1 Kings 18:9
New International Version
“What have I done wrong,” asked Obadiah, “that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to be put to death?

New Living Translation
“Oh, sir,” Obadiah protested, “what harm have I done to you that you are sending me to my death at the hands of Ahab?

English Standard Version
And he said, “How have I sinned, that you would give your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?

Berean Standard Bible
But Obadiah replied, “How have I sinned, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to put me to death?

King James Bible
And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

New King James Version
So he said, “How have I sinned, that you are delivering your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?

New American Standard Bible
But he said, “What sin have I committed, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab, to put me to death?

NASB 1995
He said, “What sin have I committed, that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab to put me to death?

NASB 1977
And he said, “What sin have I committed, that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab, to put me to death?

Legacy Standard Bible
And he said, “What sin have I committed, that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab to put me to death?

Amplified Bible
But he said, “What sin have I committed, that you would hand over your servant to Ahab to put me to death?

Christian Standard Bible
But Obadiah said, “What sin have I committed, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to put me to death?

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But Obadiah said, “What sin have I committed, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to put me to death?

American Standard Version
And he said, Wherein have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

Contemporary English Version
Obadiah replied: King Ahab would kill me if I told him that. And I haven't even done anything wrong.

English Revised Version
And he said, Wherein have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Obadiah asked, "What have I done wrong to make you hand me over to Ahab to be killed?

Good News Translation
Obadiah answered, "What have I done that you want to put me in danger of being killed by King Ahab?

International Standard Version
But Obadiah replied, "What did I do wrong, that you would put me in a position where Ahab would execute me?

Majority Standard Bible
But Obadiah replied, ?How have I sinned, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to put me to death?

NET Bible
Obadiah said, "What sin have I committed that you are ready to hand your servant over to Ahab for execution?

New Heart English Bible
And he said, "How have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab to slay me?

World English Bible
He said, “How have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And he says, “What have I sinned, that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab—to put me to death?

Young's Literal Translation
And he saith, 'What have I sinned, that thou art giving thy servant into the hand of Ahab -- to put me to death?

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will say, What did I sin that thou gavest thy servant into the hand of Ahab to kill me?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said: What have I sinned, that thou wouldst deliver me thy servant into the hand of Achab, that he should kill me?

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he said: “How have I sinned that you would deliver me, your servant, into the hand of Ahab, so that he would put me to death?

New American Bible
But Obadiah said, “What sin has your servant committed, that you are handing me over to Ahab to be killed?

New Revised Standard Version
And he said, “How have I sinned, that you would hand your servant over to Ahab, to kill me?
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Obadiah said, What sin have I committed, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Oubdaya said: “What have I sinned that you deliver your Servant into the hand of Akhab to kill me?
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And he said: 'Wherein have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Abdiu said, What sin have I committed, that thou givest thy servant into the hand of Achaab to slay me?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Elijah Confronts Ahab
8“It is I,” he answered. “Go tell your master, ‘Elijah is here!’ ” 9But Obadiah replied, “How have I sinned, that you are handing your servant over to Ahab to put me to death? 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.…

Cross References
1 Kings 19:2-3
So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “May the gods deal with me, and ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I have not made your life like the lives of those you killed!” / And Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,

1 Kings 17:3-4
“Leave here, turn eastward, and hide yourself by the Brook of Cherith, east of the Jordan. / And you are to drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”

2 Kings 1:9-15
Then King Ahaziah sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. So the captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on top of a hill, and said to him, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down!’” / Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty men. / So the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men. And the captain said to Elijah, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down at once!’” ...

2 Kings 6:31-32
He announced, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders through this day!” / Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. The king sent a messenger ahead, but before he arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “Do you see how this murderer has sent someone to cut off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door to keep him out. Is not the sound of his master’s footsteps behind him?”

Jeremiah 26:20-24
Now there was another man prophesying in the name of the LORD, Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim. He prophesied against this city and against this land the same things that Jeremiah did. / King Jehoiakim and all his mighty men and officials heard his words, and the king sought to put him to death. But when Uriah found out about it, he fled in fear and went to Egypt. / Then King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt: Elnathan son of Achbor along with some other men. ...

Matthew 10:28
Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Matthew 14:3-5
Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, / because John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” / Although Herod wanted to kill John, he was afraid of the people, because they regarded John as a prophet.

Matthew 23:34-37
Because of this, I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and others you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town. / And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. / Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation. ...

