After much time, Yahweh’s word came to Eliyyahu, in the third year: ‘Go appear to Ah’ab, and I will give rain on the face of the ground.’ So Eliyyahu went to appear to Ah’ab. Now the famine was severe in Shomron, and Ah’ab had called for Obadyah, who was in charge of the household. Obadyah was someone who lived greatly in awe of Yahweh. When Izebel cut off Yahweh’s prophets, Obadyah had got a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty individuals to a cave, and provided them with bread and water. Ah’ab said to Obadyah, ‘Go through the country, to all the water springs and to all the wadis. Perhaps we’ll find grass so we can keep horse and mule alive so we don’t cut off some of the animals.’
They split the country for themselves so as to pass through it. While Ah’ab went one way alone and Obadyah went the other way alone, and Obadyah was on the way, there, Eliyyahu met him. He recognized him and fell on his face, and said, ‘Is this you, my lord Eliyyahu?’ He said to him, ‘It’s me. Go say to your lord, “There’s Eliyyahu.”’ He said, ‘What wrong have I done that you’re giving your servant into the hand of Ah’ab, to put me to death? As Yahweh your God lives, if there’s a nation or kingdom to which my lord has not sent to seek you out . . . They say, “He’s not here”, and he makes the kingdom or the nation swear that it can’t find you. And now you’re saying, “Go say to your lord, ‘There’s Eliyyahu’”, and I myself will go from being with you and Yahweh’s spirit will carry you to where I don’t know, and I’ll come to tell Ah’ab and he won’t find you and he’ll kill me, when your servant has lived in awe of Yahweh from my youth. It’s been told my lord, hasn’t it, what I did when Izebel killed Yahweh’s prophets and I hid a hundred of Yahweh’s prophets, fifty individuals to a cave, and fed them bread and water. And now you’re saying, “Go say to your lord, ‘There’s Eliyyahu’”, and he’ll kill me.’
Eliyyahu said, ‘As Yahweh of Armies lives, before whom I have stood, I will indeed appear to him today.’ So Obadyah went to meet Ah’ab and told him, and Ah’ab went to meet Eliyyahu. When Ah’ab saw Eliyyahu, Ah’ab said to him, ‘Is this you, troubler of Yisra’el?’ He said, ‘I haven’t troubled Yisra’el. Rather, you and your father’s household have, by abandoning Yahweh’s orders and following the Masters. So now, send to gather all Yisra’el to me to Mount Carmel, with the 450 prophets of the Master and the 400 prophets of Asherah who eat at Izebel’s table.’
Goldingay, John The Bible for Everyone . SPCK. Kindle Edition.
Be thou a bright flame before me,
Be thou a guiding star above me
Be thou a smooth path below me
Be thou a kindly shepherd behind me
Today – tonight -forever
Amen.
St Columba