Amplified Bible
1 Kings 18:31
31Then Elijah took twelve stones in accordance with the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”
1 Kings 18:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:
- New International Version (NIV)Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, "Israel shall be your name,"
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”
Context of 1 Kings 18:31
29As midday passed, they played the part of prophets and raved dramatically until the time for offering the evening sacrifice; but there was no voice, no one answered, and no one paid attention. 30Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people approached him. And he repaired and rebuilt the [old] altar of the Lord that had been torn down [by Jezebel]. Then Elijah took twelve stones in accordance with the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.” 32So with the stones Elijah built an altar in the name of the Lord. He made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two measures of seed. 33Then he laid out the wood and cut the ox in pieces and laid it on the wood.
Read all of 1 Kings 181 Kings 18:31 word by word
וַיִּקַּ֣ח אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ שְׁתֵּ֤ים עֶשְׂרֵה֙ אֲבָנִ֔ים כְּמִסְפַּ֖ר שִׁבְטֵ֣י בְנֵֽי־יַעֲקֹ֑ב אֲשֶׁר֩ הָיָ֨ה דְבַר־יְהוָ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל יִהְיֶ֥ה שְׁמֶֽךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Elijahאֵלִיָּה'êlîyâh 'êlîyâhû · ElijahH452
- tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- twelveעָשָׂר‛âώâr · tenH6240
- twelveשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- stonesאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68
- according to the numberמִסְפָּרmispâr · numberH4557
- of the tribesשֵׁ֫בֶטshêbeţ · tribeH7626
- of the sonsבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
- unto whom the wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- came, sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- shall be thy nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
Cross-references for 1 Kings 18:31
- Exodus 24:4Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. Then he got up early in the morning, and built an altar [for worship] at the foot of the mountain with twelve pillars (memorial stones) representing the twelve tribes of Israel.
- Joshua 4:3and command them, ‘Pick up for yourselves twelve stones [one each] from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet are standing firm; carry them over with you and lay them down at the place where you will spend the night tonight.’ ”
- Ezra 6:17They offered at the dedication of this house of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and, as a sin offering for all Israel, 12 male goats, according to the number of Israel’s tribes.
- Jeremiah 31:1“At that time,” says the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.”
- Ezekiel 37:16“And you, son of man, take a stick and write on it, ‘For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions’; then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and all the house of Israel, his companions.’
- Ezekiel 47:13Thus says the Lord God, “This shall be the boundary by which you shall divide the land as an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel; Joseph shall have two portions.
- Ephesians 2:20having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the [chief] Cornerstone,
- Ephesians 4:4There is one body [of believers] and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when called [to salvation]—
- Revelation 7:4And I heard how many were sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand; [twelve thousand] sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel:
- Revelation 21:12It had a massive and high wall, with twelve [large] gates, and at the gates [were stationed] twelve angels; and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were written.
- Genesis 32:28And He said, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men and have prevailed.”
- Genesis 33:20There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
- Genesis 35:10Again God said to him, “Your name is Jacob; You shall no longer be called Jacob, But Israel shall be your name.” So he was called Israel.
- 2 Kings 17:34To this day they act in accordance with their former [pagan] customs: they do not [really] fear the Lord, nor do they obey their statutes and ordinances, nor the law, nor the commandments which the Lord commanded the sons (descendants) of Jacob, whom He named Israel;
- Isaiah 48:1“Hear this, O house of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel And who come from the seed of Judah, You who swear [allegiance] by the name of the Lord And invoke the God of Israel, But not in truth (sincerity) nor in righteousness [with moral and spiritual integrity].
Commentaries on 1 Kings 18:31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31Took twelve stones - He did this to show that all the twelve tribes of Israel should be joined in the worship of Jehovah.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-40Verses 21-40 Many of the people wavered in their judgment, and varied in their practice. Elijah called upon them to determine whether Jehovah or Baal was the self-existent, supreme God, the Creator, Governor, and Judge of the world, and to follow him alone. It is dangerous to halt between the service of God and the service of sin, the dominion of Christ and the dominion of our lusts. If Jesus be the only Saviour, let us cleave to him alone for every…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31-32The twelve stones Elijah used to rebuild the altar for the Lord should have reminded the people that God was the redeemer of all Israel (compare Joshua 4:1–11; see Isaiah 41:14; 49:26).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-4021-40. Elijah said unto all the people, How long halt ye?--They had long been attempting to conjoin the service of God with that of Baal. It was an impracticable union and the people were so struck with a sense of their own folly, or dread of the king's displeasure, that they "answered not a word." Elijah proposed to decide for them the controversy between God and Baal by an appeal, not to the authority of the law, for that would have no weight, but by a…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 18:31
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Kings 18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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