1 Kings 18:3 kjv
And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:
1 Kings 18:3 nkjv
And Ahab had called Obadiah, who was in charge of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly.
1 Kings 18:3 niv
and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his palace administrator. (Obadiah was a devout believer in the LORD.
1 Kings 18:3 esv
And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly,
1 Kings 18:3 nlt
So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Obadiah was a devoted follower of the LORD.
1 Kings 18 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Prov 1:7 | The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge... | Defines true wisdom/knowledge as fearing God. |
| Ps 111:10 | The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom... | Reiterates the foundational nature of God's fear. |
| Deut 10:12 | And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD... | Core demand for obedience and devotion. |
| Ps 34:9 | Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing! | Promises provision to those who fear God. |
| Ps 19:9 | The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever... | Highlights the moral purity and eternality. |
| Jon 1:9 | He answered them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven... | Example of explicit statement of fearing God. |
| 2 Chr 19:9 | ...Thus you shall do in the fear of the LORD... | Fearing God as a guide for action and justice. |
| Gen 39:2-6 | The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man... | God's blessing on a righteous person in a corrupt setting. |
| Neh 1:11 | ...Grant success to your servant today and grant him favor in the sight of this man... | God uses His faithful servants in secular courts. |
| Est 4:14 | ...And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this? | God positions individuals for His purposes. |
| Rom 11:2-5 | ...God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? ...Yet I have reserved 7,000 men for Myself... | God always preserves a faithful remnant. |
| Isa 1:9 | If the LORD of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we would have been like Sodom... | Remnant theology; God's preservation. |
| Acts 5:29 | But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men." | Obedience to God above human authority. |
| Dan 1:8-9 | But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself... | Resolve to obey God amidst a pagan court. |
| Exo 1:17 | But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded... | Fear of God leads to disobedience to evil rulers. |
| Phil 4:13 | I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. | Spiritual strength to persevere in adverse conditions. |
| 1 Pet 2:17 | Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. | Proper priorities in civil and spiritual life. |
| Prov 23:17 | Let not your heart envy sinners, but continue at all times in the fear of the LORD. | Fearing God as an antidote to envy/apostasy. |
| Eccl 12:13 | The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. | Summary of human responsibility to God. |
| 1 Kgs 19:10 | He said, “I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts, for the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant..." | Elijah's lament about perceived isolation. |
1 Kings 18 verses
1 Kings 18 3 Meaning
1 Kings 18:3 introduces Obadiah, a high-ranking official in King Ahab's corrupt administration, characterized by his profound and unwavering devotion to the LORD. This verse establishes him as a unique figure within the deeply idolatrous environment of the Israelite monarchy under Ahab and Jezebel, highlighting his fervent faith amidst widespread apostasy.
1 Kings 18 3 Context
First Kings 18:3 is set during a severe three-and-a-half-year drought and famine that God brought upon Israel as judgment for their rampant idolatry, particularly under King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, who championed Baal worship. Elijah, having declared the famine in 1 Kings 17, is now commanded by God to show himself to Ahab (1 Kgs 18:1). Before this climactic confrontation, the narrative introduces Obadiah, Ahab's chief steward. This immediate introduction of a devout follower of Yahweh within Ahab's deeply apostate court serves to establish a stark moral contrast and to set the stage for Obadiah's crucial role in protecting God's prophets, demonstrating that even in the darkest spiritual times, God maintains a faithful remnant. The previous chapters have detailed Ahab's wickedness (1 Kgs 16:30-33) and Jezebel's persecution of the LORD's prophets (1 Kgs 18:4), making Obadiah's piety remarkable and dangerous.
1 Kings 18 3 Word analysis
- And Ahab: (וְאַחְאָב, ve'ach'av) King of Israel, renowned for his wickedness and promoting Baal worship (1 Kgs 16:30). The conjunction 'And' smoothly continues the narrative flow from the preceding verses detailing the severe drought.
- called: (וַיִּקְרָא, vayyiqra') Signifies a formal summons, indicating Ahab's authority and Obadiah's subordinate, though highly placed, position. It implies urgency given the famine crisis.
- Obadiah: (עֹבַדְיָהוּ, 'Ovadyahu) Meaning "servant of Yahweh" or "worshiper of Yahweh." This name is deeply significant, ironically reflecting his true character which stands in stark contrast to the worship of false gods pervasive in Ahab's court.
- who was over the household: (אֲשֶׁר עַל הַבַּיִת, 'asher 'al ha-bayit) Denotes Obadiah's position as chief steward or minister, similar to a prime minister. This was a position of immense trust, authority, and power within the royal court, involving management of royal affairs, finances, and resources. His high position within a wicked court makes his fidelity to God even more striking and rare.
- Now Obadiah feared: (וְעֹבַדְיָהוּ הָיָה יָרֵא, ve'Ovadyahu hayah yare') The Hebrew uses a continuous tense to emphasize that fearing the LORD was Obadiah's established character, not a fleeting emotion. The "now" (implied "and" as connecting narrative) marks a critical parenthetical insertion by the narrator to highlight Obadiah's distinct spiritual quality immediately.
- the LORD: (יְהוָה, YHWH) The covenant name of God, indicating Obadiah's devotion to the one true God of Israel, not Baal or other deities.
- greatly: (מְאֹד, me'od) An intensive adverb, emphasizing the depth and sincerity of Obadiah's fear and devotion. It means "very much" or "exceedingly," underscoring the remarkable nature of his faith in such a hostile environment. This fear is not terror, but profound reverence, awe, and obedience.
1 Kings 18 3 Bonus section
Obadiah's life provides a compelling case study of navigating faith in hostile environments. His ability to serve a pagan king while maintaining fervent devotion to Yahweh demonstrates a quiet, strategic, and often dangerous piety. Unlike Elijah's public prophetic defiance, Obadiah's service was internal and discrete, yet equally vital for God's plan. He shows that spiritual fruitfulness is not limited to public roles but can thrive in positions of influence often seen as compromised. His very name, "servant of Yahweh," becomes a testimony to his true master, not Ahab. This narrative reminds us that God can raise up and sustain faithful individuals in unexpected places, for His divine purposes, serving as beacons of light in profound darkness.
1 Kings 18 3 Commentary
1 Kings 18:3 concisely yet powerfully introduces Obadiah, whose character is presented in stark contrast to his ungodly employer, King Ahab. His role as chief steward (over the household) signifies his position of influence and trust, making his fervent devotion to the LORD particularly noteworthy. The narrator’s immediate clarification that "Obadiah feared the LORD greatly" is crucial; it preempts any assumption that he might share Ahab's apostasy and highlights the extraordinary nature of maintaining true faith in an environment openly hostile to God. This phrase, "fear the LORD," is a biblical idiom for profound reverence, faithful obedience, and unwavering loyalty to God, especially pertinent when such loyalty was costly, as seen in the persecution of the prophets by Jezebel. Obadiah's deep fear of the LORD explains his subsequent courageous actions to protect God's prophets, demonstrating that true faith produces acts of righteousness, even when those acts place one in great personal peril. He exemplifies that God always reserves for Himself a faithful remnant, even in the most corrupt and idolatrous settings.