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.
Shemaiah → Neariah → Elioenai
Sons of Elioenai: Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani.
In Christian scripture, Obed is named as one of Jesus's ancestors in the genealogies recorded in the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke. He is honored as a Patriarch on the Sunday of the Holy Ancestors in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches.