And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:
Parallel translations
- WEB Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly;
- BSB and Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Now Obadiah greatly feared the LORD,
- NKJV And Ahab had called Obadiah, who was in charge of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly.
- NASB Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the household. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly;
- NLT So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Obadiah was a devoted follower of the Lord.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Ahab summons Obadiah, his palace administrator, who is described as a man who greatly feared the Lord.
Overview
The narrative introduces Obadiah, a high official in Ahab's wicked court who nonetheless reverences Yahweh. His presence shows that God preserved faithful servants even in the most corrupt settings. Obadiah stands as an encouraging example of godliness maintained under pressure, a foil to his idolatrous king and queen.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Neh 7:2That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.
- 1 Kgs 16:9And his servant Zimri, captain of half his chariots, conspired against him, as he was in Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza steward of his house in Tirzah.
- Matt 10:28And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
- Gen 39:4–5And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.
- Gen 39:9There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?
- Gen 24:10And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.
- Gen 41:40Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.
- Gen 42:18And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:
- Neh 5:15But the former governors that had been before me were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.
- Acts 10:2A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.
- Gen 22:12And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
- Mal 3:16Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
- Acts 10:35But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
- Gen 24:2And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:
- 1 Kgs 18:12And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth.
- 2 Kgs 4:1Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.
- Prov 14:26In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.
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Christ at the center
Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.
How 1 Kings 18:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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