Has it not been told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD, how I hid a hundred men of the LORD’s prophets by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Obadiah’s question to Elijah isn't just about survival; it reveals a deep-seated fear that he'll be blamed for Elijah's disappearance, just as Jezebel brutally punished those who opposed her. He highlights how he saved them—by fifties in a cave, with provisions—stressing the care and risk involved, not just the number. This shows his own courage and desperate loyalty, even as he trembles before the prophet.
Has it not been told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD, how I hid a hundred men of the LORD’s prophets by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Obadiah, a devout follower of God in King Ahab’s court, is desperately trying to avoid Elijah. He has just encountered the prophet, who has commanded him to go tell Ahab that Elijah is ready to face him. Obadiah is terrified, recounting how Jezebel brutally murdered God's prophets, and he fears Elijah will be killed and he’ll be blamed.
When the world screams for conformity, where do you find the courage to obey God? Obadiah's risky actions offer a powerful example.
Obadiah, a high official in Ahab's court, risked everything to obey God. He defied Queen Jezebel's brutal persecution of prophets by hiding and feeding them in secret.
The Cost of Discipleship
Serving God doesn't mean escaping difficult circumstances, but faithfully living within them. Obadiah's story shows us how.
Obadiah was in a precarious position, serving King Ahab, a notoriously wicked ruler, and his even more wicked wife, Jezebel. Yet, his faith wasn't extinguished by his environment.
Navigating a Corrupt World
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Understand the original words
nabi' · Hebrew Noun
Those called by God to speak His message to His people, often acting as His mouthpieces during times of spiritual crisis or national turning points.
Obadiah's courageous act of hiding the prophets wasn't just a rescue mission; it was an act of preserving the faithful remnant of Israel during a time of intense, state-sponsored religious persecution.
c. 874-853 BC
Reign of Ahab and Jezebel
King Ahab married Jezebel, a princess from Sidon, who aggressively promoted the worship of Baal and Asherah throughout Israel, persecuting those who remained faithful to the LORD.
c. 870 BC— this verse
Jezebel's Purge of Prophets
Driven by her zealous devotion to Baal, Jezebel ordered a brutal massacre of the prophets of the LORD. This event created a climate of extreme danger for faithful Israelites.
c. 870 BC
Obadiah Hides Prophets
In defiance of Jezebel's decree, Obadiah, a devout official in Ahab's household, risked his life to secretly shelter and feed 100 prophets of the LORD in two caves.
c. 860 BC
Elijah Confronts Ahab
Following years of drought and famine, Elijah, the prophet of the LORD, dramatically reappears to challenge the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, leading to their defeat and death.
This passage directly precedes the verse, showing Obadiah's actions as a response to Jezebel's persecution, highlighting his role in preserving God's prophets.
1 Kings 18:22This verse sets up Elijah's bold challenge to the prophets of Baal, providing the larger context of spiritual conflict during which Obadiah's faithfulness is revealed.
Hebrews 11:35-38This passage in Hebrews lists the severe persecutions endured by faithful believers, which includes similar experiences of hiding and suffering, paralleling the danger Obadiah faced.
Jeremiah 38:6-13This account shows Ebed-Melech, an Ethiopian eunuch, rescuing the prophet Jeremiah from a cistern, demonstrating another instance of an official acting courageously to save a prophet from death.
Obadiah’s question to Elijah isn't just about survival; it reveals a deep-seated fear that he'll be blamed for Elijah's disappearance, just as Jezebel brutally punished those who opposed her. He highlights how he saved them—by fifties in a cave, with provisions—stressing the care and risk involved, not just the number. This shows his own courage and desperate loyalty, even as he trembles before the prophet.
Obadiah, a devout follower of God in King Ahab’s court, is desperately trying to avoid Elijah. He has just encountered the prophet, who has commanded him to go tell Ahab that Elijah is ready to face him. Obadiah is terrified, recounting how Jezebel brutally murdered God's prophets, and he fears Elijah will be killed and he’ll be blamed.
Obadiah, a devout follower of God in King Ahab’s court, is desperately trying to avoid Elijah. He has just encountered the prophet, who has commanded him to go tell Ahab that Elijah is ready to face him. Obadiah is terrified, recounting how Jezebel brutally murdered God's prophets, and he fears Elijah will be killed and he’ll be blamed.
"Has it not been told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD, how I hid a hundred men of the LORD’s prophets by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water?" — Obadiah’s question to Elijah isn't just about survival; it reveals a deep-seated fear that he'll be blamed for Elijah's disappearance, just as Jezebel brutally punished those who opposed her. He high…
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Last reviewed October 2026