1 Kings 18 5

1 Kings 18:5 kjv

And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.

1 Kings 18:5 nkjv

And Ahab had said to Obadiah, "Go into the land to all the springs of water and to all the brooks; perhaps we may find grass to keep the horses and mules alive, so that we will not have to kill any livestock."

1 Kings 18:5 niv

Ahab had said to Obadiah, "Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive so we will not have to kill any of our animals."

1 Kings 18:5 esv

And Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, and not lose some of the animals."

1 Kings 18:5 nlt

Ahab said to Obadiah, "We must check every spring and valley in the land to see if we can find enough grass to save at least some of my horses and mules."

1 Kings 18 verses

1 Kings 18 5 Meaning

This verse details King Ahab's urgent and desperate command to his palace administrator, Obadiah, to search throughout the land for any remaining sources of water – springs and dry riverbeds – in order to find grass. His explicit aim is to sustain his valuable horses and mules, crucial assets for his kingdom's military and economic power, and to prevent the devastating necessity of slaughtering them due to the prolonged, severe drought. The verse highlights Ahab's purely pragmatic and material concern amidst a divinely imposed famine.

1 Kings 18 5 Context

This verse is situated in the middle of a prolonged and severe drought in Israel, explicitly foretold by the prophet Elijah as a divine judgment against the widespread idolatry promoted by King Ahab and his Phoenician wife, Jezebel. The famine has lasted for three years, bringing the land to the brink of collapse. Ahab's focus in this verse is entirely practical and self-serving: preserving his royal livestock (horses and mules), which symbolize his wealth, power, and military capacity. He shows no indication of spiritual repentance or acknowledgment of the Lord's hand in the drought. Unbeknownst to Ahab, his loyal but God-fearing steward Obadiah (who had protected prophets of the Lord) is about to encounter Elijah, leading to the climactic confrontation on Mount Carmel.

1 Kings 18 5 Word analysis

• Ahab: Hebrew: Ach'ab (אָחָב). King of Israel (c. 874-853 BC). Known as the most wicked king for provoking the Lord through his extensive promotion of Baal worship and erecting an Asherah pole (1 Ki 16:30-33). His character in this verse is entirely pragmatic, prioritizing his earthly possessions (livestock) over any spiritual introspection about the famine.
• Obadiah: Hebrew: Obad'yahu (עֹבַדְיָהוּ). Meaning "Servant of Yahweh." Ironically, the steward of the wicked King Ahab's house, yet he is described as genuinely fearing the Lord (1 Ki 18:3). His name serves as a stark contrast and a silent witness to his faithfulness in an idolatrous kingdom.
• Go through the land: A direct command indicating Ahab's hands-on involvement and desperation. The action highlights the extreme scarcity that forced the highest officials into personally scouting for basic resources, a departure from typical royal duties.
• all the springs: Hebrew: 'ayin (עַיִן). Lit. "eye" or "fountain/spring." These are perennial water sources, indicating the profound severity of the drought that even these reliable sources were diminished or had disappeared, prompting a search for any surviving ones.
• all the wadis: Hebrew: nachal (נַחַל). Refers to a "torrent-bed" or "dry streambed." These are channels that carry water only during the rainy season or flash floods. The fact that Ahab is searching these highlights the utter desolation; usually, they are the first to dry up.
• Perhaps we may find grass: The word "perhaps" (אָרֵי) reveals the king's uncertainty and the dire nature of the situation. There's no assurance, only a desperate hope born of necessity. This stands in contrast to the certainty of God's provision for Elijah during the same drought.
• keep the horses and mules alive: The core motivation. Horses and mules were essential for warfare, royal transportation, and conveying prestige and wealth (1 Ki 4:28, 1 Ki 10:28-29). Preserving them was crucial for maintaining his kingdom's power and functionality.
• so that we will not have to kill any of the animals: This indicates the ultimate, horrific consequence Ahab seeks to avoid. Killing off such valuable animals would signal not just a loss of wealth, but a potential crippling of his military and royal prestige, signaling profound economic and political weakness.

• Ahab said to Obadiah: This direct communication shows Ahab's personal involvement and urgency in a crisis he feels responsible for managing, albeit on a purely material level.
• Go through the land to all the springs and to all the wadis: This phrase emphasizes the extensive and desperate nature of the search. No region is to be overlooked, underlining the widespread devastation caused by the famine. It shows the King’s desperate effort by sending his prime officials and sharing this work to ensure its complete coverage.
• Perhaps we may find grass to keep the horses and mules alive: This grouping of words lays bare Ahab's primary concern: the practical preservation of his military and royal assets. There is no mention of prayer, repentance, or seeking the Lord's intervention. His hope is purely in human effort and fortunate discovery.

1 Kings 18 5 Bonus section

• The fact that Ahab and Obadiah divide the land to search separately (as seen in 1 Ki 18:6) further underscores the critical nature and immense scale of the drought. It signifies that one person, even searching extensively, would not be enough to cover the necessary ground.
• This seemingly mundane act of searching for grass, motivated by mere survival and preservation of assets, is divinely orchestrated to bring Obadiah into contact with Elijah. It highlights God's sovereign ability to use even the unrighteous and their concerns to fulfill His prophetic plans.
• The extreme measure of facing the possibility of killing his own animals signifies how completely the normal flow of life and prosperity had ceased due to the drought, reducing even a powerful king to such a desperate state.

1 Kings 18 5 Commentary

1 Kings 18:5 unveils the grim reality of the divine judgment of drought on the land of Israel, personified in the desperate actions of King Ahab. His concern is solely for his horses and mules—symbols of his worldly power and wealth—rather than for the spiritual state of his kingdom or the suffering of his people, let alone acknowledging the Lord's hand in the famine. This materialistic focus starkly contrasts with the true repentance and turning to God that the drought was meant to inspire. The desperate search for water by the king's top officials underscores the absolute severity of the famine, silently mocking Baal, who was worshiped as the god of rain and fertility. Ultimately, Ahab’s practical mission inadvertently sets the stage for the crucial meeting between Obadiah and Elijah, which would lead to the decisive confrontation on Mount Carmel, powerfully demonstrating God's sovereign control over nature and history.