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There are on record the account of four captures of Jerusalem, (1) by Shishak in the reign of Rehoboam (1 Kings 14:25); (2) by the Philistines and Arabians in the reign of Jehoram (2 Chronicles 21:16); (3) by Joash, the king of Israel, in the reign of Amaziah (2 Kings 14:13); and (4) by the Babylonians, when Jerusalem was taken and destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar (B.C. 586). Obadiah (1:11-14) speaks of this capture as a thing past. He sees the calamity as having already come on Jerusalem, and the Edomites as joining their forces with those of the Chaldeans in bringing about the degradation and ruin of Israel. We do not indeed read that the Edomites actually took part with the Chaldeans, but the probabilities are that they did so, and this explains the words of Obadiah in denouncing against Edom the judgments of God. The date of his prophecies was thus in or about the year of the destruction of Jerusalem.‌‌

Edom is the type of Israel’s and of God’s last foe (Isaiah 63:1-4). These will finally all be vanquished, and the kingdom will be the Lord’s (comp. Psalm 22:28).

•OBAL stripped, the eight son of Joktan (Genesis 10:28); called also Ebal (1 Chronicles 1:22).

•OBED serving; worshipping. (1.) A son of Boaz and Ruth (Ruth 4:21, 22), and the grandfather of David (Matthew 1:5).

(2.) 1 Chronicles 2:34-38.

(3.) 1 Chronicles 26:7.

(4.) 2 Chronicles 23:1.

•OBED-EDOM servant of Edom. (1.) “The Gittite” (probably so called because he was a native of Gath-rimmon), a Levite of the family of the Korhites (1 Chronicles 26:1, 4-8), to whom was specially intrusted the custody of the ark (1 Chronicles 15:18). When David was bringing up the ark “from the house of Abinadab, that was in Gibeah” (probably some hill

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