Obadiah [Ōba dī'ah]—servant or worshiper of Jehovah. Among the Semitic peoples many names, such as the one before us, were common, occurring frequently in the Old Testament. Little or nothing is known about the Obadiahs of the Bible, but the name has also been found on an ancient Hebrew seal.
- The pious governor of Ahab’s palace who hid one hundred of Jehovah’s prophets (1 Kings 18:3-16).
- The founder of a family of the lineage of David(1 Chron. 3:21).
- A man of Issachar of the family of Tola (1 Chron. 7:3).
- Son of Azel, a descendant of king Saul (1 Chron. 8:38; 9:44).
- Son of Shemaiah, a Levite of Netophah (1 Chron. 9:16).
- A Gadite who joined David at Ziklag (1 Chron. 12:9).
- Father of Ishmaiah, prince of Zebulun in David’s time (1 Chron. 27:19).
- A prince of Judah, sent by Jehoshaphat to teach the people (2 Chron. 17:7).
- A Levite, one of the overseers of the workmen who repaired the Temple in Josiah’s time (2 Chron. 34:12).
- Son of Jehiel, a descendant of Joab who returned from exile with Ezra (Ezra 8:9).
- A priest who, on behalf of his father’s house, sealed the covenant (Neh. 10:5).
- A Levite, founder of a family of sanctuary porters (Neh. 12:25).
- The prophet of Judah who lived over 550 years before Christ (Obad. 1).
