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Read the Bible

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

1 Kings 18:31

And Elijah took twelve stones-one for each tribe of Jacob's descendants to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, "Israel shall be your name."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ahab;   Altar;   Carmel;   Prayer;   Revivals;   Thompson Chain Reference - Awakenings and Religious Reforms;   Awakenings, Religious;   Elijah;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Carmel;   Priest;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Carmel;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Miracle;   Persecution;   Prayer;   Word;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Hospitality;   Zeal;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Altar;   Hosea;   Israel;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Altar;   Baal;   Cattle;   Elijah;   False Prophet;   False Worship;   Fertility Cult;   Gods, Pagan;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Mountain;   Prayer;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ahab;   Carmel;   Haggai;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Ahab ;   Baal, Baalim ;   Carmel ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Mount carmel;   Obadiah;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Carmel;   Elijah;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Car'mel;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Altar;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Israel;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Altar;   Elijah;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Abrogation of Laws;   Altar;  

Devotionals:

- Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life - Devotion for July 25;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Elijah took twelve stones—according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Israel will be your name”—
Hebrew Names Version
Eliyah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Ya`akov, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Yisra'el shall be your name.
King James Version
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:
English Standard Version
Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, "Israel shall be your name,"
New Century Version
He took twelve stones, one stone for each of the twelve tribes, the number of Jacob's sons. (The Lord changed Jacob's name to Israel.)
New English Translation
Then Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of tribes that descended from Jacob, to whom the Lord had said, "Israel will be your new name."
Amplified Bible
Then Elijah took twelve stones in accordance with the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, "Israel shall be your name."
New American Standard Bible
Then Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, "Israel shall be your name."
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Eliiah tooke twelue stones, according to the nomber of the tribes of the sonnes of Iaakob, (vnto whome the worde of the Lord came, saying, Israel shalbe thy name)
Legacy Standard Bible
Then Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of Yahweh had come, saying, "Israel shall be your name."
Contemporary English Version
Then he used twelve stones to build an altar in honor of the Lord . Each stone stood for one of the tribes of Israel, which was the name the Lord had given to their ancestor Jacob. Elijah dug a ditch around the altar, large enough to hold about thirteen quarts.
Complete Jewish Bible
Eliyahu took twelve stones, in keeping with the number of tribes of the sons of Ya‘akov, to whom the word of Adonai had come, saying, "Your name is to be Isra'el."
Darby Translation
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of Jehovah came saying, Israel shall be thy name;
Easy-to-Read Version
Elijah found twelve stones. There was one stone for each of the twelve tribes. These twelve tribes were named for the twelve sons of Jacob, the man who the Lord had named Israel.
George Lamsa Translation
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be your name;
Good News Translation
He took twelve stones, one for each of the twelve tribes named for the sons of Jacob, the man to whom the Lord had given the name Israel.
Lexham English Bible
Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of God came, saying, "Israel shall be your name."
Literal Translation
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the Word of Jehovah came, saying, Israel shall be your name.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
& toke twolue stones acordinge to the nombre of ye trybes of the childre of Iacob (vnto whom the worde of the LORDE spake, and sayde: Thy name shal be Israel)
American Standard Version
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.
Bible in Basic English
And Elijah took twelve stones, the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the Lord had said, Israel will be your name:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Elias toke twelue stones, according to the number of the twelue tribes of the sonnes of Iacob, vnto whom the word of the Lorde came, saying: Israel shalbe thy name.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.'
King James Version (1611)
And Eliiah tooke twelue stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sonnes of Iacob, vnto whome the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall bee thy name.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Eliu took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of Israel, as the Lord spoke to him, saying, Israel shall be thy name.
English Revised Version
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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he took twelue stonys, bi the noumbre of lynagis of sones of Jacob, to which Jacob the word of the Lord was maad, and seide, Israel schal be thi name.
Young's Literal Translation
and Elijah taketh twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of Jehovah was, saying, `Israel is thy name;'
Update Bible Version
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of Yahweh came, saying, Israel shall be your name.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:
World English Bible
Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of Yahweh came, saying, Israel shall be your name.
New King James Version
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, "Israel shall be your name." Genesis 32:28">[fn]
New Living Translation
He took twelve stones, one to represent each of the tribes of Israel,
New Life Bible
Then Elijah took twelve stones, by the number of the families of Jacob's sons. The word of the Lord had come to Jacob's sons, saying, "Israel will be your name."
New Revised Standard
Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, "Israel shall be your name";
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
unto whom the word of Yahweh came, saying - Israel, shall be thy name;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob to whom the word of the Lord came, saying: Israel shall be thy name.
Revised Standard Version
Eli'jah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, "Israel shall be your name";
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, "Israel shall be your name."

Contextual Overview

21Then Elijah approached all the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him." But the people did not answer a word. 22Then Elijah said to the people, "I am the only remaining prophet of the LORD, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. 23Get two bulls for us. Let the prophets of Baal choose one bull for themselves, cut it into pieces, and place it on the wood but not light the fire. And I will prepare the other bull and place it on the wood but not light the fire. 24Then you may call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The God who answers by fire, He is God." And all the people answered, "What you say is good." 25Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Since you are so numerous, choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire." 26And they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting, "O Baal, answer us!" But there was no sound, and no one answered as they leaped around the altar they had made. 27At noon Elijah began to taunt them, saying, "Shout louder, for he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or on a journey. Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened!" 28So they shouted louder and cut themselves with knives and lances, as was their custom, until the blood gushed out upon them. 29Midday passed, and they kept on raving until the time of the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention. 30Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." So all the people approached him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

twelve stones: Exodus 24:4, Joshua 4:3, Joshua 4:4, Joshua 4:20, Ezra 6:17, Jeremiah 31:1, Ezekiel 37:16-22, Ezekiel 47:13, Ephesians 2:20, Ephesians 4:4-6, Revelation 7:4-8, Revelation 21:12

saying: Genesis 32:28, Genesis 33:20, Genesis 35:10, 2 Kings 17:34, Isaiah 48:1

Reciprocal: Genesis 49:28 - every one Exodus 28:21 - according to the twelve Leviticus 24:5 - General Deuteronomy 27:5 - And there Joshua 4:9 - set up twelve Joshua 8:31 - altar Job 1:5 - according Matthew 19:28 - the twelve Romans 11:3 - digged James 1:1 - to

Cross-References

Genesis 18:20
Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great. Because their sin is so grievous,
Genesis 18:22
And the two men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the LORD.
Genesis 18:27
Then Abraham answered, "Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord-though I am but dust and ashes-
Matthew 7:7
Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
Matthew 7:11
So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Luke 11:8
I tell you, even though he will not get up to provide for him because of his friendship, yet because of the man's persistence, he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
Luke 18:1
Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray at all times and not lose heart:
Ephesians 6:18
Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.
Hebrews 4:16
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And 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, Genesis 32:28, and as Elijah hoped and believed he should have at this time, being a prophet, and a worshipper of Israel's God.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 31. Took twelve stones — He did this to show that all the twelve tribes of Israel should be joined in the worship of Jehovah.


 
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