1 Kings 18:31
in 1 Kings 18And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, “Israel shall be your name.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of Jehovah came, saying, Israel shall be thy name.
KJV
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:
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This verse in 1 Kings 18
Commentary
8 notes on this verseAnd Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob,.... Which he might very easily come at from the mountain: unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name, which signifies one that has power with God, as Jacob had, when the word came to him to make a change in his name at Penuel, Gen 32:28, and as Elijah hoped and believed he should have at this time, being a prophet, and a worshipper of Israel's God.
This site's exposition
he repaired the altar
on 1 Kings 18:30-32
Before fire can fall, a broken altar must be mended, and Elijah rebuilds it with twelve stones at the moment the nation has been ten tribes and two for sixty years. The stones cite Jacob by name, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name, so the prophet of the northern kingdom sacrifices on behalf of an Israel that no royal border defines. The trench of two measures is dug for water no drought-stricken hillside could spare.
This site's exposition
Elijah took twelve stones
John Gill ties the words Israel shall be your name to Genesis 32:28, where Jacob received the name after he struggled with God. Moses built an altar with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes at Exodus 24:4. Elijah builds for all twelve tribes.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Though ten of the tribes had revolted to Baal, he would look upon them as belonging to God still, by virtue of the ancient covenant with their fathers: and, though those ten were unhappily divided from the other two in civil interest, yet in the worship of the God of Israel they had communion with each other, and they twelve were one.
), to shame his degenerate seed, who worshipped a god which they saw could not hear nor answer them, and to encourage the prophet who was now to wrestle with God as Jacob did; he also shall be a prince with God.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Israel - Jacob was graciously answered by God when he prayed to him, and was honoured with the glorious title of Israel, which noted his prevalency with God and men. And I, calling upon the same God, doubt not of a like gracious answer; and if ever you mean to have your prayers granted, you must seek to the God of Jacob.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
In vain did they continue invoking their senseless deity from morning till noon, and from noon till evening, uttering the most piercing cries, using the most frantic gesticulations, and mingling their blood with the sacrifice. Elijah exposed their folly and imposture with the severest irony and, as the day was far advanced, commenced his operations.
Took twelve stones - He did this to show that all the twelve tribes of Israel should be joined in the worship of Jehovah.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּקַּ֣ח | vaiyikach | and he took | H3947 → | 966 times |
| אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ | ʾeliyahu | Elijah | H452 → | 71 times |
| שְׁתֵּ֤ים | sheteim | two [plus] | H8147 → | 768 times |
| עֶשְׂרֵה֙ | ʾesreh | ten | H6240 → | 338 times |
| אֲבָנִ֔ים | ʾavanim | stones | H68 → | 273 times |
| כְּמִסְפַּ֖ר | kemispar | according to [the] number of | H4557 → | |
| שִׁבְטֵ֣י | shivtei | [the] tribes of | H7626 → | 190 times |
| בְנֵֽי־ | venei- | [the] sons of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יַעֲקֹ֑ב | yaako | Jacob | H3290 → | |
| אֲשֶׁר֩ | ʾasher | whom | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הָיָ֨ה | hayah | it had come | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| דְבַר־ | devar- | [the] word of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| יְהוָ֤ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֵלָיו֙ | ʾelav | to him | H413 → | 5510 times |
| לֵאמֹ֔ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| יִהְיֶ֥ה | yihyeh | it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| שְׁמֶֽךָ׃ | shemekha | name your | H8034 → | 864 times |
וַיִּקַּ֣חand he took
vaiyikachH3947 →966 times
אֵלִיָּ֗הוּElijah
ʾeliyahuH452 →71 times
שְׁתֵּ֤יםtwo [plus]
sheteimH8147 →768 times
עֶשְׂרֵה֙ten
ʾesrehH6240 →338 times
אֲבָנִ֔יםstones
ʾavanimH68 →273 times
כְּמִסְפַּ֖רaccording to [the] number of
kemisparH4557 →
שִׁבְטֵ֣י[the] tribes of
shivteiH7626 →190 times
בְנֵֽי־[the] sons of
venei-H1121 →4930 times
יַעֲקֹ֑בJacob
yaakoH3290 →
אֲשֶׁר֩whom
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
הָיָ֨הit had come
hayahH1961 →3559 times
דְבַר־[the] word of
devar-H1697 →1440 times
יְהוָ֤הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֵלָיו֙to him
ʾelavH413 →5510 times
לֵאמֹ֔ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
יִהְיֶ֥הit will be
yihyehH1961 →3559 times
שְׁמֶֽךָ׃name your
shemekhaH8034 →864 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 32:28Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men, and you have prevailed.”
it leads to
- Genesis 35:10
And God said to him, “Though your name is Jacob, you will no longer be called Jacob. Instead, your name will be Israel.” So God named him Israel.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 2:17
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will give the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone…
- Isaiah 62:2–4
Nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. You will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.
- Hosea 12:3–5
In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel, and in his vigor he wrestled with God.
- Genesis 27:33–36
Isaac began to tremble violently and said, “Who was it, then, who hunted the game and brought it to me? Before you came in, I ate it all and blessed him—and indeed, he will…
- Genesis 35:10
Through
Genesis 35:10And God said to him, “Though your name is Jacob, you will no longer be called Jacob. Instead, your name will be Israel.” So God named him Israel.
it leads to
- Genesis 17:5
No longer will you be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.
- Genesis 32:27–28
“What is your name?” the man asked. “Jacob,” he replied.
- Genesis 17:5
Through
Joshua 4:20And there at Gilgal Joshua set up the twelve stones they had taken from the Jordan.
it leads to
- Joshua 4:8
Thus the Israelites did as Joshua had commanded them. They took up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, one for each tribe of Israel, just as the LORD had told Joshua; and…
- Joshua 4:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
On this verse
About 1 Kings
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Keil, The Books of the Kings and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.