God’s Word Translation
1 Kings 18:5
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.”
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
3Ahab sent for Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. Obadiah was a devout worshiper of the Lord. 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.) Ahab 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. 7Obadiah was on the road when he met Elijah. Obadiah recognized him and immediately bowed down to the ground. “Is it you, my master Elijah?” he asked.
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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Ahabאַחְאָב'ach'âb 'echâb · AhabH256
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto Obadiahעֹבַדְיָ֫הוּ‛ôbadyâh ‛ôbadyâhû · ObadiahH5662
- Goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- into the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- unto all fountainsמַעְיָןma‛yân ma‛yenô ma‛yânâh · springH4599
- of waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
- and unto all brooksנַ֫חַלnachal nachlâh nachălâh · torrent: valleyH5158
- peradventureאוּלַי'ûlay 'ûlay · perhapsH194
- we may findמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- grassחָצִירchâtsîyr · grassH2682
- to saveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
- the horsesסוּסsûs sûs · horseH5483
- and mulesפֶּ֫רֶדpered · muleH6505
- that we loseכָּרַתkârath · to cut: lackH3772
- not all the beastsבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
Cross-references for 1 Kings 18:5
- Psalms 104:14You make grass grow for cattle and make vegetables for humans to use in order to get food from the ground.
- Jeremiah 14:5Even deer in the fields give birth and abandon their young because there’s no grass.
- Joel 1:18The animals groan. Herds of cattle wander around confused. There’s no pasture for them. Even flocks of sheep are suffering.
- Joel 2:22Wild animals, do not be afraid. The pastures in the wilderness have turned green. The trees have produced their fruit. There are plenty of figs and grapes.
- Habakkuk 3:17Even if the fig tree does not bloom and the vines have no grapes, even if the olive tree fails to produce and the fields yield no food, even if the sheep pen is empty and the stalls have no cattle—
- Romans 8:20Creation was subjected to frustration but not by its own choice. The one who subjected it to frustration did so in the 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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