What is the shortest book in the Old Testament?

Obadiah is the shortest book in the Old Testament.

The Book of Obadiah contains just one chapter and 21 verses, making it the shortest Old Testament book by the standard chapter-and-verse measure used in most trivia questions. It is one of the Twelve Minor Prophets, a collection of shorter prophetic books near the end of the Old Testament.

Obadiah focuses on judgment against Edom, a kingdom traditionally associated with the descendants of Esau. The book condemns Edom for pride and for taking advantage of Jerusalem’s calamity. Its final verses turn toward restoration and the renewal of Israel, giving the short prophecy a broader theme of justice followed by hope.

A common mix-up is confusing the shortest Old Testament book with the shortest book in the entire Bible. The answer can change depending on whether one counts verses, words, or language, but Obadiah remains the conventional answer for the Old Testament. In the Hebrew Bible, it is also a 21-verse book within the Twelve Prophets.