1 Kings 18 14

1 Kings 18:14 kjv

And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me.

1 Kings 18:14 nkjv

And now you say, 'Go, tell your master, "Elijah is here." ' He will kill me!"

1 Kings 18:14 niv

And now you tell me to go to my master and say, 'Elijah is here.' He will kill me!"

1 Kings 18:14 esv

And now you say, 'Go, tell your lord, "Behold, Elijah is here"'; and he will kill me."

1 Kings 18:14 nlt

And now you say, 'Go and tell your master, "Elijah is here."' Sir, if I do that, Ahab will certainly kill me."

1 Kings 18 verses

1 Kings 18 14 Meaning

This verse captures Obadiah’s fearful apprehension and Elijah’s decisive command at a critical juncture in the confrontation between Yahweh and Baal worship in Israel. Obadiah, a faithful servant of Yahweh working in King Ahab's idolatrous court, questions the certainty of Elijah's continued presence. He fears that Elijah, whom he has seen vanish suddenly before, will disappear again by the Spirit of the Lord, leaving Obadiah vulnerable to King Ahab's wrath for seemingly making a false report. Elijah's firm response overrides Obadiah's doubts, directly instructing him to inform Ahab of his definite presence, setting the stage for the dramatic showdown on Mount Carmel. It underscores the prophet's confidence in his divine commission, overcoming human fear and doubt.

1 Kings 18 14 Context

This verse occurs during a severe three-and-a-half-year drought and famine in Israel, divinely sent as judgment for King Ahab and Queen Jezebel's pervasive state-sponsored worship of Baal. Elijah, who had previously prophesied the drought, now reappears after hiding for a significant period. He meets Obadiah, the manager of Ahab’s palace, who is a devout Yahweh-worshiper secretly protecting a hundred of God's prophets from Jezebel’s persecution. Elijah commands Obadiah to inform Ahab of his return. Obadiah, despite his faith, is terrified, not of Elijah, but of King Ahab's murderous nature and his own death if Elijah were to supernaturally vanish (as he sometimes did, according to tradition or prior experience in 1 Kings 18:12), making Obadiah appear to be mocking or deceiving the king. This fear stems from the volatile and life-threatening political climate created by Ahab and Jezebel, where loyalty to Yahweh was punishable by death. Elijah's reply here is meant to definitively put an end to Obadiah's fears and hesitation, asserting his immediate and undeniable presence to precipitate the decisive confrontation with the prophets of Baal.

1 Kings 18 14 Word analysis

• "And he said,"

  • This refers to Obadiah, emphasizing his vocalized apprehension in response to Elijah's command. It sets up the immediate verbal exchange.

• "How can I know that?" / "How can I know it?"

  • Original Hebrew: אֵיךְ אֵדַע אֹתוֹ ('eykh 'eda' 'otow)
  • אֵיךְ ('eykh): "How?" - Expresses a deep sense of doubt, perplexity, and the practical impossibility of verifying Elijah's continued presence.
  • אֵדַע ('eda'): "I will know/I can know" - From the verb יָדַע (yadaʿ), "to know." It is in the imperfect tense, conveying not just a lack of current knowledge, but an uncertainty about future or ongoing certainty regarding Elijah's being "here" when Obadiah returns to Ahab. It highlights Obadiah's past experience with Elijah's supernatural transport (mentioned in verse 12) as a practical problem.
  • אֹתוֹ ('otow): "It/him" - Refers to Elijah's stable and predictable presence. Obadiah's fear is precisely that he cannot guarantee this stability for King Ahab.
  • Significance: This isn't defiance, but a very human, understandable fear born of survival in a tyrannical, persecuting regime. It contrasts sharply with Elijah's confident, divinely-backed instruction.

