1 Kings 18:4

4 for it was so, when Izevel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that `Ovadyah took one hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

1 Kings 18:4 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 18:4

For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord,
&c.] Or slew them, as the Targum; put them to death some way or another; such as were brought up in the schools of the prophets, trained up in religious exercises, and instructed others therein:

that Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a
cave;
fifty in one cave and fifty in another; for there were large caves in the land of Israel capable of holding such a number, and many more, see ( 1 Samuel 22:1 ) ( 24:3 ) and fed them with bread and water; which in this time of famine were very acceptable; though these may be put for all the necessaries of life.

1 Kings 18:4 In-Context

2 Eliyah went to show himself to Ach'av. The famine was sore in Shomron.

3 Ach'av called `Ovadyah, who was over the household. (Now `Ovadyah feared the LORD greatly:

4 for it was so, when Izevel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that `Ovadyah took one hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

5 Ach'av said to `Ovadyah, Go through the land, to all the springs of water, and to all the brooks: peradventure we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we not lose all the animals.

6 So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ach'av went one way by himself, and `Ovadyah went another way by himself.