1Ki 18:3-16 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for 1Kgs 18:3-6: 18:3-6 Due to the severity of the continuing drought, Ahab and Obadiah , his chief officer (cp. 4:6 ; 16:9 ), set out to locate sufficient water and grass for the king’s horses. These provisions were crucial for military preparedness. Assyrian king Shalmaneser III wrote that Ahab put some 2,000 horse-drawn chariots into the Battle of Qarqar (853 BC ). Solomon had also had many horses and chariots (10:26 ).

Summary for 1Kgs 18:3-6: 18:3-6 ^a Due to the severity of the continuing drought, Ahab and Obadiah, his chief officer (cp. 4:6 ^b; 16:9 ^c), set out to locate sufficient water and grass for the king’s horses. These provisions were crucial for military preparedness. Assyrian king Shalmaneser III wrote that Ahab put some 2,000 horse-drawn chariots into the Battle of Qarqar (853 BC). Solomon had also had many horses and chariots (10:26 ^d).
18:4 ^e Obadiah’s care for 100 of the Lord’s prophets may indicate a group of prophets such as had existed since Samuel’s time (1 Sam 10:5-18 ^f; 19:20 ^g, 24 ^h). Such groups met together for study and mutual spiritual encouragement and are mentioned several times (2 Kgs 4:1 ⁱ, 38 ^j; 9:1 ^k). Elijah and Elisha apparently exercised leadership in some of these groups (2 Kgs 2:3-7 ^l, 15 ^m; 6:1-7 ⁿ).
18:10 ^o every nation and kingdom: Ancient Near Eastern protocol called for the extradition of fugitives or runaway slaves, as noted in the famous treaty between Pharaoh Ramses II and the Hittite king Hattusilis (see ANET 200b, 203a). But Elijah had not had to seek asylum with a foreign king. God provided for his safety at Kerith Brook (17:3 ^p) and with the widow at Zarephath (17:9 ^q).
Summary for 1Kgs 18:12-15: 18:12-15 ^r As a true believer, Obadiah recognized that the Spirit of the Lord operated within God’s prophets (Judg 6:34 ^s; Ezek 3:12 ^t, 14 ^u; 11:1 ^v). Obadiah feared that the Lord’s Spirit would carry Elijah away while he was reporting Elijah’s whereabouts to Ahab. The king would then interpret his inability to produce Elijah as a sign that he was hiding Elijah, and he would kill him.
Summary for 1Kgs 18:16-18: 18:16-18 ^w troublemakers: Although Elijah announced the onset of the drought (17:1 ^x), it was Ahab and his family who brought God’s judgment upon Israel by their violations of the covenant and their sponsorship of Baal worship (see Lev 26:19 ^y; Deut 28:15 ^z, 23 ^aa; 2 Chr 7:13 ^ab; Jer 14:1-7 ^ac; Amos 4:7-8 ^ad).