Könige I 18:4 Midrasch: Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Shemot Rabbah, Aggadat Bereshit & Bereshit Rabbah

(I Kings 18, 3) And Achab called Obadiah, who was the superintendent of the house. Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly. What was their discussion? R. Isaac said: "Achab said to Obadiah: "Concerning Jacob, it is written (Gen. 30, 27) The Lord hath blessed me for thy sake, and concerning Joseph it is written (Ib. 39, 5) The Lord blessed the Egyptian's house for the sake of Joseph. I, however, keep thee in my house, yet I am not blessed for thy sake. Perhaps thou art not fearing God?" Thereupon a heavenly voice was heard, saying: "Obadiah fears the Lord greatly, but the house of Achab is not destined for blessings." Raba said: "What is said of Obadiah is of greater signifieanee than what is said of Abraliam, for about Abraham it is not written 'greatly,' and about Obadiah 'greatly' is added." R. Isaac said: Why did Obadiah merit to be rewarded with prophecy? Because he hid one hundred prophets in a cave, as it is written (I Kings, 8, 4) And it happened when Isabel cut off the prophets of the Lord that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them fifty in one cave, and provided them with bread and water." Why fifty?" R. Elazar said: "He learned this from Jacob, as it is said (Gen. 32, 9) Then the other band which is left may escape." R. Abahu, however, said: "Because the cave could not hold more than fifty."

Another matter, “if you lend money to My people,” that is what is written: “He did not lend his money with usury” (Psalms 15:5). Come and see that anyone who has wealth and gives charity to the poor, and does not lend with interest, it is ascribed to him as though he fulfilled all the mitzvot, as it is stated: “He does not lend his money with usury, nor does he take bribes against the innocent. One who performs these will never stumble” (Psalms 15:5).
Who was [an example of] this? Ovadya, who was the wealthy steward of Ahab, as it is stated: “Ahab summoned Ovadya, who was over the household” (I Kings 18:3). He was exceptionally wealthy and he expended all his belongings for charity, as he would sustain the prophets.⁴See I Kings 18:4. When all that evil transpired,⁵The great famine described in I Kings chapter 18, which had been brought about by Elijah (see I Kings 17:1). he would borrow with interest from Yehoram son of Ahab, just enough to be sufficient for the prophets. He fulfilled: “He did not lend his money with usury.” However, Yehoram, who lent with interest, God said: ‘Does this one still exist? Let Yehu come and kill him,’ as it is stated: “Yehu drew his bow fully, and he smote Yehoram between his shoulders; the arrow came out from his heart” (II Kings 9:24). Why “between his shoulders; the arrow came out from his heart”? It is because he had hardened his heart and had extended his arms to collect the interest, to realize what is stated: “He gave with usury and took interest, shall he live? He shall not live” (Ezekiel 18:13). That is why He cautions them: “If you lend money to My people…[you shall not impose interest upon him].”
In Jerusalem, too, they would do so, as it is stated: “Your silver has become dross [lesigim]” (Isaiah 1:22).⁶The verse is expounded to mean: Your money has become more [sagi], meaning that they collected interest. What happened to them? “Rejected silver they called them [as the Lord has rejected them]” (Jeremiah 6:30). Likewise, “they will cast their silver into the streets” (Ezekiel 7:19). Why? It is because they violated what is written in the Torah: “Do not give him your money with usury” (Leviticus 25:37).

[4] Another interpretation: Vision of Obadiah: What did Obadiah see as a reason to punish Edom? Rather, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, "Abraham used to feed fetuses and wayfarers, and Esau came and killed them, and he used to fill the caves with corpses, and Jezebel used to kill the prophets. Obadiah hid them in caves and sustained them, as it says, 'And it was when Jezebel was cutting off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them in fifty caves and sustained them with bread and water' (1 Kings 18:4). The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'Let Obadiah come, who fed the prophets in caves, and punish Esau, who killed people in caves.' Therefore it is said, 'The vision of Obadiah.' Another commentary: Esau circumcised his fathers, but he despised the circumcision and chose to remain uncircumcised. Obadiah, on the other hand, was uncircumcised and despised it, but he chose to be circumcised. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'Let Obadiah come, who despised circumcision and circumcised himself, and punish Esau, who circumcised his fathers and made himself uncircumcised.' Therefore it is said, "The vision of Obadiah." Another commentary: Esau sought to fulfill the wishes of his father, as it says, 'And Esau said in his heart, "Let the days of mourning for my father draw near"' (Genesis 27:41), but Obadiah honored one who was not his father, as it says, 'And behold, Obadiah was on the way, and Elijah met him, and he recognized him and fell on his face...' (1 Kings 18:7). The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'Let Obadiah come, who honored one who was not his father, and punish Esau, who sought the death of his father.' [Obadiah 1:21] Therefore it is said, 'The vision of Obadiah, but for Israel, I have known his thoughts...' (Jeremiah 29:11).