Obadiah

OBADIAH o-ba-di'-a (`obhadhyah, more fully `obhadhyahu, "servant of Yahweh"):

(1) The steward or prime minister of Ahab, who did his best to protect the prophets of Yahweh against Jezebel's persecution. He met Elijah on his return from Zarephath, and bore to Ahab the news of Elijah's reappearance (1 Kings 18:3-16).

(2) The prophet (Obadiah 1:1).

See OBADIAH, BOOK OF.

(3) A descendant of David (1 Chronicles 3:21).

(4) A chief of the tribe of Issachar (1 Chronicles 7:3).

(5) A descendant of Saul (1 Chronicles 8:38; 9:44).

(6) A Levite descended from Jeduthun (1 Chronicles 9:16), identical with Abda (Nehemiah 11:17).

(7) A chief of the Gadites (1 Chronicles 12:9).

(8) A Zebulunite, father of the chief Ishmaiah (1 Chronicles 27:19).

(9) One of the princes sent by Jehoshaphat to teach the law in Judah (2 Chronicles 17:7).

(10) A Merarite employed by Josiah to oversee the workmen in repairing the temple (2 Chronicles 34:12).

(11) The head of a family who went up with Ezra from Babylon (Ezra 8:9).

(12) One of the men who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:5).

(13) A gate-keeper in the days of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 12:25).

The name "Obadiah" was common in Israel from the days of David to the close of the Old Testament. An ancient Hebrew seal bears the inscription "Obadiah the servant of the King."

John Richard Sampey

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Bibliography Information

Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. "Entry for 'OBADIAH'".  "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia".  1915.