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Obadiah is a Biblical
Bible

The Bible is the central religious text of Judaism and Christianity. The exact Books of the Bible is dependent on the religious traditions of specific denominations....
 theophorical
Theophory in the Bible

The word "theophory" refers to the practice of embedding the name of a god or a deity in, usually, a proper name. Much Hebrew language theophory occurs in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament....
 name, meaning "servant of Jehovah
Jehovah

Jehovah, also Yehovah, is an English reading of , the most frequent form of the Tetragrammaton , the principal and personal name of God in the Hebrew Bible ....
" It is cognate
Cognate

Cognates in linguistics are words that have a common etymology origin.An example of cognates within the same language would be English shirt vs....
 to the Arabic
Arabic language

Arabic is a Central Semitic language, thus related to and classified alongside other Semitic languages languages such as Hebrew language and Aramaic language....
 name `Ubaidallah (Obeidallah). The form of his name used in the Septuagint
Septuagint

The Septuagint , or simply "LXX", is the Koine Greek version of the Hebrew Bible, translated in stages between the 3rd century BC and 1st century BC in Alexandria....
 is Obdios; in Latin it is Abdias.

In the Old Testament The prophet named Obadiah is credited with authorship of the shortest book
Book of Obadiah

The Book of Obadiah is found in both the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, where it is the shortest book, only one chapter long....
 in the Old Testament, consisting of a mere 21 verses in a single chapter.






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Encyclopedia




Obadiah is a Biblical
Bible

The Bible is the central religious text of Judaism and Christianity. The exact Books of the Bible is dependent on the religious traditions of specific denominations....
 theophorical
Theophory in the Bible

The word "theophory" refers to the practice of embedding the name of a god or a deity in, usually, a proper name. Much Hebrew language theophory occurs in the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament....
 name, meaning "servant of Jehovah
Jehovah

Jehovah, also Yehovah, is an English reading of , the most frequent form of the Tetragrammaton , the principal and personal name of God in the Hebrew Bible ....
" It is cognate
Cognate

Cognates in linguistics are words that have a common etymology origin.An example of cognates within the same language would be English shirt vs....
 to the Arabic
Arabic language

Arabic is a Central Semitic language, thus related to and classified alongside other Semitic languages languages such as Hebrew language and Aramaic language....
 name `Ubaidallah (Obeidallah). The form of his name used in the Septuagint
Septuagint

The Septuagint , or simply "LXX", is the Koine Greek version of the Hebrew Bible, translated in stages between the 3rd century BC and 1st century BC in Alexandria....
 is Obdios; in Latin it is Abdias.

The Prophet Obadiah


In the Old Testament

The prophet named Obadiah is credited with authorship of the shortest book
Book of Obadiah

The Book of Obadiah is found in both the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, where it is the shortest book, only one chapter long....
 in the Old Testament, consisting of a mere 21 verses in a single chapter. The date of his ministry
Book of Obadiah

The Book of Obadiah is found in both the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, where it is the shortest book, only one chapter long....
 is unclear due to certain historical ambiguities in the book bearing his name. The events recorded in his writings may refer to the invasion of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar
Nebuchadrezzar II

Nebuchadnezzar II, also called King Nebuchadnezzar The Second , was a ruler of Babylon in the Chaldean Dynasty, who reigned c. 605 BC-562 BC....
 of Babylon
Babylon

Babylon was a city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, sometimes considered an empire, the remains of which can be found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Governorate, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad....
, a date near to 586 B.C. The main thrust of the prophet's ministry, reflected in the themes of his book, is the ultimate victory of the people of God if they maintain their faith. Edom
Edom

Edom is a name given to Esau in the Hebrew Bible, as well as to the nation descending from him. The nation's name in Assyrian language was Udumi; in Syriac language, ????; in Greek language, ?d???a?a ; in Latin, Idum?a or Idumea....
 is used as an example of failure to manifest love toward one's neighbor in times of need, (Obadiah
Book of Obadiah

The Book of Obadiah is found in both the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, where it is the shortest book, only one chapter long....
 ) and the eventual victory of Israel
Israel

Israel officially the State of Israel , is a country in the Middle East located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Lebanon in the north, Syria in the northeast, Jordan in the east, and Egypt on the southwest, and contains geographically diverse features within its relatively small area....
 is declared in a vision of the future.

