OBADIAH, BOOK OF

also spelled Abdias, the fourth of 12 Old Testament books that bear the names of the Minor Prophets, in the Jewish canon treated as one book, The Twelve. Obadiah, with only one chapter consisting of 21 verses, is the shortest of all Old Testament books and purports to be a record of the vision of Obadiah. Nothing is known of the prophet except for his name, which means servant of Yahweh. In the book, Edom, a long-time enemy of Israel, is castigated for its refusal to help Israel repel foreigners who invaded and conquered Jerusalem. To many scholars this reference suggests a date of composition after the Babylonian conquest of 586 BC. Others, noting the anti-Edomite sentiments in II Kings 8:2022, consider a date as early as the 9th century BC also probable. The book announces that the Day of Judgment is near for all nations, when all evil will be punished and the righteous renewed. The final verses prophesy the restoration of the Jews to their native land.