
Study questions, maps, charts, outlines, and links to help you study the Old Testament book of Obadiah.
Jump to: Background; ** Maps; ** Key Words; ** Encyclopedias; ** Commentaries; ** Articles; ** GotQuestions ** Next **
Basics
- Author: Obadiah, date unknown. No kings are mentioned in Obadiah, making it hard to date.
- Obadiah probably lived in and ministered to the southern kingdom of Judah. Some think Obadiah was a contemporary of Elisha.
- There are 13 Obadiah’s in the Old Testament.
- Obadiah prophesied that Edom would be cut off forever. Edomites disappear from history with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.
Edomites
- Edomites are descendants of Esau who lived in the mountianous area of Seir, south of the Dead Sea.
- The Edomites were bitter enemies of the Jews.
- Edom refused Moses’ request to allow the Israelites to pass through their land on the way to Canaan.
- They opposed Saul and were subdued by David.
- They fought against Jehoshaphat and rebelled against Jehoram.
- In the 5th Center BC, the Nabateans forced the Edomites to leave their native country. The Edomites moved to the souther part of Palestine and became known as the Idumeans.
- Herod the Great was an Indumean. He became King of Judea under Rome in 37 BC and ordered the killing of the male infants in Bethlehem in an attempt to kill the Messiah.
- The Idumeans aided the rebellion of Jerusalem against Rome and were defeated along with the Jews when Titus conquered Jerusalem in 70 AD.
Genre: Understanding Prophecy
Background
- Introduction to the Prophets
- Chart: Bible History at a glance
- Blue Letter Bible: Old Testament Timeline
- Biblehub: The Divided Kingdom
- Chart: Kings of Israel & Judah
- Bible Atlas: Assyria
- Bible Atlas: Babylon
- Bible Atlas: Jerusalem
- Minor Prophets Quotes in the New Testament
- Jensen’s Survey of the Old Testament
- Hebrew Calendar
- Ray C Stedman: Overview of the Book
- John MacArthur: Obadiah -Intro
- NIV: Introduction to Obadiah
- ESV: Introduction to Obadiah
- ESV: The Global Message of Obadiah
- James van Dine: Analysis of Obadiah
- David Malick: An Introduction to the Book of Obadiah
- David Malick: An Argument of the Book of Obadiah
- JVernon McGee: Amos and Obadiah – Introductory Notes, Outlines
- William Orr: Key to Obadiah
- Charles Swindoll: Book of Obadiah Overview
Maps from Bible-History.com
Maps from Holman Bible Atlas
The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah
- The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah (1)
- The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah (2)
- The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah (3)
- The Campaign of Shishak
- Conflicts between Israel and Aram-Damascus
- The Omride Dynasty
- The Golden Ages of the 9th & 8th centuries BCE
- Phoenician Trade and Civilization
- Trade Routes throughout the Middle East
- Elijah and Elisha
- The Revolt of Jehu
- The Rise of Assyria
- Israel & Judah in the days of Jeroboam II and Uzziah
- The Assyrian Empire under Tiglath-Pileser III
- Fall of Samaria and Deportation of Israelites
- The Fall of the Kingdom of Israel
- Assyrian Districts after the Fall of Samaria
- Prophets of the 8th Century BCE
Judah Alone amid International Powers
- Hezekiah’s Preparation for Revolt
- Judah under King Hezekiah
- Hezekiah’s Jerusalem
- Sennacherib’s Campaign against Judah
- Assyria in the 7th century BCE
- The Rise of the Neo-Babylonian Empire
- The Reign of Josiah
- The Districts of Judah under King Josiah
- The Golden Age of King Josiah
- Nebuchadnezzar’s Campaigns against Judah
The Persian Period
Key Words
- The day (Obadiah 1:11, 12, 13, 14),
- Day of the LORD (Obadiah 1:15),
- Edom/Esau (Obadiah 1:1, 8)
- Esau (Obadiah 1:6, 8, 9, 18, 19, 21),
- Jacob (Obadiah 1:10, 17, 18)
- Judah (Obadiah 1:12),
- Nations (Obadiah 1:1, 1:2, 1:15, 16),
- My holy mountain (Mt Zion) (Obadiah 1:16, 17, 21),
- Mountain of Esau (Obadiah 1:8, 9, 19),
- Declares the LORD (Obadiah 1:4, 8, Obadiah 1:1)
Dictionaries & Encyclopedias
- Baker’s Evangelical: Obadiah, Theology of
- American Tract Society: Obadiah
- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary: Obadiah
- Easton’s Bible Dictionary: Obadiah, Book of ; Obadiah
- Fausset Bible Dictionary: Obadiah, the Book of ; Obadiah
- Holman Bible Dictionary: Obadiah, Book of
- Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible: Obadiah, Book of
- Kitto’s Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature: Obadiah
- Morrish Bible Dictionary: Obadiah
- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Obadiah
- McClintock and Strong: Obadiah
- The Nuttall Encyclopedia: Obadiah
- The Jewish Encyclopedia: Obadiah
- 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica: Obadiah
Commentaries & Study Bibles
- Ligionier.org Top 5 Commentaries: Obadiah
- Tim Challies Best Commentaries:
- Commentary Reviews: Obadiah
- Calvin’s Commentary on the Bible: Obadiah
- Matthew Henry: Obadiah
- Albert Barnes Notes: Obadiah
- Reformation Study Bible Notes: Obadiah
- Geneva Study Bible: Obadiah
- Precept Austin Commentaries & Sermons: Obadiah
Articles
- Inerrancy And The Minor Prophets — Mal Couch
- Old Testament Passages Referring To The Day Of The Lord — Warren Vanhetloo
- The Kingdom Of God In The Old Testament — Martin J. Selman
- The Character Of Israel’s Future In Light Of The Abrahamic And Mosaic Covenants — Robert Vasholz
- Obadiah Accountability in Relationships – Bob Spender
- The Bible’s Watchword Day of the Lord — Richard L. Mayhue
- Christian Friend: Elijah and Obadiah
- Don Fornter: Obadiah 1:17 Three Great Promises
- Charles Feinberg: The Commanding Importance of the Prophetic Scriptures
- J Hampton Keathley: The Minor Prophets
- Richard Mayhue: The Prophet’s Watchword: Day of the LORD
- Jeff Miller: The Day of the Lord
GotQuestions.org
- Book of Obadiah – Bible Survey
- What are the Major Prophets and Minor Prophets?
- Who was Obadiah in the Bible?
- Who/what is Edom (Obadiah 1:1, 8)?
- When were Obadiah’s prophecies against Edom fulfilled (Obadiah 1:18-20)?
- Why did God judge Edom so harshly in the book of Obadiah?
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