Following his raising of the widow's son, Elijah remained at Zarephath until almost three years had passed since he had first warned King Ahab of the impending drought (see I Kings 17:1; 18:1). Meanwhile it had become increasingly severe, and Ahab's pagan wife, Jezebel, far from evidencing conversion or repentance, had slain many of the Israelite prophets (see I Kings 18:13); but the special object of her wrath was Elijah.
Yet when he was called by the Lord to "Go, shew thyself unto Ahab" (verse 1), neither fear nor danger deterred Elijah from obeying. Meeting a friend and supporter named Obadiah, the chief steward of Ahab's household, he insisted on having an audience with the king. Obadiah agreed, though he feared that dire results would surely follow (see I Kings 18: 7-16). (This Obadiah should not be confused with the later "Writing Prophet" of that name.)
When the two men met, Ahab accused Elijah of being the one "that troubleth Israel"; but the prophet directly reversed the charge against him by affirming, "I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim" (verses 17, 18).
