Berean Standard Bible
1 Kings 18:5
5Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go throughout the land to every spring and every valley. Perhaps we will find grass to keep the horses and mules alive so that we will not have to destroy any livestock.”
1 Kings 18:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.
- New International Version (NIV)Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grass to keep the horses and mules alive so we will not have to kill any of our animals.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, and not lose some of the animals."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Ahab had said to Obadiah, “Go into the land to all the springs of water and to all the brooks; perhaps we may find grass to keep the horses and mules alive, so that we will not have to kill any livestock.”
Context of 1 Kings 18:5
3and Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Now Obadiah greatly feared the LORD, 4for when Jezebel had slaughtered the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty men per cave, providing them with food and water.) Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go throughout the land to every spring and every valley. Perhaps we will find grass to keep the horses and mules alive so that we will not have to destroy any livestock.” 6So they divided the land to explore. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went the other way by himself. 7Now as Obadiah went on his way, Elijah suddenly met him. When Obadiah recognized him, he fell facedown and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?”
Read all of 1 Kings 181 Kings 18:5 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אַחְאָב֙ אֶל־עֹ֣בַדְיָ֔הוּ לֵ֤ךְ בָּאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֶל־כָּל־מַעְיְנֵ֣י הַמַּ֔יִם וְאֶ֖ל כָּל־הַנְּחָלִ֑ים אוּלַ֣י׀ נִמְצָ֣א חָצִ֗יר וּנְחַיֶּה֙ ס֣וּס וָפֶ֔רֶד וְל֥וֹא נַכְרִ֖ית מֵהַבְּהֵמָֽה׃Read the interlinear
- Then Ahabאַחְאָב'ach'âb 'echâb · AhabH256
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- toאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
- Obadiahעֹבַדְיָ֫הוּ‛ôbadyâh ‛ôbadyâhû · ObadiahH5662
- Goהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
- throughout the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- everyכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- springמַעְיָןma‛yân ma‛yenô ma‛yânâh · springH4599
- ·מַיmayim · waterH4325
- valleyנַ֫חַלnachal nachlâh nachălâh · torrent: valleyH5158
- Perhapsאוּלַי'ûlay 'ûlay · perhapsH194
- we will findמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- grassחָצִירchâtsîyr · grassH2682
- to keep the horsesסוּסsûs sûs · horseH5483
- and mulesפֶּ֫רֶדpered · muleH6505
- aliveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
- so that we will notלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- have to destroyכָּרַתkârath · to cut: lackH3772
- any livestockבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
Cross-references for 1 Kings 18:5
- Psalms 104:14He makes the grass grow for the livestock and provides crops for man to cultivate, bringing forth food from the earth:
- Jeremiah 14:5Even the doe in the field deserts her newborn fawn because there is no grass.
- Joel 1:18How the cattle groan! The herds wander in confusion because they have no pasture. Even the flocks of sheep are suffering.
- Joel 2:22Do not be afraid, O beasts of the field, for the open pastures have turned green, the trees bear their fruit, and the fig tree and vine yield their best.
- Habakkuk 3:17Though the fig tree does not bud and no fruit is on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the sheep are cut off from the fold and no cattle are in the stalls,
- Romans 8:20For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope
Commentaries on 1 Kings 18:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Unto all fountains of water - All marshy or well-watered districts, where grass was most likely to be preserved.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5Unto all fountains of water and unto all brooks - Rather, “to all springs of water and to all torrent-courses.” The former are the perennial streams; the latter are the torrent-courses which become dry in an ordinary summer. All the beasts - Rather, some, or, “a portion of our beasts.”Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-6Because of the severe drought, Ahab and Obadiah, his chief officer (see 1 Kings 4:6; 16:9), went to find enough water and grass for the king’s horses. These supplies were essential for military readiness. Assyrian King Shalmaneser III wrote that Ahab used about 2,000 horse-drawn chariots in the Battle of Qarqar in 853 BC. Solomon also had many horses and chariots (1 Kings 10:26).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-161Ki 18:1-16. Elijah Meets Obadiah. 1. the third year--In the New Testament, it is said there was no rain "for the space of three years and six months" [Jas 5:17]. The early rain fell in our March, the latter rain in our October. Though Ahab might have at first ridiculed Elijah's announcement, yet when neither of these rains fell in their season, he was incensed against the prophet as the cause of the national judgment, and compelled him, with God's…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 18:5
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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