1 Kings 18:4

4 for when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took one hundred prophets and hid them in groups of fifty in caves and sustained 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 And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. And there was a severe famine in Samaria.

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

4 for when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took one hundred prophets and hid them in groups of fifty in caves and sustained them with bread and water.)

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

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