New King James Version
1 Kings 18:5
5And 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.”
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 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 called Obadiah, who was in charge of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly. 4For 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.) 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.” 6So they divided the land between them to explore it; Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. 7Now as Obadiah was on his way, suddenly Elijah met him; and he recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, “Is that 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
People and places in 1 Kings 18:5
Cross-references for 1 Kings 18:5
- Psalms 104:14He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, And vegetation for the service of man, That he may bring forth food from the earth,
- Jeremiah 14:5Yes, the deer also gave birth in the field, But left because there was no grass.
- Joel 1:18How the animals groan! The herds of cattle are restless, Because they have no pasture; Even the flocks of sheep suffer punishment.
- Joel 2:22Do not be afraid, you beasts of the field; For the open pastures are springing up, And the tree bears its fruit; The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.
- Habakkuk 3:17Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls—
- Romans 8:20For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries