Obed in Fausset's Bible Dictionary

1. Son of Boaz and Ruth (Rth 4:17); father of Jesse, David's father (1 Chronicles 2:12; Matthew 1:5; Luke 3:22). Hannah in her song (1 Samuel 2:5; 1 Samuel 2:7; 1 Samuel 2:10, "they that were hungry ceased ... the barren hath borne seven ... the Lord maketh poor and maketh rich") apparently alludes to Ruth's experience as reproduced in her own. Ruth poor and gleaning in the grain becomes wife of Boaz, the "mighty man of wealth." From her springs "the Anointed King" Messiah, of whom Hannah sings. The famine which drove Elimelech's sons to Moab was not long before, due in part to Philistine inroads (compare 1 Samuel 4). The women congratulated Naomi on Obed's birth: "the Lord hath not left thee without a kinsman (goel "redeemer"), that his name may be famous in Israel, and he shall be ... a nourisher of thine old age, for thy daughter in law, which is better to thee than sorest sons, hath borne him" (Rth 4:14-15). 2. 1 Chronicles 2:37-38. 3. 1 Chronicles 11:47. 4. 1 Chronicles 26:7. 5. Father of Azariah. (2 Chronicles 23:1).