This document is about Obadiah (official of King Ahab). For other homonyms, please refer to the Obadiah document. Obadiah was an official in the palace of the Northern Kingdom of Israel during the time of Ahab (King of Israel). When Jezebel was killing the prophets of Yahweh, he risked his life to hide a hundred prophets in a cave and provided them with food and water, saving them. Nevertheless, as a royal official, while searching for a water source, he met Elijah (prophet) and delivered news of him to King Ahab.
1 Kings 18:1Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria.1 Kings 18:2Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly;1 Kings 18:3for when Jezebel cut off Yahweh’s prophets, Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)1 Kings 18:4Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land, to all the springs of water, and to all the brooks. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we not lose all the animals.”1 Kings 18:5So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.1 Kings 18:6As Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him. He recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?”1 Kings 18:7He answered him, “It is I. Go, tell your lord, ‘Behold, Elijah is here!’ ”1 Kings 18:8He said, “How have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?1 Kings 18:9As Yahweh your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent to seek you. When they said, ‘He is not here,’ he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they didn’t find you.1 Kings 18:10Now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here.” ’1 Kings 18:11It will happen, as soon as I leave you, that Yahweh’s Spirit will carry you I don’t know where; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he can’t find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared Yahweh from my youth.1 Kings 18:12Wasn’t it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed Yahweh’s prophets, how I hid one hundred men of Yahweh’s prophets with fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water?1 Kings 18:13Now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here”.’ He will kill me.”1 Kings 18:14Elijah said, “As Yahweh of Armies lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.”1 Kings 18:15So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.1 Kings 18:16When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?”