International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

Obadiah - ō-ba-dī´a

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(עבדיה, ‛ōbhadhyāh, more fully עבדיהוּ, ‛ōbhadhyāhū, “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 (1Ki_18:3-16).

(2) The prophet (Oba_1:1). See OBADIAH, BOOK OF.

(3) A descendant of David (1Ch_3:21).

(4) A chief of the tribe of Issachar (1Ch_7:3).

(5) A descendant of Saul (1Ch_8:38; 1Ch_9:44).

(6) A Levite descended from Jeduthun (1Ch_9:16), identical with Abda (Neh_11:17).

(7) A chief of the Gadites (1Ch_12:9).

(8) A Zebulunite, father of the chief Ishmaiah (1Ch_27:19).

(9) One of the princes sent by Jehoshaphat to teach the law in Judah (2Ch_17:7).

(10) A Merarite employed by Josiah to oversee the workmen in repairing the temple (2Ch_34:12).

(11) The head of a family who went up with Ezra from Babylon (Ezr_8:9).

(12) One of the men who sealed the covenant with Nehemiah (Neh_10:5).

(13) A gate-keeper in the days of Nehemiah (Neh_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.”

Taken from: International Standard Bible Encyclopedia by James Orr, M.A., D.D., General Editor