1. Long afterward, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: Go, present yourself to Ahab, that I may send rain upon the earth.
2. So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab.Now the famine in Samaria was severe,
3. and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, master of his palace, who greatly revered the Lord.
4. When Jezebel was slaughtering the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets, hid them away by fifties in caves, and supplied them with food and water.
5. Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all sources of water and to all the wadis. We may find grass and keep the horses and mules alive, so that we shall not have to slaughter any of the beasts.”
6. Dividing the land to explore between them, Ahab went one way by himself, Obadiah another way by himself.
7. As Obadiah was on his way, Elijah met him. Recognizing him, Obadiah fell prostrate and asked, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?”
8. He said to him, “Yes. Go tell your lord, ‘Elijah is here!’”
9. But Obadiah said, “What sin has your servant committed, that you are handing me over to Ahab to be killed?
10. As the Lord, your God, lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent in search of you. When they replied, ‘He is not here,’ he made each kingdom and nation swear they could not find you.
11. And now you say, ‘Go tell your lord: Elijah is here!’