1 Kings 18:16 kjv
So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
1 Kings 18:16 nkjv
So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
1 Kings 18:16 niv
So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
1 Kings 18:16 esv
So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him. And Ahab went to meet Elijah.
1 Kings 18:16 nlt
So Obadiah went to tell Ahab that Elijah had come, and Ahab went out to meet Elijah.
1 Kings 18 16 Cross References
(H2)
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kgs 18:3 | Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly. | Obadiah's character of genuine reverence for Yahweh despite serving Ahab. |
| 1 Kgs 18:8 | “Go, tell your master, ‘Elijah is here.’” | Elijah's specific instruction to Obadiah, leading directly to this verse's action. |
| 1 Kgs 18:15 | As the LORD of hosts lives...I will surely show myself to him today. | Elijah's powerful assurance overcoming Obadiah's fears, guaranteeing the meeting. |
| Prov 21:1 | The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will. | Illustrates God's sovereign control over powerful rulers, enabling Ahab to meet Elijah. |
| Dan 2:21 | He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings... | God's ultimate authority over earthly leaders, moving Ahab for His purposes. |
| 1 Kgs 17:1 | As the LORD...lives...there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word. | The preceding prophecy that initiated the severe drought and the king's desperation for rain. |
| Deut 11:16-17 | Beware lest your heart be deceived...and he shut up the heavens, so that there be no rain. | Explains the divine judgment of drought for Israel's idolatry, prompting the conflict. |
| Jas 5:17-18 | Elijah was a man with a nature like ours...prayed fervently...it did not rain for three years and six months. | New Testament reference confirming the duration and power of Elijah's prayer regarding the drought. |
| 1 Kgs 18:17 | When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?” | The immediate verbal confrontation that follows, revealing Ahab's perspective. |
| 1 Kgs 18:21 | How long will you hesitate between two opinions?...if Baal, then follow him. | Elijah's direct challenge at Carmel, prepared by this meeting, calling for decisive faith. |
| Deut 18:18 | I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. | Elijah's prophetic office fulfills the Deuteronomic promise of a prophet from Yahweh. |
| Lk 1:17 | He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah... | John the Baptist, operating in a similar prophetic anointing to confront apostasy and prepare the way. |
| Acts 5:29 | We must obey God rather than men. | Obadiah’s obedience to God’s prophet despite the potential danger from the king. |
| Gen 12:4 | So Abram went, as the LORD had told him, and Lot went with him. | An example of immediate and faithful obedience to a divine command, similar to Obadiah's. |
| Josh 24:15 | ...as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. | Reflects Obadiah's choice to serve Yahweh even amidst widespread idolatry in Ahab's court. |
| Ps 115:4-8 | Their idols are silver and gold...those who make them become like them. | A foundational theological statement against the futility of idols, core to the Carmel showdown. |
| Isa 44:9-20 | All who fashion idols are nothing, and their favored things do not profit... | Expounds on the worthlessness of man-made gods, which Ahab promoted, against Yahweh's power. |
| Jer 10:1-16 | ...learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens... | Condemns reliance on pagan deities and practices, paralleling Baal worship confronted here. |
| Rom 12:2 | Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind... | Highlights the call to resist the pressures of a corrupted society, exemplified by Obadiah. |
| Matt 6:24 | No one can serve two masters... | Obadiah navigates the challenging position of serving an evil king while remaining loyal to Yahweh. |
| 1 Jn 4:4 | ...He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. | The triumph of Yahweh's prophet and power over the evil reign of Ahab and Baal. |
| Zech 4:6 | Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. | Underscores that the ultimate confrontation and victory is by divine power, not human effort. |
| Phil 2:14 | Do all things without grumbling or disputing... | Obadiah's swift, compliant action despite his fears and the inherent dangers. |
| Heb 11:6 | And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists | Obadiah’s courage in delivering the message is rooted in his underlying faith in Yahweh. |
| Mic 6:8 | He has told you, O man, what is good...to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God. | Obadiah's upright conduct is consistent with Yahweh's requirements, contrasting Ahab's wickedness. |
1 Kings 18 verses
1 Kings 18 16 Meaning
(H2)
This verse serves as a crucial transition point in the biblical narrative, marking the culmination of Elijah's command and Obadiah's compliance, which directly sets the stage for the dramatic confrontation between Yahweh's prophet and the apostate king Ahab on Mount Carmel. It describes Obadiah’s swift and obedient report to King Ahab concerning Elijah’s presence, followed by Ahab’s immediate departure to meet the prophet, thus orchestrating a divinely appointed encounter after a long period of separation and severe drought.
