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Monday, August 25th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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Read the Bible

Complete Jewish Bible

1 Kings 18:9

‘Ovadyah replied, "How have I sinned, that you would hand your servant over to Ach'av to kill me?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Doubting;   Elijah;   Obadiah;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Carmel;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Obadiah;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Gods and Goddesses, Pagan;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Hospitality;   Zeal;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Shalman;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Kings, 1 and 2;   Obadiah;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ahab;   Carmel;   Elijah;   Haggai;   Obadiah;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Obadiah ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Mount carmel;   Obadiah;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Elijah;   Jezebel;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Obadi'ah;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Israel;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Obadiah;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But Obadiah said, “What sin have I committed, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to put me to death?
Hebrew Names Version
He said, Wherein have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ach'av, to kill me?
King James Version
And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?
English Standard Version
And he said, "How have I sinned, that you would give your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?
New Century Version
Then Obadiah said, "What wrong have I done for you to hand me over to Ahab like this? He will put me to death.
New English Translation
Obadiah said, "What sin have I committed that you are ready to hand your servant over to Ahab for execution?
Amplified Bible
But he said, "What sin have I committed, that you would hand over your servant to Ahab to put me to death?
New American Standard Bible
But he said, "What sin have I committed, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab, to put me to death?
Geneva Bible (1587)
And he said, What haue I sinned, that thou wouldest deliuer thy seruant into the hande of Ahab, to slay me?
Legacy Standard Bible
And he said, "What sin have I committed, that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab to put me to death?
Contemporary English Version
Obadiah replied: King Ahab would kill me if I told him that. And I haven't even done anything wrong.
Darby Translation
And he said, What have I sinned, that thou givest thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to put me to death?
Easy-to-Read Version
Obadiah said, "If I tell Ahab that I know where you are, he will kill me! I have done nothing wrong to you. Why do you want me to die?
George Lamsa Translation
And Obadiah said, What sin have I committed, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?
Good News Translation
Obadiah answered, "What have I done that you want to put me in danger of being killed by King Ahab?
Lexham English Bible
He said, "How have I sinned that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab to kill me?
Literal Translation
And he said, What have I sinned, that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab to kill me?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But he sayde: What haue I offended, that thou wilt delyuer thy seruaunt in to the handes of Achab, that he maye slaye me?
American Standard Version
And he said, Wherein have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?
Bible in Basic English
And he said, What sin have I done, that you would give up your servant into the hand of Ahab, and be the cause of my death?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
He saide: What haue I sinned, that thou wouldest delyuer thy seruaunt into the hande of Ahab, to slay me?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he said: 'Wherein have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?
King James Version (1611)
And he said, What haue I sinned, that thou wouldest deliuer thy seruant into the hand of Ahab, to slay mee?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Abdiu said, What sin have I committed, that thou givest thy servant into the hand of Achaab to slay me?
English Revised Version
And he said, Wherein have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?
Berean Standard Bible
But Obadiah replied, "How have I sinned, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to put me to death?
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Abdie seide, What `synnede Y, for thou bitakist me in the hond of Achab, that he sle me?
Young's Literal Translation
And he saith, `What have I sinned, that thou art giving thy servant into the hand of Ahab -- to put me to death?
Update Bible Version
And he said, Wherein have I sinned, that you would deliver your slave into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?
Webster's Bible Translation
And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab to slay me?
World English Bible
He said, Wherein have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?
New King James Version
So he said, "How have I sinned, that you are delivering your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?
New Living Translation
"Oh, sir," Obadiah protested, "what harm have I done to you that you are sending me to my death at the hands of Ahab?
New Life Bible
Obadiah said, "What sin have I done? Why are you giving your servant into the hand of Ahab to be killed?
New Revised Standard
And he said, "How have I sinned, that you would hand your servant over to Ahab, to kill me?
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he said - How have I sinned, - that, thou, art delivering thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to put me to death?
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said: What have I sinned, that thou wouldst deliver me, thy servant, into the hand of Achab, that he should kill me?
Revised Standard Version
And he said, "Wherein have I sinned, that you would give your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?
THE MESSAGE
Obadiah said, "But what have I done to deserve this? Ahab will kill me. As surely as your God lives, there isn't a country or kingdom where my master hasn't sent out search parties looking for you. And if they said, ‘We can't find him; we've looked high and low,' he would make that country or kingdom swear that you were not to be found. And now you're telling me, ‘Go and tell your master Elijah's found!' The minute I leave you the Spirit of God will whisk you away to who knows where. Then when I report to Ahab, you'll have disappeared and Ahab will kill me. And I've served God devoutly since I was a boy! Hasn't anyone told you what I did when Jezebel was out to kill the prophets of God , how I risked my life by hiding a hundred of them, fifty to a cave, and made sure they got food and water? And now you're telling me to draw attention to myself by announcing to my master, ‘Elijah's been found.' Why, he'll kill me for sure."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
He said, "What sin have I committed, that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab to put me to death?

Contextual Overview

1 A long time passed. Then, in the third year, the word of Adonai came to Eliyahu: "Go, present yourself to Ach'av, and I will send rain down on the land." 2 When Eliyahu went to present himself to Ach'av, the famine in Shomron had become severe. 3 Ach'av called ‘Ovadyah, who was in charge of the palace. Now ‘Ovadyah greatly revered Adonai ; 4 for example, when Izevel was murdering Adonai 's prophets, ‘Ovadyah took a hundred prophets, hid them in two caves, fifty in each, and supplied them with food and water. 5 Ach'av said to ‘Ovadyah, "Go throughout the land, and check all the springs and vadis; maybe we can find grass somewhere, so that we can keep the horses and mules alive and not lose all the animals." 6 So they divided between them the territory to be visited; Ach'av went one way by himself, and ‘Ovadyah went another way by himself. 7 ‘Ovadyah was on the road when suddenly Eliyahu encountered him. ‘Ovadyah recognized him, fell on his face and said, "Is it really you, my lord Eliyahu?" 8 He answered, "Yes, it is I; go, tell your master, ‘Eliyahu is here.'" 9 ‘Ovadyah replied, "How have I sinned, that you would hand your servant over to Ach'av to kill me? 10 As Adonai your God lives, there can't be a single nation or kingdom where my master hasn't sent to search you out; and in each kingdom or nation where they said, ‘He isn't here,' he made them take an oath that they hadn't found you.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

What have I sinned: 1 Kings 18:12, 1 Kings 17:18, Exodus 5:21

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 16:2 - How can I go 2 Kings 4:16 - do not lie Acts 9:13 - Lord

Cross-References

Genesis 4:9
Adonai said to Kayin, "Where is Hevel your brother?" And he replied, "I don't know; am I my brother's guardian?"
Genesis 24:67
Then Yitz'chak brought her into his mother Sarah's tent and took Rivkah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. Thus was Yitz'chak comforted for the loss of his mother.
Genesis 31:33
Lavan went into Ya‘akov's tent, then into Le'ah's tent and into the tent of the two slave-girls; but he did not find them. He left Le'ah's tent and entered Rachel's tent.
Titus 2:5
to be self-controlled and pure, to take good care of their homes and submit to their husbands. In this way, God's message will not be brought into disgrace.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said, what have I sinned,.... Or in what have I offended God or his prophet, that revenge should be taken on me in this way:

that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab to slay me? for that he supposed would be the consequence of it, as he argues and more plainly expresses his sense in the following words.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Obadiah thinks that to execute this commission will be fatal to him 1 Kings 18:12.


 
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