English Standard Version
1 Kings 19:4
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."
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.”
- 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!”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”
Context of 1 Kings 19:4
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." 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. 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." 5And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, "Arise and eat." 6And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- But he himself wentהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
- a day’sיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- journeyדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
- into the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
- and cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- and sat downיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- under aאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- juniper treeרֹ֫תֶםrethem rôthem · broomH7574
- and he requestedשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592
- for himselfנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: myselfH5315
- that he might dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- It is enoughרַבrab · manyH7227
- now, O Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- take awayלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
- my lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
- not betterטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- than my 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 to him, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?" And he said, "I am."
- Genesis 21:15When the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one of the bushes.
- John 4:6Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.
- 1 Kings 19:3Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.
- Numbers 11:15If you will treat me like this, kill me at once, if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness."
- 2 Kings 2:11And as they still went on and talked, behold, chariots of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.
- Job 3:20"Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul,
- Jeremiah 20:14Cursed be the day on which I was born! The day when my mother bore me, let it not be blessed!
- Jonah 4:3Therefore now, O Lord, please take 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 over to Calneh, and see, and from there go to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Or is their territory greater than your territory,
- Nahum 3:8Are you better than Thebes that sat by the Nile, with water around her, her rampart a sea, and water her wall?
- Matthew 6:26Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
- Romans 3:9What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are 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
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