Meaning of the Name Obed
Obed is related to the Hebrew verb "to serve." It is therefore usually explained as "serving one" or along the line of "servant." Its meaning is fairly clear.
Origin
The name Obed is of Hebrew origin.
Who is Obed in the Bible?
Obed is the son of Ruth and Boaz, and as the father of Jesse and grandfather of David he occupies an important place in the genealogical line of redemption history. The name is used of other people as well, but the Obed of Ruth is the best-known bearer.
The story of Obed in the Bible
Obed is the child born at the joyful close of the book of Ruth. Ruth the Moabite had come to Bethlehem out of loyalty to her mother-in-law Naomi and gleaned in the fields of Boaz. When Boaz took up his duty as the family redeemer and married Ruth, the LORD blessed the marriage with a son. The neighborhood women rejoiced with Naomi, saying that a child had been born to care for her, and they named the boy Obed; Naomi took him into her arms and looked after him. The genealogy at the end of Ruth 4 fixes his place clearly: Boaz was the father of Obed, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David. A family story that began in bitter loss thus became the line leading to Israel's greatest king. Others in Scripture bear the same name, but this Obed is the best known; Matthew's genealogy also lists him as a link in the line running down to Jesus Christ.
Is Obed mentioned in the Quran?
The name Obed does not appear in the Quran; he is known from the book of Ruth in the Old Testament as the son of Ruth and Boaz and the grandfather of David, and he also appears in the Gospel genealogies.
Verses where Obed appears
- Ruth 4:17 —
The women, her neighbors, gave him a name, saying, “There is a son born to Naomi”; and they named him Obed. He is the father of Jesse, the father of David.
- Ruth 4:21 —
and Salmon became the father of Boaz, and Boaz became the father of Obed,
- Matthew 1:5 —
Salmon became the father of Boaz by Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed by Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse.