1 Kings 18:1-8

Obadiah Meets Elijah

1 Now it happened ¹after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, "Go, show yourself to Ahab, and ²I will send rain on the face of the earth."

2 So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria.

3 Ahab called Obadiah ³who was over the household. (Now Obadiah ⁴feared the LORD greatly;

4 for ⁵when Jezebel destroyed the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and ⁶provided them with bread and water.)

5 Then Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys; perhaps we will find grass and keep the horses and mules alive, and not have to kill some of the cattle."

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

7 Now as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him, ⁷and he recognized him and fell on his face and said, "Is this you, Elijah my master?"

8 He said to him, "It is I. Go, say to your master, 'Behold, Elijah is here."'

1 Kings 18:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 18

In this chapter Elijah has an order from the Lord to show himself to Ahab, who, going first, and meeting with a servant of his, Obadiah, charges him to tell his master where he was, that he might meet him, 1Ki 18:1-16, and, upon meeting him, desires that all Israel, and the prophets of Baal, might be convened, which was accordingly done, 1Ki 18:17-20, when he expostulated with the people of Israel for their idolatry, mocked and confounded the prophets of Baal, and gave the strongest proofs, to the conviction of the people, that Jehovah is the true God, 1Ki 18:21-39, on which all the prophets of Baal were slain, 1Ki 18:40, and rain in great abundance was given at the prayer of the prophet, 1Ki 18:41-46.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Kings 17:1; Luke 4:25; James 5:17
• 2. Deuteronomy 28:12
• 3. 1 Kings 16:9
• 4. Nehemiah 7:2; Job 28:28
• 5. 1 Kings 18:13
• 6. Matthew 10:40-42
• 7. 2 Kings 1:6-8

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "revered"
• [b]. Lit "cut off"
• [c]. Lit "cut off"
• [d]. Lit "pass through"
• [e]. Lit "to meet"