God’s Word Translation
1 Kings 18:4
4(When Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah had hidden 100 prophets in caves. He put 50 prophets in each cave and kept them alive by providing bread and water for them.)
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 present himself to Ahab. The famine was particularly severe in Samaria. 3Ahab sent for Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. Obadiah was a devout worshiper of the Lord. (When Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah had hidden 100 prophets in caves. He put 50 prophets in each cave and kept them alive by providing bread and water for them.) 5Ahab told Obadiah, “Let’s go throughout the countryside to every spring and stream. If we can find grass, then we can keep the horses and mules alive and not lose any animals.” 6So they split up in order to cover the entire countryside. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went the other way by himself.
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 they were defiant and rebelled against you. They threw your teachings over their shoulders and killed your prophets who warned them to turn back to you. They committed outrageous sins.
- Matthew 21:35The workers took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned a third to death.
- Revelation 17:4The woman wore purple clothes, bright red clothes, gold jewelry, gems, and pearls. In her hand she was holding a gold cup filled with detestable and evil things from her sexual sins.
- Hebrews 11:38The world didn’t deserve these good people. Some wandered around in deserts and mountains and lived in caves and holes in the ground.
- 1 Kings 18:13Haven’t you heard what I did when Jezebel killed the Lord’s prophets? Haven’t you heard how I hid 100 of the Lord’s prophets in caves? I hid 50 prophets in each cave and provided bread and water for them.
- 2 Kings 6:22Elisha answered, “Don’t kill them. Do you kill everyone you take captive in combat? Give them food and water. Let them eat and drink. Then let them go back to their master.”
- Matthew 10:40“The person who welcomes you welcomes me, and the person who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.
- Matthew 25:35I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me into your home.
- 1 Kings 13:8The man of God told the king, “Even if you gave me half of your palace, I would never go with you to eat or drink there.
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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