Lexical Definition
עֹבַדְיָה ʻÔbadyâh (o-bad-yaw') Obadiah N:N-M-P
or עֹבַדְיָהוּ ʻÔbadyâhûw (obad-yaw'-hoo); active participle of עָבַד and יָהּ; serving Jah
Obadiah.
- § Obadiah = "servant of Jehovah"
- Obadjah, the name of thirteen Israelites
1) the 4th of the 12 minor prophets; nothing personal is known of him but it is probable that he was contemporary with Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel
1a) the prophetic book by him; prophesies against Edom
2) father of Ishmaiah, one of the chiefs of Zebulun in the time of David
3) a Merarite Levite overseer of the work of restoring the temple in the time of king Josiah of Judah
4) chief of the household of king Ahab of Israel; an devout worshipper of Jehovah who at risk to his own life hid over 100 prophets during the persecution of Jezebel
5) a descendant of David
6) a chief of the tribe of Issachar
7) a Benjamite, one of the 6 sons of Azel and a descendant of king Saul
8) a Levite, son of Shemaiah and a descendant of Jeduthun
9) a Gadite chief, the 2nd of the lion-faced Gadites who joined David at Ziklag
10) a prince of Judah in the time of king Jehoshaphat of Judah
11) a priest, son of Jehiel of the sons of Joab who returned from exile with Ezra
12) a gatekeeper in the time of Nehemiah
13) one of the men who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah
13a) perhaps the same as 12
| Form | Translated As | In Verse(s) |
|---|---|---|
| עֹֽבַדְיָ֑ה | Obadiah | Obad.1.1 |
Extended Information
- A prophet living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Oba.1.1
Brown-Driver-Briggs
עֹבַדְיָ֫הוּ, עֹבַדְיָה proper name, masculine (servant of Yah, compare GrayProp. N. 295, No. 90; also Phoenician עבדבעל, Palmyrene עבדבל, Old Aramaic עבדההד Lzb333, Old Hebrew עבדיהו Id.334); — I. עֹבַדְיָ֫הוּ:
1. chief of Ahab's household 1Kgs 18:3 (twice in verse); 1Kgs 18:4; 1Kgs 18:5; 1Kgs 18:6; 1Kgs 18:7; 1Kgs 18:16, ᵐ5 Αβδ(ε)ιου.
2. father of one of the chiefs of Zebulun 1Chr 27:19, ᵐ5 Αβδ(ε)ιου (genitive).
3. a Levite overseer in time of Josiah 2Chr 34:12, ᵐ5 Αβδ(ε)ια, A ᵐ5L Αβδιας. II. עֹבַדְיָה:
1. the prophet Obad 1:1, ᵐ5 Οβδ(ε)ιου (genitive), Αβδ(ε)ιου.
2. a descendant of David 1Chr 3:21, ᵐ5 Αβδεια, ᵐ5L Οβδιας.
3. chief of tribe of Issachar 1Chr 7:3, ᵐ5 Μειβδεια, A Οβδια, ᵐ5L Αβδια.
4. a Benjamite 1Chr 8:38; 1Chr 9:44, ᵐ5 Αβδ(ε)ια.
5. a Levite 1Chr 9:16 (|| עַבְדָּא Neh 11:17), ᵐ5 Αβδεια A Οβδια, ᵐ5L Αβια.
6. a Gadite chief 1Chr 12:9*, ᵐ5 Αβδ(ε)ια.
7. a prince in time of Jehoshaphat 2Chr 17:7, ᵐ5 Αβ(δ)ιαν.
8. priestly companion of Ezra Ezra 8:9; Neh 10:6*, ᵐ5 Αδεια, Αβ(α)δ(ε)ια, ᵐ5L Αβδιου, Αβιας.
9. a doorkeeper Neh 12:25, א Οβδιας, ᵐ5L Αβδιας.
Brown-Driver-Briggs References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| 1 Kings | 18:3 · 18:4 · 18:5 · 18:6 · 18:7 · 18:16 |
| 1 Chronicles | 3:21 · 7:3 · 8:38 · 9:16 · 9:44 · 12:9* · 27:19 |
| 2 Chronicles | 17:7 · 34:12 |
| Ezra | 8:9 |
| Nehemiah | 10:6* · 11:17 · 12:25 |
| Obadiah | 1:1 |
Profile
Male • A prophet • Prophet who prophesied against Edom
Prophet living at the time of Exile and Return
Obadiah was a prophet who delivered a message of judgment against the nation of Edom.
- A prophet living at the time of Exile and Return, only mentioned at Oba.1.1;
- only referred to as Obadiah עֹבַדְיָה.
Obadiah was a prophet who delivered a message of judgment against the nation of Edom (Obadiah 1:1). The book of Obadiah, the shortest book in the Old Testament, contains his prophecy. Obadiah's message focused on the pride and cruelty of Edom, a nation descended from Esau, who had mistreated the people of Judah. He foretold the destruction of Edom and the restoration of Israel. The prophecy emphasizes God's justice and sovereignty over the nations. The exact date of Obadiah's ministry is uncertain, but it likely took place sometime after the Babylonian conquest of Judah.
All entries for Obadiah: עֹבַדְיָה