New International Version
1 Kings 18:5
5Ahab 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.”
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.
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Ahab said to Obadiah, “We must check every spring and valley in the land to see if we can find enough grass to save at least some of my horses and mules.”
Context of 1 Kings 18:5
3and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his palace administrator. (Obadiah was a devout believer in the Lord. 4While 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.) 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.” 6So they divided the land they were to cover, Ahab going in one direction and Obadiah in another. 7As Obadiah was walking along, Elijah met him. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down to the ground, and said, “Is it really you, my lord Elijah?”
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 104:14He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate— bringing forth food from the earth:
- Jeremiah 14:5Even the doe in the field deserts her newborn fawn because there is no grass.
- Joel 1:18How the cattle moan! The herds mill about because they have no pasture; even the flocks of sheep are suffering.
- Joel 2:22Do not be afraid, you wild animals, for the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green. The trees are bearing their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their riches.
- Habakkuk 3:17Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,
- Romans 8:20For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in 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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