1 Kings 18 16 Context
(H2)
1 Kings chapter 18 opens with a severe drought and famine gripping Samaria, a divine judgment in response to King Ahab and Queen Jezebel's pervasive promotion of Baal worship throughout Israel. After three and a half years, God commands Elijah, His prophet, to reappear and "show himself" to Ahab, promising to send rain. This sets the stage for the dramatic showdown on Mount Carmel. Before directly confronting Ahab, Elijah instructs Obadiah, a devout Yahweh-fearer and loyal steward in Ahab’s house, to inform the king of his return. Obadiah, though greatly fearing Ahab's retribution (as he had been searching for Elijah for years and killing prophets), finally assents after Elijah gives a solemn oath that he will indeed appear. Verse 16 describes the pivotal action where Obadiah conveys Elijah's message, leading directly to the long-anticipated meeting between the two figures. This encounter is not a casual meeting but a deliberate, divinely orchestrated step towards the demonstration of Yahweh’s supremacy over Baal.
1 Kings 18 16 Word analysis
(H2)
- So (וַיֵּלֶךְ, vayyélekh): The Hebrew waw consecutive (a common conjunction, "and" but implies sequence/consequence) signals an immediate and direct continuation of the narrative from the preceding verse. It highlights Obadiah's prompt obedience and fulfillment of Elijah's command. This indicates a direct cause-and-effect relationship, moving the narrative forward swiftly.
- Obadiah (עֹבַדְיָהוּ, Ovadyahu): Meaning "Servant of Yahweh." This name stands in stark contrast to his literal service under King Ahab, the most prominent promoter of Baal worship. The name is a significant theological statement, emphasizing his underlying spiritual loyalty to the true God, a detail explicitly noted in 1 Kings 18:3 ("Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly").
- went to meet (לִקְרַאת, lik'rat): This phrase indicates a purposeful movement towards a designated encounter, not a chance meeting. It signifies a face-to-face confrontation, signaling the seriousness and intent of the meeting. The identical phrase is used for Ahab going to meet Elijah, emphasizing the parallel, direct nature of both encounters.
- Ahab (אַחְאָב, Ach'av): "Father's brother" or "Brother of the father." The wicked king of Israel, notorious for his idolatry, particularly the promotion of Baal alongside his Phoenician wife, Jezebel. His appearance signifies the confrontation of political power and apostasy with divine authority.
- and told him (וַיַּגֶּד־לוֹ, vayyaged-lo): From the Hebrew root nagad, meaning "to declare, inform, report." This is more than a casual mention; it implies the conveying of a vital and specific message: Elijah's presence and readiness to confront Ahab. This act of reporting directly fulfills Elijah's instruction.
- and Ahab went (וַיֵּלֶךְ אַחְאָב, vayyélekh Ach'av): The repetition of "and went" (vayyélekh) highlights Ahab’s immediate response and compliance. That Ahab himself went, rather than sending his chariots or messengers, indicates the desperate gravity of the situation (the drought) and the implicit authority of Elijah's message. Ahab, the powerful king, is compelled to move according to a prophet's word.
- to meet Elijah (לִקְרַאת אֵלִיָּֽהוּ׃, lik'rat Eliyyahu): The continued use of "to meet" reiterates the intentionality of this critical rendezvous. The name Elijah (אֵלִיָּֽהוּ, Eliyyahu) means "My God is Yahweh." This name is itself a polemic against Baal worship, powerfully declaring the identity of the one true God right before the decisive showdown at Carmel. His presence compels Ahab to a divine reckoning.
1 Kings 18 16 Bonus section
(H2)
- God working through unlikely means: The selection of Obadiah, a chief steward in Ahab's pagan household, to convey the message highlights God's ability to use unexpected agents in surprising places to accomplish His purposes, even within enemy territory.
- Significance of Names: The names in this verse (Obadiah: "Servant of Yahweh"; Elijah: "My God is Yahweh"; Ahab: "Brother of the Father," suggesting earthly kinship/power) are loaded with theological meaning, implicitly reinforcing the central conflict between the worship of the true God and the false god Baal, and the ultimate victory of Yahweh.
- Dramatic Tension: This verse is a masterstroke in biblical storytelling, resolving the narrative tension of whether Obadiah would comply and whether Ahab would actually respond. Its directness leads to the epic Mount Carmel contest, emphasizing that the confrontation was not by chance, but by divine appointment.
- Yahweh's Summons: This verse signifies Ahab being "summoned" by Yahweh through Elijah, rather than Ahab being in control. Despite Ahab’s perception of Elijah as the “troubler,” he is forced into a meeting that sets the stage for Yahweh to definitively demonstrate His power.
1 Kings 18 16 Commentary
(H2)
1 Kings 18:16 serves as the narrative hinge, pivoting the story from the tension of Obadiah's apprehension to the direct confrontation between good and evil, truth and idolatry. It showcases the divine orchestration that brings God's will to pass: a faithful, though fearful, servant delivers the message, compelling the powerful, yet vulnerable, king to heed. This moment highlights God's sovereignty, as He uses a humble prophet to summon an evil king, even amidst his defiant promotion of Baal. The speed of the actions – Obadiah going, telling, and Ahab immediately going to meet Elijah – emphasizes the urgency and destiny embedded in the divine plan. The encounter is inevitable, fulfilling God's declared purpose through His prophet. It illustrates that even powerful human systems and leaders ultimately bow to the divine agenda, whether they acknowledge it or not.