The Message Bible MSG
New International Version NIV
1 A long time passed. Then God's word came to Elijah. The drought was now in its third year. The message: "Go and present yourself to Ahab; I'm about to make it rain on the country."
1
After a long time, in the third year, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.”
2 Elijah set out to present himself to Ahab. The drought in Samaria at the time was most severe.
2
So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria,
3 Ahab called for Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. Obadiah feared God - he was very devout.
3
and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his palace administrator. (Obadiah was a devout believer in the LORD.
4 Earlier, when Jezebel had tried to kill off all the prophets of God, Obadiah had hidden away a hundred of them in two caves, fifty in a cave, and then supplied them with food and water.
4
While Jezebel was killing off the LORD’s prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water.)
5 Ahab ordered Obadiah, "Go through the country; locate every spring and every stream. Let's see if we can find enough grass to keep our horses and mules from dying."
5
Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive so we will not have to kill any of our animals.”
6 So they divided the country between them for the search - Ahab went one way, Obadiah the other.
6
So they divided the land they were to cover, Ahab going in one direction and Obadiah in another.
7 Obadiah went his way and suddenly there he was - Elijah! Obadiah fell on his knees, bowing in reverence, and exclaimed, "Is it really you - my master Elijah?"
7
As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down to the ground, and said, “Is it really you, my lord Elijah?”
8 "Yes," said Elijah, "the real me. Now go and tell your boss, 'I've seen Elijah.'"
8
“Yes,” he replied. “Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.’ ”
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.