1 Kings 18:5

5 and Ahab said to Obadiah, Go through the land, to all the fountains of water and to all the torrents, perhaps we may find grass to save the horses and the mules alive, so that we may not have to destroy some of [our] beasts.

1 Kings 18:5 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 18:5

And Ahab said unto Obadiah, go into the land, unto all
fountains of water, and unto all brooks
To observe in what condition they were, and the places adjoining to them, the meadows and valleys: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive;
particularly those which belonged to the king's stables, to find provisions for which it was found difficult: that we lose not all the beasts;
many of them, doubtless, were lost through the drought already, and there was great danger of the rest, and so, in time, of there being none to procreate and preserve their species, and to prevent which Ahab proposed to take this method.

1 Kings 18:5 In-Context

3 And Ahab called Obadiah, who was the steward of his house (now Obadiah feared Jehovah greatly;

4 and it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Jehovah, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and maintained them with bread and water);

5 and Ahab said to Obadiah, Go through the land, to all the fountains of water and to all the torrents, perhaps we may find grass to save the horses and the mules alive, so that we may not have to destroy some of [our] beasts.

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

7 And as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him; and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Is it indeed thou, my lord Elijah?