1 Kings 18:3

THE MESSAGE

Ahab called for Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. Obadiah feared God —he was very devout. 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.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Ahab called for Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. Obadiah was a man who greatly feared the Lord

Hebrew Names Version
Ach'av called `Ovadyah, who was over the household. (Now `Ovadyah feared the LORD greatly:

King James Version
And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly:

English Standard Version
And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly,

New Century Version
King Ahab sent for Obadiah, who was in charge of the king's palace. (Obadiah was a true follower of the Lord .

New English Translation
So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who supervised the palace. (Now Obadiah was a very loyal follower of the Lord .

Amplified Bible
Ahab called Obadiah who was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly;

New American Standard Bible
Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the household. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly;

Geneva Bible (1587)
And Ahab called Obadiah the gouernour of his house: (and Obadiah feared God greatly:

Legacy Standard Bible
And Ahab called Obadiah who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly.

Contemporary English Version
At that time Obadiah was in charge of Ahab's palace, but he faithfully worshiped the Lord . In fact, when Jezebel was trying to kill the Lord 's prophets, Obadiah hid one hundred of them in two caves and gave them food and water. Ahab sent for Obadiah

Complete Jewish Bible
Ach'av called ‘Ovadyah, who was in charge of the palace. Now ‘Ovadyah greatly revered Adonai ;

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

Easy-to-Read Version
So King Ahab told Obadiah to come to him. Obadiah was the man in charge of the king's palace. (Obadiah was a true follower of the Lord .

George Lamsa Translation
And Ahab called Obadiah, who was the steward of his household. (Now Obadiah revered the LORD greatly;

Good News Translation
so Ahab called in Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Obadiah was a devout worshiper of the Lord ,

Lexham English Bible
Ahab summoned Obadiah who was over the house. (Now Obadiah was fearing Yahweh greatly.

Literal Translation
And Ahab called to Obadiah, who was over the house (and Obadiah greatly feared Jehovah;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Achab called Abdia his chefe officer: (As for Abdia, he feared ye LORDE greatly:

American Standard Version
And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared Jehovah greatly:

Bible in Basic English
And Ahab sent for Obadiah, the controller of the king's house. (Now Obadiah had the fear of the Lord before him greatly;

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Ahab called Obadia, which was the gouernour of his house: (and Obadia feared God greatly.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household.--Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly;

King James Version (1611)
And Ahab called Obadiah which was the gouernour of his house: (now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly:

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Achaab called Abdiu the steward. Now Abdiu feared the Lord greatly.

English Revised Version
And Ahab called Obadiah, which was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:

Berean Standard Bible
and Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Now Obadiah greatly feared the LORD,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Achab clepide Abdie, dispendere, ether stiward, of his hows; forsothe Abdie dredde greetli the Lord God of Israel.

Young's Literal Translation
and Ahab calleth unto Obadiah, who [is] over the house -- and Obadiah hath been fearing Jehovah greatly,

Update Bible Version
And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly:

Webster's Bible Translation
And Ahab called Obadiah who [was] the governor of [his] house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:

World English Bible
Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly:

New King James Version
And Ahab had called Obadiah, who was in charge of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly.

New Living Translation
So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Obadiah was a devoted follower of the Lord .

New Life Bible
And Ahab called Obadiah who was the boss over his house. (Now Obadiah had much fear of the Lord.

New Revised Standard
Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Now Obadiah revered the Lord greatly;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Ahab had called for Obadiah, who was over his house. Now, Obadiah, was one who revered Yahweh, exceedingly.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And Achab called Abdias the governor of his house: now Abdias feared the Lord very much.

Revised Standard Version
And Ahab called Obadi'ah, who was over the household. (Now Obadi'ah revered the LORD greatly;

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Ahab called Obadiah who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly;

Contextual Overview

¹A 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." Elijah set out to present himself to Ahab. The drought in Samaria at the time was most severe. ³Ahab called for Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. Obadiah feared God —he was very devout. 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. ⁵Ahab 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." So they divided the country between them for the search—Ahab went one way, Obadiah the other. 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?" ⁸ "Yes," said Elijah, "the real me. Now go and tell your boss, ‘I've seen Elijah.'" ⁹Obadiah 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." ¹⁵ Elijah said, "As surely as God -of-the-Angel-Armies lives, and before whom I take my stand, I'll meet with your master face-to-face this very day." ¹⁶ So Obadiah went straight to Ahab and told him. And Ahab went out to meet Elijah.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Obadiah: Heb. Obadiahu

the governor of his house: Heb. over his house. Genesis 24:2, Genesis 24:10, Genesis 39:4, Genesis 39:5, Genesis 39:9, Genesis 41:40

feared the Lord: 1 Kings 18:12, Genesis 22:12, Genesis 42:18, 2 Kings 4:1, Nehemiah 5:15, Nehemiah 7:2, Proverbs 14:26, Malachi 3:16, Matthew 10:28, Acts 10:2, Acts 10:35

Reciprocal: Exodus 18:21 - such as 1 Kings 18:8 - thy lord Psalms 19:9 - The fear Matthew 10:41 - that receiveth a prophet Matthew 25:17 - he also

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house,.... Perhaps his steward: the Jews m take him to be Obadiah the prophet, who wrote the small prophecy that goes by his name:

(now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly:) who, though he did not go up to Jerusalem to worship, which ceremonial service was dispensed with in him, yet he did not worship the calves, nor Baal, but served the Lord in a spiritual manner.

m T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 39. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Obadiah’s name, “servant of Yahweh,” indicates his religious character. It corresponds to the modern Arabic name Abdallah. Ahab could scarcely have been ignorant of Obadiah’s faithfulness to Yahweh; and it tells in favor of the monarch’s tolerance that he should have maintained an adherent of the old religion in so important an office. There seems to be no doubt that the worst deeds of Ahab’s reign sprang less from his own free will and natural disposition than from the evil counsels, or rather perhaps the imperious requirements, of his wife.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 18:3. Obadiah feared the Lord greatly — He was a sincere and zealous worshipper of the true God, and his conduct towards the persecuted prophets was the full proof both of his piety and humanity.