1 Kings 18:4

Contemporary English Version

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
and took a hundred prophets and hid them, fifty men to a cave, and provided them with food and water when Jezebel slaughtered the Lord’s prophets.

Hebrew Names Version
for it was so, when Izevel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that `Ovadyah took one hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

King James Version
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.)

English Standard Version
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 Century Version
When Jezebel was killing all the Lord 's prophets, Obadiah hid a hundred of them in two caves, fifty in one cave and fifty in another. He also brought them food and water.)

New English Translation
When Jezebel was killing the Lord 's prophets, Obadiah took one hundred prophets and hid them in two caves in two groups of fifty. He also brought them food and water.)

Amplified Bible
for when Jezebel destroyed the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water.)

New American Standard Bible
for when Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water.)

Geneva Bible (1587)
For when Iezebel destroyed the Prophets of the Lorde, Obadiah tooke an hundreth Prophets, and hid them, by fiftie in a caue, and he fed them with bread and water.)

Legacy Standard Bible
And it happened that when Jezebel was cutting down the prophets of Yahweh, Obadiah took one hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and sustained them with bread and water.)

Complete Jewish Bible
for example, when Izevel was murdering Adonai 's prophets, ‘Ovadyah took a hundred prophets, hid them in two caves, fifty in each, and supplied them with food and water.

Darby Translation
and it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Jehovah, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and maintained them with bread and water);

Easy-to-Read Version
One time when Jezebel was killing all the Lord 's prophets, Obadiah hid 100 prophets in two caves. He put 50 prophets in one cave and 50 prophets in another cave. Then he brought them food and water.)

George Lamsa Translation
For when Jezebel slew the prophets of God, Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

Good News Translation
and when Jezebel was killing the Lord 's prophets, Obadiah took a hundred of them, hid them in caves in two groups of fifty, and provided them with food and water.)

Lexham English Bible
It had happened that when Jezebel killed the prophets of Yahweh, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in the cave and sustained them with food and water.)

Literal Translation
and it happened, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Jehovah, that Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and had hidden them, fifty men in a cave, and had fed them with bread and water)

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
for wha Iesabel roted out ye prophetes of ye LORDE, Abdia toke an C. prophetes, and hyd them in caues, here fiftye, & there fiftye, & prouyded for them wt bred and water.)

American Standard Version
for it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Jehovah, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

Bible in Basic English
For when Jezebel was cutting off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred of them, and kept them secretly in a hole in the rock, fifty at a time, and gave them bread and water.)

Bishop's Bible (1568)
For when Iezabel destroyed the prophets of the Lord, Obadia toke an hundred prophets, and hid them by fiftie in a caue, and prouided bread and water for them.)

JPS Old Testament (1917)
for it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.--

King James Version (1611)
For it was so, when Iezebel cut off the Prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah tooke an hundred Prophets, and hid them by fiftie in a caue, and fed them with bread and water.)

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it came to pass when Jezabel smote the prophets of the Lord, that Abdiu took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.

English Revised Version
for it was so, when Jezebel cut off 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.)

Berean Standard Bible
for when Jezebel had slaughtered the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah had taken a hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty men per cave, providing them with food and water.)

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
For whanne Jezabel killide the prophetis of the Lord, he took an hundrid prophetis, and hidde hem, bi fifties and fifties, in dennes, and fedde hem with breed and watir.

Young's Literal Translation
and it cometh to pass, in Jezebel's cutting off the prophets of Jehovah, that Obadiah taketh a hundred prophets, and hideth them, fifty men in a cave, and hath sustained them with bread and water --

Update Bible Version
for it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Yahweh, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

Webster's Bible Translation
For it was [so], when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

World English Bible
for it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Yahweh, that Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

New King James Version
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.)

New Living Translation
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.)

New Life Bible
For when Jezebel destroyed the men who spoke for the Lord, Obadiah took 100 of these men and hid them by fifties in a cave. And he fed them with bread and water.)

New Revised Standard
when Jezebel was killing off the prophets of the Lord , Obadiah took a hundred prophets, hid them fifty to a cave, and provided them with bread and water.)

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And so it came to pass, when Jezebel was cutting off the prophets of Yahweh, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifties in caves, and sustained them, with bread and water.

Douay-Rheims Bible
For when Jezabel killed the prophets of the Lord, he took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty and fifty in caves, and fed them with bread and water.

Revised Standard Version
and when Jez'ebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, Obadi'ah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

New American Standard Bible (1995)
for when Jezebel destroyed the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water.)