Luke 13:31-33
At that very hour, some Pharisees came to Jesus and told Him, “Leave this place and get away, because Herod wants to kill You.” / But Jesus replied, “Go tell that fox, ‘Look, I will keep driving out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach My goal.’ / Nevertheless, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day, for it is not admissible for a prophet to perish outside of Jerusalem.

John 11:8
“Rabbi,” they replied, “the Jews just tried to stone You, and You are going back there?”

Acts 5:17-18
Then the high priest and all his associates, who belonged to the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They went out / and arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.

Acts 12:1-5
About that time, King Herod reached out to harm some who belonged to the church. / He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. / And seeing that this pleased the Jews, Herod proceeded to seize Peter during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. ...

Acts 23:12-24
When daylight came, the Jews formed a conspiracy and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. / More than forty of them were involved in this plot. / They went to the chief priests and elders and said, “We have bound ourselves with a solemn oath not to eat anything until we have killed Paul. ...

Acts 27:42-43
The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners so none of them could swim to freedom. / But the centurion, wanting to spare Paul’s life, thwarted their plan. He commanded those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land.

Hebrews 11:32-38
And what more shall I say? Time will not allow me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the prophets, / who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, / quenched the raging fire, and escaped the edge of the sword; who gained strength from weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. ...


Treasury of Scripture

And he said, What have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

What have I sinned

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.

1 Kings 17:18
And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?

Exodus 5:21
And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.

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1 Kings 18
1. In the extremity of famine Elijah, sent to Ahab, meets good Obadiah
9. Obadiah brings Ahab to Elijah
17. Elijah, reproving Ahab, by fire from heaven convinces Baal's prophets
41. Elijah, by prayer obtaining rain, follows Ahab to Jezreel














But Obadiah said
The introduction of Obadiah in this narrative is significant. Obadiah, whose name means "servant of Yahweh" in Hebrew, is a figure of faithfulness amidst a corrupt regime. His position as a steward in Ahab's house places him in a precarious situation, balancing his duties to the king and his devotion to God. This phrase sets the stage for a dialogue that reveals the tension between his loyalty to God and his fear of Ahab.

What sin have I committed
Obadiah's question reflects a deep concern for justice and righteousness. In the Hebrew context, sin is often associated with missing the mark or failing to live up to God's standards. Obadiah's rhetorical question underscores his innocence and his bewilderment at being placed in a situation that could lead to his death. It highlights the moral and ethical dilemmas faced by believers living under ungodly leadership.

that you are handing your servant over
The phrase "handing your servant over" conveys a sense of betrayal and vulnerability. In the ancient Near Eastern context, being handed over often implied being delivered into the hands of an enemy. Obadiah's use of "your servant" emphasizes his humility and his subordinate position, both to Elijah and to God. It reflects his fear of being unjustly sacrificed for a cause he supports but cannot control.

to Ahab
Ahab, the king of Israel, is depicted in the Bible as a ruler who led the nation into idolatry, primarily through his marriage to Jezebel and the promotion of Baal worship. His name is synonymous with apostasy and rebellion against God. Obadiah's fear of Ahab is well-founded, as Ahab's reign was marked by persecution of the prophets and those faithful to Yahweh.

to put me to death
The fear of death is a powerful motivator in this narrative. Obadiah's concern for his life is not just personal but also reflects the broader persecution of God's prophets during Ahab's reign. The phrase underscores the high stakes of prophetic ministry in a hostile environment. It serves as a reminder of the cost of discipleship and the courage required to stand for truth in the face of danger.

Verse 9. - And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldst deliver [Heb. that thou art giving] thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me?

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But Obadiah replied,
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“How
מֶ֣ה (meh)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

have I sinned,
חָטָ֑אתִי (ḥā·ṭā·ṯî)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 2398: To miss, to sin, to forfeit, lack, expiate, repent, lead astray, condemn

that
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

you
אַתָּ֞ה (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

are handing your servant
עַבְדְּךָ֛ (‘aḇ·də·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5650: Slave, servant

over to
נֹתֵ֧ן (nō·ṯên)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

Ahab
אַחְאָ֖ב (’aḥ·’āḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 256: Ahab -- 'father's brother', a king of Israel, also a false prophet

to put me to death?
לַהֲמִיתֵֽנִי׃ (la·hă·mî·ṯê·nî)
Preposition-l | Verb - Hifil - Infinitive construct | first person common singular
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill


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OT History: 1 Kings 18:9 He said Wherein have I sinned that (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
1 Kings 18:8
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