Obed

Obed is a name borne by five different men in the UPDV. The first and most prominent is the son of Boaz and Ruth who became the grandfather of David, anchoring the royal genealogy that runs from Perez through Jesse. The other four are minor figures preserved in Chronicles: a descendant of Jerahmeel, one of David's mighty men, a Korahite gatekeeper at the temple, and the father of one of Jehoiada's covenant captains.

Grandfather of David

Obed enters the narrative at the close of the book of Ruth, when the women of Bethlehem name the child born to Boaz and Ruth and acknowledge Naomi as the family beneficiary. "There is a son born to Naomi; and they named him Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David" (Ru 4:17). The same chapter immediately fixes his place in the longer Perez genealogy: "and Salmon begot Boaz, and Boaz begot Obed, and Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David" (Ru 4:21-22). The Chronicler reproduces the link in compressed form — "and Boaz begot Obed, and Obed begot Jesse" (1Ch 2:12).

Both New Testament genealogies carry Obed forward into the line of Jesus. Matthew traces the descent through the women named in the Old Testament narrative: "and Salmon begot Boaz from Rahab; and Boaz begot Obed from Ruth; and Obed begot Jesse" (Mt 1:5). Luke runs the line in reverse, naming Obed between Boaz and Jesse: "the [son] of Jesse, the [son] of Obed, the [son] of Boaz, the [son] of Sala, the [son] of Nahshon" (Lu 3:32).

Descendant of Jerahmeel

A second Obed appears in the Jerahmeelite section of Chronicles, four generations removed from Zabad: "and Zabad begot Ephlal, and Ephlal begot Obed, and Obed begot Jehu, and Jehu begot Azariah" (1Ch 2:37-38). He is mentioned only here.

One of David's Mighty Men

Among the warriors enrolled at the end of David's roster, Obed is listed alongside Eliel and Jaasiel the Mezobaite: "Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite" (1Ch 11:47).

Gatekeeper of the Temple

A fourth Obed serves among the Korahite gatekeepers organized for the temple. He is one of the seven sons of Shemaiah: "The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad, whose brothers were valiant men, Elihu, and Semachiah" (1Ch 26:7).

Father of Azariah the Captain

The last Obed in the UPDV surfaces in the account of Jehoiada's coup against Athaliah. When Jehoiada gathers the captains of hundreds into covenant, the list includes "Azariah the son of Obed" (2Ch 23:1).