Contextual Overview

¹For three years no rain fell in Samaria, and there was almost nothing to eat anywhere. The Lord said to Elijah, "Go and meet with King Ahab. I will soon make it rain." So Elijah went to see Ahab. ³At that time Obadiah was in charge of Ahab's palace, but he faithfully worshiped the Lord . In fact, when Jezebel was trying to kill the Lord 's prophets, Obadiah hid one hundred of them in two caves and gave them food and water. Ahab sent for Obadiah ⁵ and said, "We have to find something for our horses and mules to eat. If we don't, we will have to kill them. Let's look around every creek and spring in the country for some grass. ⁶ You go one way, and I'll go the other." Then they left in separate directions. ⁷ As Obadiah was walking along, he met Elijah. Obadiah recognized him, bowed down, and asked, "Elijah, is it really you?" ⁸ "Yes. Go tell Ahab I'm here." ⁹ Obadiah replied: King Ahab would kill me if I told him that. And I haven't even done anything wrong. ¹⁰ I swear to you in the name of the living Lord your God that the king has looked everywhere for you. He sent people to look in every country, and when they couldn't find you, he made the leader of each country swear that you were not in that country. ¹¹ Do you really want me to tell him you're here? ¹² What if the Lord 's Spirit takes you away as soon as I leave? When Ahab comes to get you, he won't find you. Then he will surely kill me. I have worshiped the Lord since I was a boy.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Jezebel: Heb. Izabel

cut off the prophets: Nehemiah 9:26, Matthew 21:35, Revelation 17:4-6

in a cave: Hebrews 11:38

fed them: 1 Kings 18:13, 2 Kings 6:22, 2 Kings 6:23, Matthew 10:40-42, Matthew 25:35, Matthew 25:40

bread and water: 1 Kings 13:8, 1 Kings 13:9, 1 Kings 13:16

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 23:4 - Because they met Joshua 2:6 - hid them 1 Samuel 22:16 - Thou shalt 1 Samuel 22:17 - slay the priests 1 Kings 16:31 - Jezebel 1 Kings 17:11 - a morsel 1 Kings 19:10 - thrown down 1 Kings 21:5 - Jezebel 1 Kings 21:25 - whom Jezebel 1 Kings 22:8 - yet one man 2 Kings 1:9 - sent unto 2 Kings 2:3 - And the sons 2 Kings 2:7 - fifty men 2 Kings 6:32 - son of a murderer 2 Kings 9:7 - at the hand 2 Kings 9:22 - the whoredoms 2 Chronicles 18:7 - one man Psalms 19:9 - The fear Jeremiah 26:24 - that Jeremiah 36:19 - General Jeremiah 36:26 - but Amos 2:11 - I raised Micah 6:16 - the works Matthew 5:12 - for so Matthew 10:41 - that receiveth a prophet Matthew 14:8 - Give Matthew 25:17 - he also Mark 12:3 - they Luke 6:23 - for in Romans 11:3 - Lord Hebrews 11:37 - were slain

Cross-References

Genesis 18:5
Let me get you some food to give you strength before you leave. I would be honored to serve you." "Thank you very much," they answered. "We accept your offer."

Genesis 18:15
Sarah was so frightened that she lied and said, "I didn't laugh." "Yes, you did!" he answered.

Genesis 19:2
and said, "Gentlemen, I am your servant. Please come to my home. You can wash your feet, spend the night, and be on your way in the morning." They told him, "No, we'll spend the night in the city square."

Genesis 24:32
Abraham's servant went home with Laban, where Laban's servants unloaded his camels and gave them straw and feed. Then they brought water into the house, so Abraham's servant and his men could wash their feet.

Genesis 43:24
The servant took them into Joseph's house and gave them water to wash their feet. He also tended their donkeys.

1 Samuel 25:41
She bowed down and said, "I would willingly be David's slave and wash his servants' feet."

Luke 7:44
He turned toward the woman and said to Simon, "Have you noticed this woman? When I came into your home, you didn't give me any water so I could wash my feet. But she has washed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.

1 Timothy 5:10
She must also be well-known for doing all sorts of good things, such as raising children, giving food to strangers, welcoming God's people into her home, helping people in need, and always making herself useful.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord,.... Or slew them, as the Targum; put them to death some way or another; such as were brought up in the schools of the prophets, trained up in religious exercises, and instructed others therein:

that Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave; fifty in one cave and fifty in another; for there were large caves in the land of Israel capable of holding such a number, and many more, see 1 Samuel 22:1 and fed them with bread and water; which in this time of famine were very acceptable; though these may be put for all the necessaries of life.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

We 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” play an important part in the history of the country, serving especially as refuges for political offenders and other fugitives Jdg 6:2; 1 Samuel 13:6; Hebrews 11:38.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 18:4. Fed them with bread and water. — By these are signified the necessaries of life, of whatsoever kind.