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Discover the meanings of thousands of Biblical names in Abarim Publications' Biblical Name Vault: Obed

Obed meaning

Obed in Biblical Hebrew
עבד
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Source: https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Obed.html

🔼The name Obed: Summary

Meaning
Servant, Slave
Etymology
From the verb עבד ('abad), to work or serve.
Related names
• Via עבד ('abad): Abda, Abdeel, Abdi, Abdiel, Abdon, Abed-nego, Bedeiah, Ebed, Ebed-melech, Obadiah, Obed-edom

🔼The name Obed in the Bible

The name Obed occurs quite a few times in the Bible. The most famous Obed is the son of Ruth and Boaz of Bethlehem (Ruth 4:17). This Obed became the father of Jesse and the grandfather of king David (1 Chronicles 2:12), and since he therefore also became an ancestor of Christ, his name also occurs in the Greek New Testament, spelled Ωβηδ (Matthew 1:5, Luke 3:32).

Other Obeds are:

  • One of Judah's many descendants (1 Chronicles 2:37).
  • One of David's mighty-men (1 Chronicles 11:47).
  • A Korahite gatekeeper and son of Shemaiah (1 Chronicles 26:7)
  • The father of someone named Azariah (2 Chronicles 23:1).

🔼Etymology of the name Obed

The name Obed comes from the root עבד, meaning servant or to serve:

Excerpted from: Abarim Publications' Biblical Dictionary
עבד

The verb עבד ('abad) means to work or serve, and the noun עבד ('ebed) denotes someone who works: from a slave to a hired expert. The Greek equivalent of this noun is δουλος (doulos).

— See the full Dictionary article —

🔼Obed meaning

Obed means Servant or Slave. NOBSE Study Bible Name List reads Servant and Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names reads Serving.