English Standard Version
1 Kings 19:2
2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow."
1 Kings 19:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then 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.
- New International Version (NIV)So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.”
Context of 1 Kings 19:2
1Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow." 3Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. 4But 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."
Read all of 1 Kings 191 Kings 19:2 word by word
וַתִּשְׁלַ֤ח אִיזֶ֙בֶל֙ מַלְאָ֔ךְ אֶל־אֵלִיָּ֖הוּ לֵאמֹ֑ר כֹּֽה־יַעֲשׂ֤וּן אֱלֹהִים֙ וְכֹ֣ה יוֹסִפ֔וּן כִּֽי־כָעֵ֤ת מָחָר֙ אָשִׂ֣ים אֶֽת־נַפְשְׁךָ֔ כְּנֶ֖פֶשׁ אַחַ֥ד מֵהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then Jezebelאִיזֶבֶל'îyzebel · JezebelH348
- sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- a messengerמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messengerH4397
- unto Elijahאֵלִיָּה'êlîyâh 'êlîyâhû · ElijahH452
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- So let the godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- and moreיָסַףyâsaph · to addH3254
- also, if I makeשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
- not thy lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
- of oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- of them by to morrowמָחָרmâchâr · tomorrowH4279
- about this timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
Cross-references for 1 Kings 19:2
- 1 Kings 2:28When the news came to Joab—for Joab had supported Adonijah although he had not supported Absalom—Joab fled to the tent of the Lord and caught hold of the horns of the altar.
- 1 Kings 20:10Ben-hadad sent to him and said, "The gods do so to me and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people who follow me."
- Ruth 1:17Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you."
- 2 Kings 6:31and he said, "May God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today."
- Exodus 10:28Then Pharaoh said to him, "Get away from me; take care never to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die."
- Exodus 15:9The enemy said, 'I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them. I will draw my sword; my hand shall destroy them.'
- 2 Kings 19:10"Thus shall you speak to Hezekiah king of Judah: 'Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.
- Daniel 3:15Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?"
- Proverbs 27:1Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
- Acts 12:4And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people.
- James 4:13Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"—
Commentaries on 1 Kings 19:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2So let the gods do - If I do not slay thee, let the gods slay me with the most ignominious death.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2The prophet had not long to wait before learning the intentions of the queen. A priest‘s daughter herself, she would avenge the slaughtered priests; a king‘s wife and a king‘s child, she would not quail before a subject. That very night a messenger declared her determination to compass the prophet‘s death within the space of a day. So let the gods - A common oath about this time (marginal references). The Greek Version prefixes to this another clause…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Jezebel threatened to kill Elijah within a day by speaking a curse. Solomon had made a similar threat against his half-brother Adonijah (1 Kings 2:23), and the king of Aram later used the same approach against Elisha (2 Kings 6:31). Jezebel was determined and ruthless in achieving her goals (1 Kings 21:5–15).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-31Ki 19:1-3. Elijah Flees to Beer-sheba. 3. he arose, and went for his life--He entered Jezreel full of hope. But a message from the incensed and hard-hearted queen, vowing speedy vengeance for her slaughtered priests, dispelled all his bright visions of the future. It is probable, however, that in the present temper of the people, even she would not have dared to lay violent hands on the Lord's servant, and purposely threatened him because she could do no…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 19:2
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
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Commentaries