Many would place Obadiah into the time of king Jehoram of Judah (848 - 841 BC) under whose reign the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah (2 Chronicles 21:8-10). In this case Obadiah would have been the first writing prophet in the history of Israel. Other scientists, however, think that Obadiah lived and ministered at the time of Jerusalem's destruction in 586 BC or even later as he obviously must have known this event.

Be it as it may the place of the book of Obadiah in the canon of the Hebrew OT and of the Scriptures has been secured and undisputed for ages.

2. Purpose of Writing