1 Kings 18 · Verse 3

1 Kings 18:3

And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly:
1 Kings 18:3, King James Version

1 Kings 18:3 in other translations

BSBand Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Now Obadiah greatly feared the LORD,
WEBAhab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly;
ASVAnd Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared Jehovah greatly:
YLTand Ahab calleth unto Obadiah, who is over the house--and Obadiah hath been fearing Jehovah greatly,
DARBYAnd Ahab called Obadiah, who was the steward of his house (now Obadiah feared Jehovah greatly;
BBEAnd Ahab sent for Obadiah, the controller of the king's house. (Now Obadiah had the fear of the Lord before him greatly;
WebsterAnd Ahab called Obadiah who was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly:

What does 1 Kings 18:3 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
3. Obadiah feared the Lord greatly--Although he did not follow the course taken by the Levites and the majority of pious Israelites at that time of emigration into Judah (2Ch 11:13-16), he was a secret and sincere worshipper. He probably considered the violent character of the government, and his power of doing some good to the persecuted people of God as a sufficient excuse for his not going to worship in Jerusalem.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 3 Obadiah feared the Lord greatly - He was a sincere and zealous worshipper of the true God, and his conduct towards the persecuted prophets was the full proof both of his piety and humanity.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Kings 18:1-16

The severest judgments, of themselves, will not humble or change the hearts of sinners; nothing, except the blood of Jesus Christ, can atone for the guilt of sin; nothing, except the sanctifying Spirit of God, can purge away its pollution. The priests and the Levites were gone to Judah and Jerusalem, 2Ch 11:13, 14, but instead of them God raised up prophets, who read and expounded the word. They probably were from…

Read the full comment on 1 Kings 18:1-16 →

1 Kings 18:3 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּקְרָ֣אvai.yik.Ra'and he summonedH7121
אַחְאָ֔ב'ach.'AvAhabH256
אֶל\־'el-<to>H413
עֹבַדְיָ֖הוּ'oad.Ya.huObadiahH5662
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhoH834
עַל\־'al-[was] overH5921
הַבָּ֑יִתha.Ba.yitthe householdH1004
וְעֹבַדְיָ֗הוּve.'oad.Ya.huand ObadiahH5662
הָיָ֥הha.Yahhe wasH1961
יָרֵ֛אya.Re'fearingH3373
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahwehH3068
מְאֹֽד\׃me.'OdexceedinglyH3966

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Kings 18:3

  • Nehemiah 7:2

    That 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 Kings 16:9

    And 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.

  • Matthew 10:28

    And 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.

  • Malachi 3:16

    Then 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.

  • Genesis 41:40

    Thou 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.

  • Proverbs 14:26

    In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

  • Acts 10:35

    But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

  • 1 Kings 18:12

    And 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.

  • Acts 10:2

    A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

  • Genesis 39:9

    There 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?

  • Nehemiah 5:15

    But 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.

  • Genesis 22:12

    And 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.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Obadiah. Heb. Obadiahu. the governor of his house. Heb.over his house.
Ge 24:2,10; 39:4,5,9; 41:40
feared the Lord.
12; Ge 22:12; 42:18; 2Ki 4:1; Ne 5:15; 7:2; Pr 14:26; Mal 3:16
Mt 10:28; Ac 10:2,35

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Kings 18:2

    And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.

  • 1 Kings 18:3

    And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly:

  • 1 Kings 18:4

    For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

Read all of 1 Kings 18

1 Kings 18:3 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y Achâb llamó á Abdías su mayordomo, el cual Abdías era en grande manera temeroso de Jehová;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Achab appela Abdias qui était préposé sur sa maison; (et Abdias craignait beaucoup l’ Éternel.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Ahab rief Obadja, der über das Haus war. Obadja aber fürchtete Jehova sehr;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Vocavitque Achab Abdiam dispensatorem domus suæ: Abdias autem timebat Dominum valde.