OBED (Hebr. 'Öbhedh «servant»). — Name of several figures of the Old Testament.
1. Son of Booz and Noemi and grandfather of David (Ruth 4, 17.21.22; I Par. 2, 12). — 2. One of the «mighty men» in David’s army (ibid. 11, 47). — 3. Descendant of the patriarch Judah in the line of Ierameel (ibid. 2, 37). — 4. Levite, son of Semeia and descendant of Core, who held the office of gatekeeper of the Temple (ibid. 26, 7). — 5. Military commander in the time of Ioiada; he cooperated in the conspiracy against Athalia in favor of the young Ioas (II Par. 23, 1). — 6. Father of Gaal, who led the rebellion of the Sichemites against Abimelech (Hebr. 'Ebhedh; Iudc. 9, 26.28.30). Angelo Penna