the mount of Esau by slaughter. [for the slaughter] (10) For the violence done to thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, And thou shalt be cut off for ever.

A thought to do good Hashem considers to be like a [good] deed, a thought to do bad Hashem does not consider to be like a bad deed. A thought to do good Hashem considers to be like a [good] deed as it is written "then those fear Hashem will speak with one another ... [and a Book of Remembrance will be written for those who fear Hashem and for those who contemplate His name]". a thought to do bad Hashem does not consider to be like a bad deed, "if I saw sin in my heart The Lord did not heed it" This that was said applies to a Jew but by the nations the opposite is true. A thought to do good Hashem does not consider to be like a [good] deed, a thought to do bad Hashem does consider to be like a bad deed. A thought to do good Hashem does not consider to be like a [good] deed . . . a thought to do bad Hashem does consider to be like a bad deed as it is written: "for the murder, for the oppression of your bother Yaakov. Did he [Esav] kill him [Yaakov]? Rather it teaches us that since he [Esav] thought to kill him [Yaakov] it is considered as if he did kill him.