1 Kings 18:32
in 1 Kings 18And with the stones, Elijah built an altar in the name of the LORD. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And with the stones he built an altar in the name of Jehovah; and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
KJV
And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
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This verse in 1 Kings 18
Commentary
7 notes on this verseAnd with the stones he built an altar in the same of the Lord,.... Whom the twelve tribes had formerly worshipped; and though now divided in their civil state, yet ought to be united in the worship of God: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed; or two seahs, one of which was the third part of an ephah, and two of them were more than half a bushel; and this trench or ditch round the altar was as broad as such a measure of seed would sow.
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
large enough to hold two seahs of seed
John Gill reckons a seah as a third of an ephah, so two seahs came to more than half a bushel. He also reads the measure as the width of ground that much seed would sow. The trench fills at verse 35.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Twelve barrels of water (probably sea-water, for the sea was near, and so much fresh water in this time of drought was too precious for him to be so prodigal of it), thrice four, he poured upon his sacrifice, to prevent the suspicion of any fire under (for, if there had been any, this would have put it out), and to make the expected miracle the more illustrious.
The Nineteenth Century3 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.
He made a trench - This was to detain the water that might fall down from the altar when the barrels should be poured upon it, 1Ki 18:35.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
He built an altar in the name of the Lord - i. e., calling, as he built it, on the name of Yahweh, and so dedicating it to His service. Two measures of seed - literally, “two seahs of seed.” The seah contained about three gallons.
The words behind it
13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּבְנֶ֧ה | vaiyivneh | and he built | H1129 → | 376 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָאֲבָנִ֛ים | haavanim | the stones | H68 → | 273 times |
| מִזְבֵּ֖חַ | mizbeach | an altar | H4196 → | 401 times |
| בְּשֵׁ֣ם | beshem | in [the] name of | H8034 → | 864 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַיַּ֣עַשׂ | vaiyaas | and he made | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| תְּעָלָ֗ה | tealah | a trench | H8585 → | 11 times |
| כְּבֵית֙ | keveit | like a receptacle of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| סָאתַ֣יִם | satayim | two seahs | H5429 → | |
| זֶ֔רַע | zera' | seed | H2233 → | 229 times |
| סָבִ֖יב | saviv | around | H5439 → | 336 times |
| לַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ | lamizbeach | <to> the altar | H4196 → | 401 times |
וַיִּבְנֶ֧הand he built
vaiyivnehH1129 →376 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָאֲבָנִ֛יםthe stones
haavanimH68 →273 times
מִזְבֵּ֖חַan altar
mizbeachH4196 →401 times
בְּשֵׁ֣םin [the] name of
beshemH8034 →864 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַיַּ֣עַשׂand he made
vaiyaasH6213 →2628 times
תְּעָלָ֗הa trench
tealahH8585 →11 times
כְּבֵית֙like a receptacle of
keveitH1004 →2046 times
סָאתַ֣יִםtwo seahs
satayimH5429 →
זֶ֔רַעseed
zera'H2233 →229 times
סָבִ֖יבaround
savivH5439 →336 times
לַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃<to> the altar
lamizbeachH4196 →401 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
1 Corinthians 10:31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.
it leads to
- Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Colossians 3:17
And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
- 1 Peter 4:11
If anyone speaks, he should speak as one conveying the words of God. If anyone serves, he should serve with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be glorified through…
- Deuteronomy 12:7
There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your households shall eat and rejoice in all you do, because the LORD your God has blessed you.
- Colossians 3:23
Through
Colossians 3:17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.
- Proverbs 3:6
in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
- Ephesians 5:20
always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
- 1 Corinthians 10:31
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies5
On this verse
About 1 Kings
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil, The Books of the Kings and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.