In brief
Obadiah is the head of King Ahab's household, in the time of the prophet Elijah. The Bible says he feared the Lord greatly. When Jezebel destroys the prophets of the Lord, he hides a hundred of them in a cave and feeds them with bread and water. During the great drought he meets Elijah, who sends him to announce his coming to Ahab. Despite his fear, he obeys, and this meeting prepares the confrontation on Mount Carmel.
What does the name Obadiah Ahab's Steward mean?
The name Obadiah is generally understood as servant of the Lord. This steward should not be confused with the prophet Obadiah, author of the book that bears that name: nothing in the Bible indicates that they are the same person.
The story of Obadiah Ahab's Steward
A man who feared the Lord
1 Kings 18:3-4Obadiah is the head of the household of Ahab, a king who serves Baal. Yet the account states that Obadiah feared the Lord greatly. When Jezebel destroys the prophets of the Lord, he takes a hundred prophets, hides them fifty at a time in a cave, and feeds them with bread and water, while famine strikes the land.
Looking for grass
1 Kings 18:1-2, 5-6The famine is severe in Samaria, in the third year of the drought. Ahab sends Obadiah through the land to the springs and the brooks to find grass and keep the horses and mules alive. The king and his steward divide the land between them: each goes alone by a different road.
The meeting with Elijah
1 Kings 18:7-8On the way, Obadiah meets Elijah. He recognizes him, falls on his face, and asks if it is really him, his lord Elijah. The prophet simply answers that it is, and gives him a task: go and tell his master that Elijah is here. For Obadiah the order is dreadful, because Ahab is searching for the prophet everywhere.
The fear of a faithful servant
1 Kings 18:9-14Obadiah fears for his life. Ahab has had Elijah searched for among all the nations; if the Spirit of the Lord carries the prophet elsewhere, the king will kill him. He recalls that he has feared the Lord since his youth and that he hid a hundred prophets. He does not refuse the mission: he honestly states his fear.
Obedience
1 Kings 18:15-16Elijah swears by the Lord of hosts, whom he serves, that he will present himself before Ahab that very day. On this word Obadiah goes to meet Ahab and informs him. Ahab goes to meet Elijah, and this meeting opens the way to the test on Mount Carmel, where the Lord answers by fire.
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What Obadiah Ahab's Steward teaches us
- We can remain faithful to God in the midst of a hostile environment, without denying our faith.
- The fear of the Lord shows itself in concrete actions, such as protecting and feeding those who are persecuted.
- God can place his servants in unexpected positions to preserve his people.
- Admitting fear is not a lack of faith when we finally choose to obey the word of God.
Key verses
In the house of an idolatrous king, Obadiah fears the Lord greatly and hides a hundred prophets. His faith does not stay locked in his heart: it becomes concrete protection for those Jezebel wanted to put to death.
Obadiah recalls that he has feared the Lord since his youth. This is a long-standing faithfulness. His fear of God was not born in the crisis: it had been cultivated for a long time.
Elijah answers Obadiah's fear with an oath in the name of the Lord of hosts. The word of the living God is enough to reassure the one he sends.
Sermons about Obadiah Ahab's Steward
Frequently asked questions
Who was Obadiah, Ahab's steward?
Obadiah was the head of King Ahab's household, in the time of Elijah. Despite serving an idolatrous king, he feared the Lord greatly. He hid a hundred prophets during Jezebel's persecution and was sent by Elijah to announce the prophet's coming to Ahab (1 Kings 18:3-16).
Is Obadiah the steward the same as the prophet Obadiah?
The Bible does not identify them. The prophet Obadiah is the author of the short book that bears his name and speaks mainly about Edom; its date is not specified there. Ahab's steward lived in the time of Elijah. The name, meaning servant of the Lord, was borne by several people in the Old Testament.
Where is the story of Obadiah found in the Bible?
His whole story is found in 1 Kings 18:1-16, at the beginning of the account leading to the confrontation between Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Verses 3-4 and 13 report that he hid a hundred prophets of the Lord.