(1) “And it came to pass after many days, that the word of Jehovah came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. (2) And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. And the famine was sore in Samaria. (3) And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared Jehovah greatly: (4) for 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 fed them with bread and water.) (5) And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go through the land, unto all the fountains of water, and unto all the brooks: peradventure we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts. (6) So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
(7) “And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Is it thou, my lord Elijah? (8) And he answered him, It is I; go, tell my lord, Behold, Elijah is here. (9) And he said, Wherein have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? (10) As Jehovah thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not here, he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not. (11) And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. (12) And it will come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of Jehovah will carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he will slay me: but I thy servant fear Jehovah from my youth. (13) Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of Jehovah, how I hid a hundred men of Jehovah’s prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water? (14) And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here; and he will slay me. (15) And Elijah said, As Jehovah of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him to-day.
(16) “So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.”
Golden Text.— “I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth.” Verse 12.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) After Elijah had sojourned at Zarephath “many days,” what word came to him? What encouraging promise accompanied the command to go to Ahab? Verse 1. (2) How did Elijah respond to the Lord’s command? What was the condition in Samaria at this time? Verse 2. (3) Who was the steward of King Ahab’s household? What was the character of Obadiah? Verse 3. (4) In what manner was his faith specially manifested? Verse 4. (5) What command did the king give to Obadiah? Verse 5. (6) What arrangement was made for a thorough search of the land? Verse 6. (7) As Obadiah went on his mission, whom did he meet? What great respect did he show to the prophet? Verse 7. (8) How did Elijah reply to this salutation? Verse 8. (9) How was Obadiah affected by this request? Verse 9. (10) What diligent search had Ahab made for Elijah? What extreme measures had he adopted? Verse 10. (11) On the strength of this persistent effort, how did Obadiah again refer to Elijah’s request? Verse 11. (12) How did he repeat his prediction of personal disaster? Verse 12. (13) What did Obadiah suppose had been told to Elijah? Verse 13. (14) How would he further impress his suggestion of Elijah’s inconsistent request? Verse 14. (15) What assurance did Elijah then give that he would appear to Ahab? Verse 15. (16) Then what did Obadiah do? How did Ahab prove the report? Verse 16.
