American Standard Version
1 Kings 19:4
4But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper-tree: and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is enough; now, O Jehovah, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
1 Kings 19:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.
- New International Version (NIV)while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, "It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers."
- New King James Version (NKJV)But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!”
Context of 1 Kings 19:4
2Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to-morrow about this time. 3And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper-tree: and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is enough; now, O Jehovah, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. 5And he lay down and slept under a juniper-tree; and, behold, an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. 6And he looked, and, behold, there was at his head a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
Read all of 1 Kings 191 Kings 19:4 word by word
וְהֽוּא־הָלַ֤ךְ בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ י֔וֹם וַיָּבֹ֕א וַיֵּ֕שֶׁב תַּ֖חַת רֹ֣תֶם אֶחָ֑ד וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל אֶת־נַפְשׁוֹ֙ לָמ֔וּת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר׀ רַ֗ב עַתָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ קַ֣ח נַפְשִׁ֔י כִּֽי־לֹא־ט֥וֹב אָנֹכִ֖י מֵאֲבֹתָֽי׃Read the interlinear
- wentהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
- day’sיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- journeyדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
- wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
- cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- satיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- enoughרַבrab · manyH7227
- nowעַתָּ֫ה‛attâh · nowH6258
- takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soulH5315
- betterטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1
Cross-references for 1 Kings 19:4
- 1 Kings 13:14And he went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak; and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am.
- Genesis 21:15And the water in the bottle was spent, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
- John 4:6and Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
- 1 Kings 19:3And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
- Numbers 11:15And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favor in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.
- 2 Kings 2:11And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, which parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
- Job 3:20Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, And life unto the bitter in soul;
- Jeremiah 20:14Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.
- Jonah 4:3Therefore now, O Jehovah, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
- Philippians 1:21For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
- Amos 6:2Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines: are they better than these kingdoms? or is their border greater than your border?
- Nahum 3:8Art thou better than No-amon, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about her; whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was of the sea?
- Matthew 6:26Behold the birds of the heaven, that they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; and your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye of much more value than they?
- Romans 3:9What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we before laid to the charge both of Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin;
Commentaries on 1 Kings 19:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4A day's journey into the wilderness - Probably in his way to Mount Horeb. See 1 Kings 19:8. Juniper tree - A tree that afforded him a shade from the scorching sun. It is enough - I have lived long enough! I can do no more good among this people; let me now end my days.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Elijah did not feel himself safe until he was beyond the territory of Judah, for Ahab might demand him of Jehoshaphat 1 Kings 18:10, with whom he was on terms of close alliance 1 Kings 22:4. He, therefore, proceeds southward into the desert, simply to be out of the reach of his enemies. A juniper-tree - The tree here mentioned רתם rethem is not the juniper but a species of broom (Genista monosperma ), called “rethem” by the Arabs, which abounds in the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Although technically a shrub, the broom tree can grow up to ten feet tall. Its small leaves still offer enough shade for a tired traveler in the wilderness. Like Jonah (Jonah 4:3), Elijah completed his mission but felt disappointed with the outcome. no better: God's prophet, seeking refuge, felt he achieved little and thought he would be better off dead.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-184-18. went a day's journey into the wilderness--on the way from Beer-sheba to Horeb--a wide expanse of sand hills, covered with the retem (not juniper, but broom shrubs), whose tall and spreading branches, with their white leaves, afford a very cheering and refreshing shade. His gracious God did not lose sight of His fugitive servant, but watched over him, and, miraculously ministering to his wants, enabled him, in a better but not wholly right frame of…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 19:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Kings 19
- 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
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries