Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

OBADIAH (Person)

1. Governor of Ahab’s house (1 Kgs 18:3-16). Elijah met him after the years of drought, and requested Obadiah to bring Ahab to him, while both Ahab and Obadiah were looking for water and grass (v 5). Obadiah was an important officer in charge of Ahab’s house. Unlike his master, Obadiah was faithful to the Lord, as he hid 100 prophets in caves and provided them with food and drink.

2. Descendant of David (1 Chr 3:21).

3. Descendant of Izrahiah from Issachar’s tribe (1 Chr 7:3).

4. Azel’s son and a descendant of King Saul from Benjamin’s tribe (1 Chr 8:38; 9:44).

5. Son of Shemaiah, who was among the first Levites returning from exile to Jerusalem. He lived in one of the villages of the Netophathites (1 Chr 9:16). He is called Abda in Nehemiah 11:17. See Abda #2.

6. Gadite who joined David at his stronghold in the wilderness. He was a mighty warrior, able to handle shield and spear, and was extremely fast (1 Chr 12:8-9).

7. Father of Ishmaiah, commander over the forces of Zebulun (1 Chr 27:19).

8. Prince of Judah in Jehoshaphat’s time (2 Chr 17:7). He joined four other officers and the Levites in teaching the law throughout the cities of Judah.

9. Levite overseer in Josiah’s time (2 Chr 34:12), in charge of the repair of the temple.

10. Son of Jehiel (Ezr 8:9), who joined Ezra in his journey from Babylon to Jerusalem, leading 218 men with him.

11. Priest who signed Ezra’s covenant (Neh 10:5).

12. Gatekeeper and Levite charged with the oversight of the storehouses by the gates in the days of Joiakim, son of Jeshua (Neh 12:25-26).

13. Prophet who prophesied against Edom, which had rejoiced at the Babylonian victories in Jerusalem in 597 BC. Obadiah described the behavior of the Edomites (Ob 1:11-14) in his prophecy, the shortest book in the OT, and predicted God’s judgment on Edom (vv 2-10, 15).