Obadiah

1A 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."

And 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.

NoteLORD in capital letters stands for God's own name. It was the name the people of Israel used for God. Three years with no rain meant no crops could grow.

2So Elijah went to let Ahab see him. There was very little food in Samaria. People were hungry.

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

NoteSamaria was the main city where King Ahab lived. When rain stops, the food runs out. That long hungry time is called a famine.

3King Ahab called for a man named Obadiah. Obadiah was in charge of the king's house. Obadiah loved God and obeyed him.

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

NoteObadiah ran the king's house. He was the boss of all the king's workers and servants.

4Earlier, 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.

For 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.)

NoteJezebel was King Ahab's wife, the queen. She wanted people to pray to a god named Baal. Anyone who spoke for the LORD was in danger from her.

5Ahab 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."

And 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.

NoteA mule is an animal, part horse and part donkey. People rode mules and used them to carry heavy loads.

6They split the land between them to search it. Ahab went one way alone. Obadiah went another way alone.

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

7While 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?"

And 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?

NoteBowing with your face to the ground showed great respect. Calling someone "my lord" was a polite way to speak to an important person.

8Elijah said, "Yes, it is me. Go tell your master the king that Elijah is here."

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

9Obadiah said, "What have I done wrong? Why would you hand me over to Ahab? He will kill me."

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

10"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."

As 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.

NoteMaking someone promise before God was very serious. People believed God heard every word they said.

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

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

12"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."

And 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.

NotePeople said God's Spirit, his own power, could move Elijah from place to place. Obadiah was afraid Elijah would be gone before Ahab arrived.

13"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."

Was 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?

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

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

15Elijah said, "I promise you, before the living LORD of heaven's armies, whom I serve. I will let Ahab see me today."

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

Note"The LORD of hosts" means the LORD who leads heaven's armies. It was a way of saying God is very strong.

16So Obadiah went and told Ahab. Then Ahab went out to meet Elijah.

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