New King James Version
1 Kings 19:2
2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.”
1 Kings 19:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
- New International Version (NIV)So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow."
- New Living Translation (NLT)So Jezebel sent this message to Elijah: “May the gods strike me and even kill me if by this time tomorrow I have not killed you just as you killed them.”
Context of 1 Kings 19:2
1And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” 3And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. 4But 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!”
Read all of 1 Kings 191 Kings 19:2 word by word
וַתִּשְׁלַ֤ח אִיזֶ֙בֶל֙ מַלְאָ֔ךְ אֶל־אֵלִיָּ֖הוּ לֵאמֹ֑ר כֹּֽה־יַעֲשׂ֤וּן אֱלֹהִים֙ וְכֹ֣ה יוֹסִפ֔וּן כִּֽי־כָעֵ֤ת מָחָר֙ אָשִׂ֣ים אֶֽת־נַפְשְׁךָ֔ כְּנֶ֖פֶשׁ אַחַ֥ד מֵהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then Jezebelאִיזֶבֶל'îyzebel · JezebelH348
- sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- a messengerמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messengerH4397
- unto Elijahאֵלִיָּה'êlîyâh 'êlîyâhû · ElijahH452
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- So let the godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- and moreיָסַףyâsaph · to addH3254
- also, if I makeשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
- not thy lifeנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
- of oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
- of them by to morrowמָחָרmâchâr · tomorrowH4279
- about this timeעֵת‛êth · timeH6256
People and places in 1 Kings 19:2
Cross-references for 1 Kings 19:2
- 1 Kings 2:28Then news came to Joab, for Joab had defected to Adonijah, though he had not defected to Absalom. So Joab fled to the tabernacle of the Lord, and took hold of the horns of the altar.
- 1 Kings 20:10Then Ben-Hadad sent to him and said, “The gods do so to me, and more also, if enough dust is left of Samaria for a handful for each of the people who follow me.”
- Ruth 1:17Where you die, I will die, And there will I be buried. The Lord do so to me, and more also, If anything but death parts you and me.”
- 2 Kings 6:31Then he said, “God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on him today!”
- Exodus 10:28Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!”
- Exodus 15:9The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; My desire shall be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, My hand shall destroy them.’
- 2 Kings 19:10“Thus you shall speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying: ‘Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you, saying, “Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.”
- Daniel 3:15Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”
- Proverbs 27:1Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
- Acts 12:4So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.
- James 4:13Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”;
Commentaries on 1 Kings 19:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2So let the gods do - If I do not slay thee, let the gods slay me with the most ignominious death.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2The prophet had not long to wait before learning the intentions of the queen. A priest‘s daughter herself, she would avenge the slaughtered priests; a king‘s wife and a king‘s child, she would not quail before a subject. That very night a messenger declared her determination to compass the prophet‘s death within the space of a day. So let the gods - A common oath about this time (marginal references). The Greek Version prefixes to this another clause…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2Jezebel threatened to kill Elijah within a day by speaking a curse. Solomon had made a similar threat against his half-brother Adonijah (1 Kings 2:23), and the king of Aram later used the same approach against Elisha (2 Kings 6:31). Jezebel was determined and ruthless in achieving her goals (1 Kings 21:5–15).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-31Ki 19:1-3. Elijah Flees to Beer-sheba. 3. he arose, and went for his life--He entered Jezreel full of hope. But a message from the incensed and hard-hearted queen, vowing speedy vengeance for her slaughtered priests, dispelled all his bright visions of the future. It is probable, however, that in the present temper of the people, even she would not have dared to lay violent hands on the Lord's servant, and purposely threatened him because she could do no…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 19:2
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries