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Obadiah

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Obadiah is a biblical prophet whose short book condemns Edom for betraying Judah and affirms divine justice and restoration.

Detailed Definition
Obadiah’s shortest biblical book foretold Edom’s judgment for violence against kin. In poetry, Obadiah symbolizes the consequences of fraternal betrayal, the moral accountability of nations, and the hope of Zion’s ultimate triumph.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Obadiah 1:1, “the vision of Obadiah” inspires prophetic poetry against Edom’s betrayal; 19th-century verse depicts Obadiah’s judgment on pride as warning to nations; Contemporary poems use Obadiah to explore consequences of standing against one’s own people; In laments over betrayal, Obadiah’s Edom rejoices in Judah’s downfall; Some liturgical works cite Obadiah’s hope: “Saviors shall come up on Mount Zion”; Educational poems use Obadiah to teach about divine justice and sibling rivalry.
Additional Notes
Obadiah, whose name means “servant of Yahweh,” is both a prophet (author of the shortest OT book, condemning Edom) and a palace official who hid prophets from Jezebel (1 Kings 18); this duality makes him a symbol of courageous faith in hostile environments—ideal for poems on hidden resistance and divine justice.
Also Known As
Obadiah the Prophet Obadiah steward of Ahab
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