EasyEnglish Bible 2018
1 Kings 18:4
4At one time, Ahab's wife Jezebel was killing many of the Lord's prophets. While she was doing this, Obadiah had kept 100 prophets safe. He had hidden them in two caves, with 50 prophets in each cave. He had also given them food and water.
1 Kings 18:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
- New International Version (NIV)While Jezebel was killing off the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them in two caves, fifty in each, and had supplied them with food and water.)
- English Standard Version (ESV)and when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water.)
- New King James Version (NKJV)For so it was, while Jezebel massacred the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and had fed them with bread and water.)
Context of 1 Kings 18:4
2So Elijah went to meet Ahab. At that time, the famine in Samaria was very bad. 3King Ahab told his officer Obadiah to come and meet him. Obadiah had authority over the king's palace. Obadiah obeyed the Lord very faithfully. At one time, Ahab's wife Jezebel was killing many of the Lord's prophets. While she was doing this, Obadiah had kept 100 prophets safe. He had hidden them in two caves, with 50 prophets in each cave. He had also given them food and water. 5Now Ahab said to Obadiah, ‘Go through all the land to where there are valleys and springs of water. See if we can find some grass to feed the horses and mules. Then we will not have to kill our animals.’ 6So Ahab and Obadiah went to different parts of the country. Ahab went in one direction and Obadiah went in another direction.
Read all of 1 Kings 181 Kings 18:4 word by word
וַיְהִי֙ בְּהַכְרִ֣ית אִיזֶ֔בֶל אֵ֖ת נְבִיאֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיִּקַּ֨ח עֹבַדְיָ֜הוּ מֵאָ֣ה נְבִאִ֗ים וַֽיַּחְבִּיאֵ֞ם חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים אִישׁ֙ בַּמְּעָרָ֔ה וְכִלְכְּלָ֖ם לֶ֥חֶם וָמָֽיִם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- when Jezebelאִיזֶבֶל'îyzebel · JezebelH348
- cut offכָּרַתkârath · to cut: eliminateH3772
- the prophetsנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- that Obadiahעֹבַדְיָ֫הוּ‛ôbadyâh ‛ôbadyâhû · ObadiahH5662
- tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- an hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
- and hidחָבָאchâbâ' · to hideH2244
- them by fiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםchămishshîym · fiftyH2572
- them by fiftyאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- in a caveמְעָרָהme‛ârâh · caveH4631
- and fedכּוּלkûl · to sustainH3557
- them with breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
- and waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
Cross-references for 1 Kings 18:4
- Nehemiah 9:26But your people did not obey you. They turned against you. They stopped obeying your laws. You sent your prophets to warn your people to return to you. But they killed the prophets that you sent to them. Your people insulted you in many bad ways.
- Matthew 21:35But the farmers took hold of the servants. They hit one of them with sticks. They killed another one. They threw stones at another servant and killed him.
- Revelation 17:4The woman was wearing clothes that were made from expensive cloth. She also wore bright things that made her look beautiful. She shone with gold, valuable stones and pearls. She held a gold cup in her hand. The cup was full of the bad and disgusting things that she had caused people to do.
- Hebrews 11:38These people who trusted God were too good for this world. Some of them had to travel about in the wilderness and on the hills. Some had to live in holes in the rocks and in the ground.
- 1 Kings 18:13You know, sir, about what I did when Jezebel was killing the Lord's prophets. I hid 100 prophets in two caves. I put 50 prophets in each cave. I gave them food and water.
- 2 Kings 6:22Elisha answered, ‘You must not kill them. That would not be right. You did not win a fight against them with your weapons. Give them some food and water. Then they can eat and drink before they go back to their master.’
- Matthew 10:40Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone accepts you in his home, then he is also accepting me. And anyone who accepts me, also accepts my Father God, who sent me.
- Matthew 25:35I was hungry and you gave me some food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me some water to drink. I was visiting your town and you asked me to stay in your home.
- 1 Kings 13:8But God's servant said to the king, ‘I could never go with you, even if you gave me half of your riches. I could not eat or drink anything while I am here.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 18:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Fed them with bread and water - By these are signified the necessaries of life, of whatsoever kind.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4We have no details of Jezebel‘s deed of blood. Some have conjectured that it was the answer of Jezebel to Elijah‘s threat, and that the command given him to hide in Cherith alone saved him from being one of the victims. This view receives some support from Obadiah‘s act and words 1 Kings 18:13. Fifty in a cave - The limestone formation of Judaea and Samaria abounds with large natural caverns, the size of which is easily increased by art. These “caves”…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Obadiah's care for 100 of the Lord's prophets suggests a group of prophets that existed since Samuel's time (1 Samuel 10:5–18; 19:20, 24). These groups met for study and spiritual support and are mentioned several times (2 Kings 4:1, 38; 9:1). Elijah and Elisha likely led some of these groups (2 Kings 2:3–7, 15; 6:1–7).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. an hundred prophets--not men endowed with the extraordinary gifts of the prophetic office, but who were devoted to the service of God, preaching, praying, praising, &c. (1Sa 10:10-12). fed them with bread and water--These articles are often used to include sustenance of any kind. As this succor must have been given them at the hazard, not only of his place, but his life, it was a strong proof of his attachment to the true religion.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 18:4
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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