1 Kings 18:4

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. Now the famine was severe in Samaria. 3Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the household. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly; for when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water.) 5Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the river valleys; perhaps we will find grass and keep the horses and mules alive, and not have to kill some of the cattle.” 6So they divided the land between them to survey it; Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.

1 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

• when Jezebelאִיזֶבֶל'îyzebel · JezebelH348
• killedכָּרַתkârath · to cut: eliminateH3772
• the prophetsנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• Obadiahעֹבַדְיָ֫הוּ‛ôbadyâh ‛ôbadyâhû · ObadiahH5662
• tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• a hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
• and hidחָבָאchâbâ' · to hideH2244
• them by fiftiesחֲמִשִּׁיםchămishshîym · fiftyH2572
• in a caveמְעָרָהme‛ârâh · caveH4631
• providedכּוּלkûl · to sustainH3557
• them with breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• and waterמַיmayim · waterH4325

Cross-references for 1 Kings 18:4

• Nehemiah 9:26“But they became rebellious and revolted against You, And threw Your Law behind their backs And killed Your prophets who had admonished them In order to bring them back to You, And they committed great blasphemies.
• Matthew 21:35And the vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another.
• Revelation 17:4The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls, holding in her hand a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her sexual immorality,
• Hebrews 11:38(people of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts, on mountains, and sheltering in caves and holes in the ground.
• 1 Kings 18:13Has it not been reported to my master what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, that I hid a hundred prophets of the Lord by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water?
• 2 Kings 6:22But he answered, “You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set bread and water before them, so that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.”
• Matthew 10:40“The one who receives you receives Me, and the one who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.
• Matthew 25:35For I 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 invited Me in;
• 1 Kings 13:8But the man of God said to the king, “If you were to give me half your house, I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water in this place.

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

• Cave
• Elijah
• Fear of God
• Israel
• Jezebel
• King
• Love
• Martyrdom
• Obadiah
• Persecution
• Women
• Zeal, Religious

In the dictionaries

• Jezebel
• Obadiah
• Ahab
• Answer
• Carmel
• Cave
• Cut
• Either
• Follow
• Halt

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