While others of the prophetic books contain passages of judgment against edom and other nations. Obadiah 1, new international version niv the bible app. This is what the sovereign lord says about edomwe have heard a message from the lord. Nothing is known of the prophet except for his name, which means servant of yahweh. Obadiah, with only one chapter consisting of 21 verses, is the shortest of all old testament books and purports to be a record of the vision of obadiah. In judaism and christianity, its authorship is attributed to a prophet who lived in the assyrian period and named himself in the first verse, obadiah. Obadiah is the shortest book in the old testament and is not quoted in the new testament. An envoy was sent to the nations to say,rise, let us go. Obadiah means servant of the lord and occurs 20 times in the old testament, referring to many other old testament individuals. Obadiah means servant of the lord or one who serves. The edomites are descendants of esau and the israelites are descendants of his twin brother, jacob. This book, which bears the title the vision of obadiah, consists of but twentyone verses, which are devoted to a prophecy against edom.
Entry for obadiah, book of international standard bible encyclopedia one of 8 bible encyclopedias freely available, the isbe is hailed for its authoritative explanations of. Obadiah is only 21 verses long, which makes it the shortest book of the old testament. In judaism, obadiah is considered a later prophet, one of the twelve prophets in the final sec. The book of obadiah is a book of prophetic oracles. Book of obadiah, also spelled abdias, the fourth of 12 old testament books that bear the names of the minor prophets, in the jewish canon treated as one book, the twelve. The purpose of obadiah is to show that god will judge all those who are against his children, his chosen people. Watch our overview video on the book of obadiah, which breaks down the literary design of the book and its flow of thought. However it is quoted in several places by the prophet joel and jeremiah. The book is named after the prophet who received the vision 1. The smallest old testament account, the book of obadiah is a vision written by the lords prophet known as obadiah, who prophesied against israels relative nation edom.
Obadiah announces edoms downfall to babylon, which is an image of how god will bring down all arrogant and violent nations. Its authorship is difficult to date but was possibly written about 853841 b. The majority of the book pronounces judgment on the foreign nation of edom, making obadiah one of only three prophets who pronounced judgment primarily on other nations nahum and habakkuk are the others. The text consists of a single chapter, divided into 21 verses, making it the shortest book in the hebrew bible. Obadiah was sent to declare gods judgment on edomthe descendants of esau.
Edoms pride and downfall is disclosed in the book of. Obadiah is a prophet of god who uses this opportunity to condemn edom for sins against both god and israel. Book of obadiah overview insight for living ministries. Because its so short, it doesnt contain as much data as other books, and that means we. This article is about obadiah in the old testament, particularly the prophet to whom authorship of the book of obadiah is attributed. The book of obadiah is an oracle concerning the divine judgment of edom and the restoration of israel.