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.

And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone {H3212} from thee, that the Spirit {H7307} of the LORD {H3068} shall carry {H5375} thee whither I know {H3045} not; and so when I come {H935} and tell {H5046} Ahab {H256}, and he cannot find {H4672} thee, he shall slay {H2026} me: but I thy servant {H5650} fear {H3372} the LORD {H3068} from my youth {H5271}.

But as soon as I leave you, the Spirit of ADONAI will carry you off to I don't know where; so that when I come and tell Ach'av, and he can't find you, he will kill me. But I your servant have revered ADONAI from my youth -

I do not know where the Spirit of the LORD may carry you off when I leave you. Then when I go and tell Ahab and he does not find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared the LORD from my youth.

And it will come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of Jehovah will carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he will slay me: but I thy servant fear Jehovah from my youth.

Commentary

Context

First Kings 18:12 captures a moment of intense tension during a severe three-year drought in Israel, a divine judgment brought on by King Ahab's idolatry and the influence of his wicked wife, Jezebel. Obadiah, Ahab's loyal governor, yet a devout servant of the Lord, has just encountered the prophet Elijah. Elijah, who had been in hiding, now instructs Obadiah to inform Ahab of his presence. This verse reveals Obadiah's desperate plea and profound fear: he knows Ahab's murderous temperament and suspects that the king's rage would be unleashed upon him if Elijah were to supernaturally disappear before Ahab could arrive, leaving Obadiah to face the consequences alone. Obadiah's fear is rooted in his past actions, having already risked his life to hide and feed one hundred prophets of the Lord from Jezebel's persecution.

Key Themes

  • Obadiah's Faith and Fear: This verse highlights Obadiah's complex position. He serves a pagan king but genuinely fears the Lord "from my youth." His immediate fear of Ahab's wrath is understandable given the life-threatening circumstances, yet his ultimate allegiance lies with God. This tension showcases the struggle of faithfulness in hostile environments.
  • The Supernatural Power of the Spirit: Obadiah's concern that the "Spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not" reveals a common understanding of the Spirit's power to transport prophets. This was not an unknown phenomenon in ancient Israel, demonstrating the divine agency at play in Elijah's ministry and underscoring that God's ways are often beyond human comprehension or control. Examples of such supernatural transport appear elsewhere in scripture, such as Ezekiel being carried by the Spirit or Philip's disappearance in Acts.
  • Ahab's Tyranny and Idolatry: The verse implicitly paints a vivid picture of King Ahab's ruthless and unpredictable nature. His readiness to slay someone for perceived failure or disloyalty, especially concerning those associated with the true God, underscores the severe spiritual and political climate of the time, dominated by Baal worship and persecution of the Lord's prophets.

Linguistic Insight

The phrase "Spirit of the LORD" (Hebrew: ืจื•ึผื—ึท ื™ึฐื”ื•ึธื”, ruach Yahweh) emphasizes the active and powerful presence of God's divine breath or spirit. It denotes God's dynamic energy and influence, capable of extraordinary, supernatural acts, including the physical transportation of individuals, as Obadiah feared in Elijah's case. This is not merely a metaphorical expression but describes a tangible, divine intervention.

Practical Application

Obadiah's dilemma resonates with believers facing challenging environments today. His example teaches us about:

  • Faithfulness Under Pressure: Obadiah maintained his devotion to the Lord even while serving a wicked ruler. His story encourages us to remain faithful to God's principles even when surrounded by ungodliness or facing personal risk.
  • Understanding God's Sovereignty: The Spirit's power to transport Elijah reminds us that God works in ways beyond our comprehension. We are called to trust His sovereign plan, even when circumstances seem chaotic or unpredictable.
  • The True "Fear of the Lord": Obadiah declares, "I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth." This spiritual "fear" is not terror but profound reverence, awe, and obedience to God, which is described in scripture as the beginning of wisdom. It contrasts sharply with his fear of Ahab, highlighting that one's ultimate allegiance and reverence should always be directed towards God.
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Cross-References

  • Acts 8:39 (6 votes)

    And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

  • 2 Kings 2:16 (6 votes)

    And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master: lest peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, Ye shall not send.

  • Ezekiel 8:3 (4 votes)

    And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north; where [was] the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy.

  • Ezekiel 40:1 (3 votes)

    ยถ In the five and twentieth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth [day] of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was smitten, in the selfsame day the hand of the LORD was upon me, and brought me thither.

  • Ezekiel 40:2 (3 votes)

    In the visions of God brought he me into the land of Israel, and set me upon a very high mountain, by which [was] as the frame of a city on the south.

  • Ezekiel 3:12 (3 votes)

    Then the spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, [saying], Blessed [be] the glory of the LORD from his place.

  • Ezekiel 3:14 (3 votes)

    So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the LORD was strong upon me.