This verse (1 Kings 18:14) is part of a conversation between Obadiah, a servant in King Ahab's palace, and the prophet Elijah. Let's break down what it means:
Context: Elijah has just appeared to Obadiah after a long period of hiding. Elijah tells Obadiah to go and tell King Ahab that Elijah is there and wants to meet him.
"Now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here”.’": Elijah is instructing Obadiah to go tell King Ahab that he, Elijah, has arrived.
"He will kill me.": This is the crux of Obadiah's fear and reluctance. He believes that Ahab will kill him because he will assume Obadiah has been hiding Elijah. Obadiah is afraid that Ahab will think he has betrayed him.
Why Obadiah fears Ahab: Ahab has been desperately searching for Elijah for years because Elijah's prophecies of drought have brought famine to the land. Ahab holds Elijah responsible and considers him an enemy.
Obadiah's Perspective: Obadiah fears that once Ahab arrives and Elijah is gone (perhaps miraculously taken away again, as had happened before), Ahab will blame him for deceiving him and kill him in anger. He believes Ahab will assume he had the chance to capture Elijah but let him get away. Obadiah is saying, "If I tell Ahab you're here, and then you disappear (like you're known to do), Ahab will think I lied and deliberately let you escape. He'll kill me for sure!"
In short, Obadiah is afraid that if he tells Ahab that Elijah is there, and then Elijah disappears before Ahab can get to him, Ahab will blame Obadiah for helping Elijah and execute him. He sees it as a dangerous and potentially deadly situation for himself. This fear highlights the precarious position Obadiah is in, as a servant of a wicked king who also fears and respects the prophet of God.
This verse (1 Kings 18:14) is part of a conversation between Obadiah, a servant in King Ahab's palace, and the prophet Elijah. Let's break down what it means:
Context: Elijah has just appeared to Obadiah after a long period of hiding. Elijah tells Obadiah to go and tell King Ahab that Elijah is there and wants to meet him.
"Now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here”.’": Elijah is instructing Obadiah to go tell King Ahab that he, Elijah, has arrived.
"He will kill me.": This is the crux of Obadiah's fear and reluctance. He believes that Ahab will kill him because he will assume Obadiah has been hiding Elijah. Obadiah is afraid that Ahab will think he has betrayed him.
Why Obadiah fears Ahab: Ahab has been desperately searching for Elijah for years because Elijah's prophecies of drought have brought famine to the land. Ahab holds Elijah responsible and considers him an enemy.
Obadiah's Perspective: Obadiah fears that once Ahab arrives and Elijah is gone (perhaps miraculously taken away again, as had happened before), Ahab will blame him for deceiving him and kill him in anger. He believes Ahab will assume he had the chance to capture Elijah but let him get away. Obadiah is saying, "If I tell Ahab you're here, and then you disappear (like you're known to do), Ahab will think I lied and deliberately let you escape. He'll kill me for sure!"
In short, Obadiah is afraid that if he tells Ahab that Elijah is there, and then Elijah disappears before Ahab can get to him, Ahab will blame Obadiah for helping Elijah and execute him. He sees it as a dangerous and potentially deadly situation for himself. This fear highlights the precarious position Obadiah is in, as a servant of a wicked king who also fears and respects the prophet of God.