Obed (biblical figure)
biblical character from the Book of Ruth, son of Boaz and Ruth
Obed (Hebrew: עוֹבֵד, ‘Ōḇēḏ, also rendered Oved, "worshipper"), in the Bible, was a son of Boaz and Ruth. Obed was the father of Jesse, the grandfather of Israel’s King David.
The Hebrew Bible in its third (final) division — Writings (Ketuvim) — contains the Book of Ruth, which introduces Obed and describes his Israelite lineage and progeny in Bethlehem, Judea.
Genealogies and commemoration
In Jewish scripture, the Book of Ruth and Chronicles trace Obed’s lineage and descendants:
Patriarchal line: Abraham → Isaac → Jacob →
Judahite line: Judah and Tamar → Perez → Hezron → Ram → Amminadab → Nahshon → Salmon →
Ruth/Obed line: Boaz, son of Salmon and Ruth → Obed (Oved) → Jesse → David
David’s sons:
Born in Hebron: Amnon, Daniel, Absalom, Adonijah, Shephatiah, and Ithream.
Born in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.
Solomonic royal line: Solomon → Rehoboam → Abijah → Asa → Jehoshaphat → Joram → Ahaziah → Joash → Amaziah → Azariah → Jotham → Ahaz → Hezekiah → Manasseh → Amon → Josiah
Sons of Josiah:
Johanan, Jehoiakim, Zedekiah, and Shallum.
Descendants of Jehoiakim and Jeconiah:
Jehoiakim → Jeconiah
Sons of Jeconiah: Assir, Shealtiel, Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah.
Descendants of Pedaiah and Zerubbabel:
Pedaiah → Zerubbabel
Sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam, Hananiah, Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab-hesed; Shelomith is listed as their sister.
Later descendants:
Sons of Hananiah: Pelatiah and Jeshaiah.
Descendants also listed through Rephaiah, Arnan, Obadiah, and Shecaniah.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Obed (biblical figure)” as biblical character from the Book of Ruth, son of Boaz and Ruth. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
Why this record matters
The subject matters to the arts & letters register because the source frames it as biblical character from the Book of Ruth, son of Boaz and Ruth. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.
Attribution, date and provenance are strongest when supported by the original work, a catalogue record and documented transmission. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 17, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1135791. VIAF identifies the subject as 2992161030921423920008. 1 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
Titles can refer to several editions, objects or performances, making precise identification essential before interpretation. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Separate the work, its editions or performances, and its later reception. Catalogue records, publication histories and object files often preserve different parts of that story.
- Identifying works and editions
- Tracing reception history
- Finding collection records
The original object or edition, catalogue raisonné, performance record, rights file and holding institution.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Obed (biblical figure)”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Obed (biblical figure) primary sources, Obed (biblical figure) archive and Obed research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Obed (biblical figure)”?
- How did later circulation or interpretation alter the work’s reception?
- Which edition, object, performance or recording is being described?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Obed (biblical figure)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.