Obadiah

1And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.

A long time passed. It was now the third year with no rain. God spoke to Elijah, a prophet who told people what God said. God told him, "Go and let King Ahab see you. Then I will send rain on the land."

2And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.

So Elijah went to let Ahab see him. There was very little food in Samaria. People were hungry.

3And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:

King Ahab called for a man named Obadiah. Obadiah was in charge of the king's house. Obadiah loved God and obeyed him.

4For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

Earlier, Queen Jezebel had killed many prophets of the LORD. Obadiah had saved a hundred of them. He hid them in two caves, fifty men in each cave. He brought them bread and water.

5And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.

Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go all over the land. Check every spring and every stream. Maybe we will find grass. Then our horses and mules can live. We will not lose all our animals."

6So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

They split the land between them to search it. Ahab went one way alone. Obadiah went another way alone.

7And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah?

While Obadiah was walking, Elijah met him. Obadiah knew who he was. He bowed with his face to the ground. He said, "Is it really you, my lord Elijah?"

8And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

Elijah said, "Yes, it is me. Go tell your master the king that Elijah is here."

9And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

Obadiah said, "What have I done wrong? Why would you hand me over to Ahab? He will kill me."

10As the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.

"I promise you, before the living LORD your God, the king has looked everywhere for you. He sent men to every nation and kingdom. When they said you were not there, he made them promise it was true."

11And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.

"And now you tell me to go say to my master, 'Elijah is here!'"

12And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth.

"But as soon as I leave, God's Spirit may carry you away. I will not know where. Then I will tell Ahab, and he will not find you. He will kill me. Yet I have obeyed the LORD since I was young."

13Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD’s prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?

"Did no one tell you what I did? When Jezebel was killing the LORD's prophets, I hid a hundred of them. I put fifty in each of two caves. I brought them bread and water."

14And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me.

"And now you tell me, 'Go say to your master, Elijah is here.' He will kill me!"

15And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day.

Elijah said, "I promise you, before the living LORD of heaven's armies, whom I serve. I will let Ahab see me today."

16So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

So Obadiah went and told Ahab. Then Ahab went out to meet Elijah.