1 Kings 18:11

¹⁰As surely as the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent someone to search for you. When they said, ‘He is not here,’ he made that kingdom or nation swear that they had not found you.¹¹And now you say, ‘Go tell your master that Elijah is here!’

Summary

In this verse, Obadiah expresses fear and concern to Elijah about the consequences of delivering a message from God to King Ahab. Obadiah is worried that the Spirit of the Lord might carry Elijah away, leaving Obadiah vulnerable to Ahab's wrath. This interaction reveals the tense political and spiritual climate during that time, where speaking on behalf of God could result in severe punishment. Despite Obadiah's apprehension, Elijah's faith and obedience to God's call ultimately lead to a powerful display of God's sovereignty and provision in the following events.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

And now thou sayest, go tell thy lord, behold, Elijah is here. Which, if I should not be able to make good, would be of fatal consequence to me; and that it is plain he feared, by what he next says. And now thou sayest, go tell thy lord, behold, Elijah is here. Which, if I should not be able to make good, would be of fatal consequence to me; and that it is plain he feared, by what he next says. 1 Kings 18:12 kg1 18:12 kg1 18:12 kg1 18:12And 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,.... This he supposed might possibly, and very probably, be the case, since small raptures might have been already, and known to Obadiah, as there were afterwards, see Kg2 2:16, and then he should not know where he was, nor be able to direct his master where to find him: and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me; for telling him a lie, and deceiving and mocking him; or for not seizing on Elijah, and bringing him, when he knew he was so desirous of getting him into his hands: but I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth; and therefore did not deserve to be treated after this manner, having been an early and conscientious worshipper of the true God.