In some Christian traditions he is said to have been born in "Sychem" (Shechem
Shechem

Shechem was Canaanite city mentioned in the Amarna letters, and later became an Israelite city in the tribe of Manasseh. It was the first capital of the Kingdom of Israel....
), and to have been the third centurion sent out by Ahaz
Ahaz

Ahaz was king of kingdom of Judah, and the son and successor of Jotham of Judah. He took the throne at the age of twenty . William F. Albright has dated his reign to 735 – 715 BC, while Edwin R....
 against Elijah.

See main entry on the Book of Obadiah
Book of Obadiah

The Book of Obadiah is found in both the Hebrew Bible and the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, where it is the shortest book, only one chapter long....
.

In Rabbinic tradition

According to the Talmud
Talmud

The Talmud is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Halakha, Jewish ethics, customs, and history. It is a central text of mainstream Judaism....
, Obadiah is said to have been a convert to Judaism from Edom
Edom

Edom is a name given to Esau in the Hebrew Bible, as well as to the nation descending from him. The nation's name in Assyrian language was Udumi; in Syriac language, ????; in Greek language, ?d???a?a ; in Latin, Idum?a or Idumea....
, a descendant of Eliphaz
Eliphaz

Eliphaz was the first-born son of Esau by his wife Adah. He had six sons, one of whom was Amalek, born to his concubine Timna, who was the ancestral enemy of the Israelite people ....
, the friend of Job. He is identified with the Obadiah who was the servant of Ahab, and it is said that he was chosen to prophesy against Edom because he was himself an Edomite. Moreover, having lived with two such godless persons as Ahab
Ahab

Ahab was Kingdom of Israel and the son and successor of Omri . William F. Albright dated his reign to 869 – 850 BC, while E. R. Thiele offered the dates 874 – 853 BC....
 and Jezebel
Jezebel

Jezebel may refer to:* Jezebel , wife of King Ahab* Jezebel * Jezebel , a blog aimed at women* Common Jezebel, a species of butterfly* Jezebel Baley, the wife of the character Elijah Baley in Isaac Asimov's Robot novels...
 without learning to act as they did, he seemed the most suitable person to prophesy against Esau
Esau

Esau is the brother of Jacob -- the patriarch and founder of the Israelites -- in the Hebrew Bible Book of Genesis. Esau was the oldest son of Isaac and Rebekah and the grandson of Abraham....
 (Edom), who, having been brought up by two pious persons, Isaac
Isaac

According to the Hebrew Bible, Isaac The New Testament contains few references to Isaac. The Early Christianity views Abraham's willingness to follow God's command to Binding of Isaac as an example of faith and obedience....
 and Rebekah, had not learned to imitate their good deeds.

Obadiah is supposed to have received the gift of prophecy for having hidden the hundred and twenty eight prophets from the persecution of Jezebel. He hid the prophets in two caves, so that if those in one cave should be discovered those in the other might yet escape (1 Kings ).

Obadiah was very rich, but all his wealth was expended in feeding the poor prophets, until, in order to be able to continue to support them, finally he had to borrow money at interest from Ahab's son Jehoram. Obadiah's fear of God was one degree higher than that of Abraham; and if the house of Ahab had been capable of being blessed, it would have been blessed for Obadiah's sake.

