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 appear before Ahab. Meanwhile, the famine had become very severe in Samaria. 3So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Obadiah was a devoted follower of the Lord. Once when Jezebel had tried to kill all the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah had hidden 100 of them in two caves. He put fifty prophets in each cave and supplied them with food and water.) 5Ahab 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.” 6So they divided the land between them. 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

Words taken from the KJV.

• when Jezebelאִיזֶבֶל'îyzebel · JezebelH348
• cut offכָּרַתkârath · to cut: eliminateH3772
• the prophetsנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• that Obadiahעֹבַדְיָ֫הוּ‛ôbadyâh ‛ôbadyâhû · ObadiahH5662
• tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• an hundredמֵאָהmê'âh mê'yâh · hundredH3967
• and hidחָבָאchâbâ' · to hideH2244
• them by fiftyחֲמִשִּׁיםchămishshîym · fiftyH2572
• them by fiftyאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
• in a caveמְעָרָהme‛ârâh · caveH4631
• and fedכּוּלkûl · to sustainH3557
• them with breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• and waterמַיmayim · waterH4325

Cross-references for 1 Kings 18:4

• Nehemiah 9:26“But despite all this, they were disobedient and rebelled against you. They turned their backs on your Law, they killed your prophets who warned them to return to you, and they committed terrible blasphemies.
• Matthew 21:35But the farmers grabbed his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.
• Revelation 17:4The woman wore purple and scarlet clothing and beautiful jewelry made of gold and precious gems and pearls. In her hand she held a gold goblet full of obscenities and the impurities of her immorality.
• Hebrews 11:38They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.
• 1 Kings 18:13Has no one told you, my lord, about the time when Jezebel was trying to kill the Lord’s prophets? I hid 100 of them in two caves and supplied them with food and water.
• 2 Kings 6:22“Of course not!” Elisha replied. “Do we kill prisoners of war? Give them food and drink and send them home again to their master.”
• Matthew 10:40“Anyone who receives you receives me, and anyone who receives me receives the Father who sent me.
• Matthew 25:35For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.
• 1 Kings 13:8But the man of God said to the king, “Even if you gave me half of everything you own, I would not go with you. I would not eat or drink anything 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