ODED

(Oʹded) [restorer].

1. Father of the prophet Azariah. (2 Chron. 15:1) Verse 8 credits Oded himslef as being a prophet: “As soon as Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet.” Some authorities would drop the words “of Oded the prophet” as a copyist’s error, but this would not explain why the writer says Asa heard “these words and the prophecy.” Others would make an addition so as to read, “Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah the son of Oded,” to agree with the Alexandrian Septuagint, Syriac and Vulgate versions, but this still leaves the above difficulty unexplained. The third solution is to accept the Masoretic text as it is, with the understanding that Oded himself gave a prophecy that has not been preserved in the record. Asa heeded the words of Azariah (15:2-7) and those of his father Oded.

2. A prophet of Samaria during the overlapping reigns of Pekah of Israel and Ahaz of Judah (761-758 B.C.E.). After Israel and Syria delivered a smashing defeat to Judah, two hundred thousand captives from the southern kingdom were brought toward Samaria. Oded, however, intercepted the victorious army and warned them of God’s wrath if they enslaved their brothers. ‘After all,’ he explained, ‘it was only because of Judah’s wickedness that Jehovah permitted you to defeat them. Now do not make servants out of them and bring Jehovah’s rage upon yourselves; return the captives!’ Four Ephraimite leaders supported Oded, and the captives were cared for and repatriated.—2 Chron. 28:5-15.