In Christianity


He is regarded as a saint
Saint

A saint in Christianity is a human being who has been called to holiness. The term is used differently by various denominations, with some, such as the Anglicans, Methodists, and Lutherans distinguishing between Saints and saints....
 by several Christian churches. His feast day is celebrated on January 10 in the Coptic Church. The Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church

The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian communion in the world with an estimated 225 million members worldwide. It is considered by its adherents to be the Four Marks of the Church established by Jesus Christ and his Apostles nearly 2000 years ago....
 and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite
Byzantine Rite

The Byzantine Rite, sometimes called the Rite of Constantinople or Constantinopolitan Rite, is the liturgy used currently by all the Eastern Orthodox Churches and by the Greek-Catholic Churches ....
 celebrate his memory on November 19 (for those churches which follow the traditional Julian Calendar
Julian calendar

The Julian calendar, a reform of the Roman calendar, was introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BC, and came into force in 45 BC . It was chosen after consultation with the astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandria and was probably designed to approximate the tropical year, known at least since Hipparchus....
, November 19 currently falls on December 2 of the modern Gregorian Calendar
Gregorian calendar

The Gregorian calendar is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was first proposed by the Calabrian doctor Aloysius Lilius, and decreed by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom it was named, on 24 February 1582 by the papal bull Inter gravissimas....
). He is celebrated on February 28 in the Syriac and Malankara Church
Malankara Church

Malankara Church of India is the Christian church believed to be started by Thomas the Apostle , the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. Maliankara, a place near Muziris, , where Thomas the Apostle reportedly first landed in Kerala in 52 AD....
es, and with the other Minor prophet
Minor prophet

A minor prophet is one of the writings in the Twelve Prophets section of the Hebrew Bible, also known to Christians as the Minor Prophets of the Old Testament....
s in the Calendar of saints
Calendar of Saints (Armenian Apostolic Church)

Days of observance - 2007...
 of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian Apostolic Church

The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest national church and one of the most ancient Christianity communities.The official name of the church is the One Holy Universal Apostolic Orthodox Armenian Church ....
 on July 31.

According to an old tradition, Obadiah is buried in Samaria
Samaria

Samaria, or the Shomron is a term used for the mountainous region in northern Israel roughly corresponding to the northern part of the West Bank....
.

Other Obadiahs in the Old Testament

Other individuals named Obadiah in the Old Testament are listed as:

  • the servant of king Ahab
    Ahab

    Ahab was Kingdom of Israel and the son and successor of Omri . William F. Albright dated his reign to 869 – 850 BC, while E. R. Thiele offered the dates 874 – 853 BC....
     of Israel . According to both rabbinic tradition and the tradition
    Sacred Tradition

    Sacred Tradition or Holy Tradition is a technical theological term used in some Christian traditions, primarily in the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox traditions, to refer to the fundamental basis of church authority....
     of the Orthodox Church, this is the same individual as the prophet.
  • the son of Hananiah, a descendant of king David
    David

    David , was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. He is depicted as a righteous king, although not without fault, as well as an acclaimed warrior, musician and poet ....
     of Israel through Solomon
    Solomon

    Solomon is a figure described in the Hebrew Bible and the Qur'an. The biblical accounts identify Solomon as the son of David. He is also called Jedidiah in the Tanakh , and is described as the third king of the United Monarchy, and the final king before the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah split; following th...
     (1 Chronicles )
  • the son of Uzzi, a descendant of the Hebrew
    Hebrews

    Hebrews are an ancient people defined as descendants of biblical Patriarch Abraham , a descendent of Noah.In the Bible, the patriarch Abraham is referred to a single time as the ivri, which is the singular form of the Hebrew-language word for Hebrew ....
     patriarch Issachar
    Issachar

    Issachar/Yissachar was, according to the Book of Genesis, a son of Jacob and Leah , and the founder of the Israelites of Tribe of Issachar; however some Biblical criticism view this as postdiction, an eponymous metaphor providing an aetiology of the connectedness of the tribe to others in the Israelite confederation....
     
  • the son of Azel, a descendant of king Saul
    Saul the King

    Saul is identified in the Books of Samuel, Books of Chronicles and Qur'an as the first king of the ancient united United Monarchy. Saul was anointed by the prophet Samuel and reigned from Gibeah during the closing decades of the 2nd millennium BC....
     of Israel through Jonathan
    David and Jonathan

    David and Jonathan were heroic figures of the ancient Israel, whose intimate relationship was recorded favourably in the Old Testament books of Samuel....
     
