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Sunday, September 7th, 2025
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
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King James Version (1611 Edition)

1 Kings 18:31

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.

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.'
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.
Berean Standard Bible
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."
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

21 And Eliiah came vnto all the people, and said, how long halt yee betweene two opinions? If the Lord bee God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him: and the people answered him not a word. 22 Then said Eliiah vnto the people, I, euen I onely remaine a Prophet of the Lord: but Baals prophets are foure hundred and fiftie men. 23 Let them therefore giue vs two bullocks, and let them chuse one bullocke for themselues, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire vnder: and I will dresse the other bullocke, and lay it on wood, and put no fire vnder. 24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the Name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered, and said, It is well spoken. 25 And Eliiah said vnto the prophets of Baal, Chuse you one bullocke for your selues, and dresse it first, for yee are many: and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire vnder. 26 And they took the bullocke which was giuen them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning, euen vntil noone, saying, O Baal, heare vs. But there was no voyce, nor any that answered: And they leapt vpon the altar which was made. 27 And it came to passe at noone, that Eliiah mocked them, and saide, Crie aloud: for he is a god, either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or hee is in a iourney, or peraduenture he sleepeth, and must be awaked. 28 And they cried loud, and cut themselues after their maner, with kniues, and lancers, till the blood gushed out vpon them. 29 And it came to passe when midday was past, and they prophesied vntil the time of the offering of the euening sacrifice; that there was neither voice, nor any to answere, nor any that regarded. 30 And Eliiah said vnto all the people, Come neere vnto me. And all the people came neere vnto him. And he repaired the Altar of the Lord that was broken downe.

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
And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodome and Gomorrah is great, and because their sinne is very grieuous:
Genesis 18:22
And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodome: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
Genesis 18:27
And Abraham answered, and said, Behold now, I haue taken vpon me to speake vnto the LORD, which am but dust and ashes.
Matthew 7:7
Aske, and it shalbe giuen you: seeke, and ye shall finde: knocke, and it shalbe opened vnto you.
Matthew 7:11
If ye then being euill, know how to giue good giftes vnto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heauen, giue good things to them that aske him?
Luke 11:8
I say vnto you, Though he will not rise, and giue him, because he is his friend: yet because of his importunitie, hee will rise and giue him as many as he needeth.
Luke 18:1
And he spake a parable vnto them, to this ende, that men ought alwayes to pray, and not to faint,
Ephesians 6:18
Praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseuerance, and supplication for all Saints,
Hebrews 4:16
Let vs therefore come boldly vnto the throne of grace, that wee may obtaine mercy, and finde grace to helpe in 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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