Obadiah is a name that appears several times throughout the Old Testament, and it is important to distinguish between these individuals to understand their unique roles and contributions. One such Obadiah is noted as the head of a family, a designation that highlights his leadership and responsibility within the community of Israel.

Genealogical Context

The name Obadiah, meaning "servant of Yahweh," is a common one in the Hebrew Bible, reflecting a deep-seated devotion to God. In the context of family leadership, Obadiah is mentioned in the genealogical records that are crucial for understanding the tribal and familial structures of ancient Israel. These records are not merely lists of names but serve to establish the continuity of God's covenant people and their inheritance in the Promised Land.

Biblical References

One reference to Obadiah as the head of a family can be found in the genealogical listings of the post-exilic community. In 1 Chronicles 3:21, Obadiah is mentioned among the descendants of David, indicating his place within the royal lineage. This connection underscores the importance of maintaining the Davidic line, which holds messianic significance in the broader narrative of Scripture.

Another mention is found in 1 Chronicles 7:3, where Obadiah is listed among the descendants of Issachar. This reference situates him within the tribal framework of Israel, emphasizing the role of each tribe in the nation's collective identity and mission.

Role and Significance

As the head of a family, Obadiah would have been responsible for the spiritual and social welfare of his household. This role included leading in worship, teaching the statutes of the Lord, and ensuring that his family adhered to the covenantal obligations. The head of a family in ancient Israel was also tasked with managing the family's resources and representing them in communal affairs.

Obadiah's position as a family leader reflects the biblical emphasis on the family as a foundational unit of society. The family is portrayed as the primary context for faith formation and the transmission of God's laws and promises from one generation to the next. In this light, Obadiah's leadership would have been integral to the preservation and propagation of the faith within his community.

Theological Implications

The mention of Obadiah as a family head in the genealogies serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness to His people through the generations. It highlights the importance of lineage and heritage in the unfolding of God's redemptive plan. Each name in the genealogical records, including Obadiah's, represents a link in the chain of God's covenantal promises, ultimately pointing to the coming of the Messiah.

In the broader biblical narrative, the role of family heads like Obadiah underscores the communal nature of faith and the collective responsibility of God's people to uphold His commandments. It also reflects the biblical principle that leadership begins in the home, where individuals are nurtured in the fear and knowledge of the Lord.

Conclusion

While the specific actions and life events of Obadiah, the head of a family, are not detailed in Scripture, his inclusion in the genealogical records affirms his place in the history of Israel. His role as a family leader exemplifies the biblical ideal of faithful stewardship and devotion to God, serving as a model for subsequent generations.1 Chronicles 3:21
And the sons of Hananiah; Pelatiah, and Jesaiah: the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shechaniah.
Nave's Topical Index

Obadiah; Or, Early Piety Eminent Piety
... If it was not in this way that Obadiah was brought ... Christian church?" The answer
has been a shake of the head. ... Here is one taken out of a family while all the ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 30 1884/obadiah or early piety eminent.htm

How Ahab when He had Taken Jezebel to Wife Became More Wicked than ...
... 5. So when Obadiah had informed the king that Elijah ... a congregation, and to set Naboth
at the head of them, because he was of an illustrious family, and to ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 13 how ahab when.htm

Life of Jerome.
... mss., and wrote a mystical Commentary on Obadiah (401 ... was built, of which he was
the head, and a ... his brother, who sold the remains of their family property for ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/iii life of jerome.htm

The Voice of Stern Rebuke
... even the feeblest and lowliest of the family of God. ... warned, "thy heaven that is
over thy head shall be ... to Samaria, Ahab had proposed to Obadiah, the governor ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 10 the voice of.htm

The Nations of the South-East
... of followers, and had married into the family of a ... which would naturally have belonged
to the head of the ... brought against Edom by the prophet Obadiah is not ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/chapter iii the nations of.htm

Household Salvation
... "Being in the way, God met with me," said Obadiah; and the ... Our text shows us a whole
family saved at once ... I like to see a man renewed all over from head to foot ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/household salvation.htm

The Fear which Terminates in the Second Death.
... It is noted in favor of Obadiah, the servant of Ahab ... But the design of family
institution expressed in the last ... But man, the head of this lower world, requires ...
/.../lee/sermons on various important subjects/sermon xx the fear which.htm

The Fifth Commandment
... shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour ... Obadiah honoured the prophet
Elijah.1 Kings 18: 7 ... paterfamilias, the father of the family'; therefore Naaman's ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 5 the fifth commandment.htm

Book iii. --Of the Harmony of the Fathers of the Old and New ...
... (Not keen to gain for his own family,. ... Was this; the power was granted to his head.
[1499]. ... Hosea, Amos, Micah, Joel, too,. 255 With Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, come; ...
/.../fathers of the third century tertullian appendix/book iii of the harmony of.htm

Jehoshaphat's Reform
... princes, even to Ben-hail, and to Obadiah, and to ... of common faith binds hearts together,
and family love is ... of Jehovah; and the five 'princes' head the list in ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/jehoshaphats reform.htm

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