• "Go, tell your lord,"

  • Original Hebrew: לֵךְ אֱמֹר לַאדֹנֶיךָ (lekh 'emor la'doneykha)
  • לֵךְ (lekh): "Go!" - An imperative, direct command, conveying urgency and absolute authority.
  • אֱמֹר ('emor): "Tell!" - Another imperative, stressing the communication task.
  • לַאדֹנֶיךָ (la'doneykha): "To your lord" - Refers to King Ahab. Obadiah's official position under Ahab is acknowledged, emphasizing the established hierarchy, even as Elijah transcends it by divine authority. It specifies the recipient of the message.
  • Significance: Elijah bypasses Obadiah's detailed fears, offering no explanation for his stability, but simply an emphatic directive to obey the divine command. The confrontation is inevitable.

• "Behold, Elijah is here!"

  • Original Hebrew: הִנֵּה אֵלִיָּהוּ
  • הִנֵּה (hinneh): "Behold!" or "Look!" or "Here!" - An emphatic particle often used to draw attention to an immediate or impending situation, or to introduce something new and striking. It asserts the presence as a firm reality. It counters Obadiah's doubt about Elijah's fleeting nature with a declaration of his concrete presence.
  • אֵלִיָּהוּ ('Eliyyahu): "Elijah" - "My God is Yahweh" or "Yahweh is my God." The name itself is a theological statement, serving as a powerful counter-assertion against the claims of Baal, whose very presence and authority Elijah is challenging. His arrival signals God's decisive intervention.
  • Significance: This is the core message Elijah wants delivered. It's concise, absolute, and confrontational. It leaves no room for Obadiah's skepticism, declaring God's chosen instrument to be physically and powerfully present for the showdown. It is an affirmation of Yahweh's presence through His prophet.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "How can I know that? Go, tell your lord,": This phrase perfectly encapsulates the tension between Obadiah's practical, self-preservation instinct rooted in fear, and Elijah's unyielding, divinely-empowered authority. Obadiah’s "How can I know?" expresses human limitation and fear, while Elijah's "Go, tell" expresses divine imperative.
  • "Behold, Elijah is here!": This climactic declaration is potent. It’s not "I might be here," or "I hope to be here." It’s a definite, undeniable statement of presence that precipitates a clash of worldviews and spiritual powers. The emphasis on "Behold!" coupled with Elijah’s name (My God is Yahweh) effectively states that Yahweh is actively present and acting through His prophet in that specific location, ready for the confrontation.

1 Kings 18 14 Bonus section

• Divine Timing: The very directness of Elijah's command ("Behold, Elijah is here!") underscores that this is God's appointed moment. Elijah is not appearing by chance or personal whim, but at Yahweh's precise timing for a decisive public intervention.
• Prophetic Certainty: While Obadiah faces uncertainties, Elijah, acting under divine commission, possesses an unshakeable certainty. This reflects a core aspect of true prophetic ministry: conveying God's will with absolute clarity and authority.
• Testing of Obedience: Obadiah's interaction is a test of his obedience, despite very legitimate fears. It demonstrates that faith often requires action even when circumstances are perilous and logical outcomes appear bleak. Obadiah chooses obedience, proving his deeper allegiance to Yahweh despite his fear of Ahab.

1 Kings 18 14 Commentary

1 Kings 18:14 illustrates the stark contrast between human apprehension and divine resolve. Obadiah's fear is logical and deeply rooted in his dangerous reality: he fears a king who executes innocent people and the supernatural mobility of the prophet Elijah. This fear is not faithless per se, but born of self-preservation in extreme duress. However, Elijah cuts through this practical anxiety with a single, unyielding command: "Go, tell your lord, ‘Behold, Elijah is here!’” This declaration asserts his undeniable presence and the fixed reality of Yahweh's action. There is no negotiation, no lengthy explanation of how Elijah will ensure he stays put. The prophet, empowered by God, has reached the appointed time for confrontation. This terse directive pushes Obadiah beyond his understandable human limitations, compelling him to deliver the message that will set in motion the defining demonstration of Yahweh’s sovereignty against Baal worship. It signifies the shift from God's hidden work (Elijah in hiding) to His open manifestation of power.