John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 5. And Ahab said unto Obadiah, go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks , etc.] To observe in what condition they were, and the places adjoining to them, the meadows and valleys: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive ; particularly those which belonged to the king’s stables, to find provisions for which it was found difficult: that we lose not all the beasts ; many of them, doubtless, were lost through the drought already, and there was great danger of the rest, and so, in time, of there being none to procreate and preserve their species, and to prevent which Ahab proposed to take this method.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-16 - The severest judgments, of themselves, will not humble or change the hearts of sinners; nothing, except the blood of Jesus Christ, can aton for the guilt of sin; nothing, except the sanctifying Spirit of God can purge away its pollution. The priests and the Levites were gone to Judah and Jerusalem, 2Ch 11:13, 14, but instead of them God raised u prophets, who read and expounded the word. They probably were from the schools of the prophets, first set up by Samuel. They had not the spirit of prophecy as Elijah, but taught the people to keep close to the God of Israel. These Jezebel sought to destroy. The few tha escaped death were forced to hide themselves. God has his remnant amon all sorts, high and low; and that faith, fear, and love of his name which are the fruits of the Holy Spirit, will be accepted through the Redeemer. See how wonderfully God raises up friends for his minister and people, for their shelter in difficult times. Bread and water wer now scarce, yet Obadiah will find enough for God's prophets, to kee them alive. Ahab's care was not to lose all the beasts; but he took n care about his soul, not to lose that. He took pains to seek grass, but none to seek the favour of God; fencing against the effect, but no inquiring how to remove the cause. But it bodes well with a people when God calls his ministers to stand forth, and show themselves. An we may the better endure the bread of affliction, while our eyes se our teachers.
Original Hebrew ויאמר559 אחאב256 אל413 עבדיהו5662 לך1980 בארץ776 אל413 כל3605 מעיני4599 המים4325 ואל413 כל3605 הנחלים5158 אולי194 נמצא4672 חציר2682 ונחיה2421 סוס5483 ופרד6505 ולוא3808 נכרית3772 מהבהמה׃929
