God’s Word Translation
1 Kings 19:4
4Then he traveled through the wilderness for a day. He sat down under a broom plant and wanted to die. “I’ve had enough now, Lord,” he said. “Take my life! I’m no better than my ancestors.”
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.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)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."
- 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!”
Context of 1 Kings 19:4
2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah. She said, “May the gods strike me dead if by this time tomorrow I don’t take your life the way you took the lives of Baal’s prophets.” 3Frightened, Elijah fled to save his life. He came to Beersheba in Judah and left his servant there. Then he traveled through the wilderness for a day. He sat down under a broom plant and wanted to die. “I’ve had enough now, Lord,” he said. “Take my life! I’m no better than my ancestors.” 5Then he lay down and slept under the broom plant. An angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6When he looked, he saw near his head some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water. So he ate, drank, and went to sleep 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 13:14He went after the man of God and found him sitting under an oak tree. The old prophet asked him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?” “Yes,” he answered.
- Genesis 21:15When the water in the container was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes.
- John 4:6Jacob’s Well was there. Jesus sat down by the well because he was tired from traveling. The time was about noon.
- 1 Kings 19:3Frightened, Elijah fled to save his life. He came to Beersheba in Judah and left his servant there.
- Numbers 11:15If this is how you’re going to treat me, why don’t you just kill me? I can’t face this trouble anymore.”
- 2 Kings 2:11As they continued walking and talking, a fiery chariot with fiery horses separated the two of them, and Elijah went to heaven in a windstorm.
- Job 3:20“Why give light to one in misery and life to those who find it so bitter,
- Jeremiah 20:14Cursed is the day that I was born, the day that my mother gave birth to me. May it not be blessed.
- Jonah 4:3So now, Lord, take my life. I’d rather be dead than alive.”
- Philippians 1:21Christ means everything to me in this life, and when I die I’ll have even more.
- Amos 6:2Go to Calneh and look. Go from there to the great city of Hamath. Then go to Gath, the city of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Is their territory larger than yours?
- Nahum 3:8Are you better than No-amon, which sits by the streams of the Nile with water surrounding her? The sea was ⌞her⌟ defense. The water was her wall.
- Matthew 6:26“Look at the birds. They don’t plant, harvest, or gather the harvest into barns. Yet, your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?
- Romans 3:9What, then, is the situation? Do we have any advantage? Not at all. We have already accused everyone (both Jews and Greeks) of being under the power of 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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