Obed
Pronounced OH-bed
- Meaning
- "Servant; Worshipper"
- Origin
- Hebrew
Obed means "servant" or "worshipper" in Hebrew. He was the son of Ruth and Boaz, the grandfather of King David, and a crucial link in the genealogical chain leading to Jesus Christ. Obed's birth is the triumphant conclusion of the Book of Ruth. When Naomi held the infant Obed, the women of Bethlehem declared: "There is a son born to Naomi... he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age." They named him Obed — the servant who would restore what was lost. Though Scripture records little about Obed's own life, his position in the lineage is extraordinary. He connects Ruth the Moabitess (a Gentile convert) to David the king, demonstrating that God's redemptive plan includes people from every nation. Through Obed, a foreign gleaner's great-grandson became Israel's greatest king. Obed's name — "servant" — proved prophetically appropriate. His life of faithful service in Bethlehem produced the family line through which the ultimate Servant-King would come.
Spiritual meaning
Obed — 'servant' — quietly connected Ruth's redemption to David's throne. His life teaches that faithful, unglamorous service in God's plan can have royal consequences we never imagine.
Related verses (KJV)
"And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David."
Ruth 4:17 (KJV) →"And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse."
Matthew 1:5 (KJV) →