Editing Obadiah (section)

== Rabbinic tradition ==
[[File:Obadiah.jpg|thumb|Vision of Obadiah]]

According to the [[Talmud]], Obadiah is said to have been a convert to Judaism from [[Edom]],<ref name = "c">{{Citation| contribution =Tract Sanhedrin, Volume VIII, XVI, Part II (Haggada), Chapter XI | title =The Babylonian Talmud| page=376|place=Boston | publisher =The Talmud Society | url = http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/t08/t0814.htm}} Translated by Michael L. Rodkinson</ref> a descendant of [[Eliphaz]], the friend of [[Job (Bible)|Job]]. He is identified with [[Obadiah (1 Kings)|the Obadiah who was the servant of Ahab]], and was chosen to prophesy against Edom because he was himself an Edomite.

Obadiah is supposed to have received the gift of prophecy for having hidden the "hundred prophets"<ref>{{Bibleverse|1|Kings|18:4|HE}}</ref> from the persecution of Jezebel.<ref name = "c"/> He hid the prophets in two caves, so that if those in one cave should be discovered those in the other might yet escape.<ref>[[1 Kings]] {{Bibleverse-nb|1|Kings|18:3–4|HE}}</ref>

Obadiah was very rich, but all his wealth was expended in feeding the poor prophets, until, in order to be able to continue to support them, finally he had to borrow money at interest from Ahab's son [[Jehoram of Israel|Jehoram]].<ref>[[Midrash]] ''Exodus Rabbah'' xxxi. 3</ref> Obadiah's fear of God was one degree higher than that of [[Abraham]]; and if the house of Ahab had been capable of being blessed, it would have been blessed for Obadiah's sake.<ref name = "c" />