  • the son of Shemaiah, a descendant of the Hebrew patriarch Levi
    Levi

    Levi/Levy, Hebrew language#Modern Hebrew Levy ??? Tiberian vocalization ; "joining") was, according to the Book of Genesis, the third son of Jacob and Leah, and the founder of the Israelites of Levites ....
     
  • a warrior descended from the Hebrew patriarch Gad
    Gad (Biblical figure)

    Gad was, according to the Book of Genesis, the first son of Jacob and Zilpah, the seventh of Jacob overall, and the founder of the Israelites of Tribe of Gad; however some Biblical criticism view this as postdiction, an eponymous metaphor providing an aetiology of the connectedness of the tribe to others in the Israelite confederation....
     that served king David
  • the father of Ishmaiah, governor of the tribe of Zebulun
    Zebulun

    Zebulun was, according to the Books of Book of Genesis and Book of Numbers, the sixth son of Jacob and Leah, and the founder of the Israelites of Tribe of Zebulun....
     during the reign of king David
  • a prince of the southern kingdom of Judah
    Kingdom of Judah

    The Kingdom of Judah existed at two periods in Jewish history. According to the Hebrew Bible, a kingdom emerged in Judah after the death of Saul, when the tribe of Judah elevated David to rule over it....
     during the reign of king Jehoshaphat
    Jehoshaphat

    Jehoshaphat was the successor of Asa of Judah, king of Kingdom of Judah. His children included Jehoram of Judah. Historically, his name has sometimes been connected with the Valley of Jehosaphat, where, according to Joel 3:2, the God of Israel will gather all nations for judgment....
     (2 Chronicles )
  • a Levite
    Levite

    In Jewish tradition, a Levite is a member of the tribes of Israel of Levi. When Joshua led the Israelites into the land of Canaan, the Levites were the only Israelite tribe who received cities but no tribal land "because the Lord the God of Israel himself is their possession"....
    , overseer of the reconstruction efforts during the reforms of king Josiah
    Josiah

    Josiah or Yoshiyahu was a king of Judah who instituted major reforms. Josiah is credited by some historians with having established or discovered important Jewish scriptures during the Deuteronomic reform that occurred during his rule....
     of Judah
  • the son of Joab, one of the individuals who returned from the Babylonian captivity
    Babylonian captivity

    The Babylonian captivity, or Babylonian exile, is the name typically given to the deportation and exile of the Jews of the ancient Kingdom of Judah to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon in 586 BCE....
     with the priestly scribe Ezra
    Ezra

    Ezra was a Jewish priestly scribe who led about 5,000 Babylonian captivity living in Babylon to their home city of Jerusalem in 459 BC. Ezra reconstituted the dispersed Jewish community on the basis of the Torah and with an emphasis on the law....
    , and possibly the Levite mentioned in (Nehemiah
    Book of Nehemiah

    The Book of Nehemiah is a book of the Hebrew Bible, historically regarded as a Ezra-Nehemiah of the Book of Ezra, and is sometimes called the second book of Ezra....
     ) as a porter of Jerusalem's gates after the city's reconstruction under Nehemiah
    Nehemiah

    Nehemiah or Nechemya is a major figure in the Babylonian captivity history of the Jews as recorded in the Bible, and is believed to be the primary author of the Book of Nehemiah....
     (Ezra
    Book of Ezra

    The Book of Ezra is a book of the Bible in the Old Testament and Hebrew language Tanakh. It is the record of events occurring at the close of the Babylonian captivity....
     )


External links

  • Orthodox icon
    Icon

    An 'icon' is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity. More broadly the term is used in a wide number of contexts for an image, picture, or representation; it is a sign or likeness that stands for an object by signifying or representing it either concretely or by analogy, as in semiotics; by extension, ...
     and synaxarion