1 Kings 19:18

Myles Coverdale Bible

And I wil reserue vnto me vij.M. men in Israel: namely, all ye knees which haue not bowed the selues vnto Baal, and euery mouth yt hath not kyssed him.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But I will leave seven thousand in Israel—every knee that has not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

Hebrew Names Version
Yet will I leave [me] seven thousand in Yisra'el, all the knees which have not bowed to Ba`al, and every mouth which has not kissed him.

King James Version
Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

English Standard Version
Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him."

New Century Version
I have seven thousand people left in Israel who have never bowed down before Baal and whose mouths have never kissed his idol."

New English Translation
I still have left in Israel seven thousand followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him."

Amplified Bible
"Yet I will leave 7,000 [survivors] in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed down to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him."

New American Standard Bible
"Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him."

Geneva Bible (1587)
Yet wil I leaue seuen thousand in Israel, euen all the knees that haue not bowed vnto Baal, and euery mouth that hath not kissed him.

Legacy Standard Bible
Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him."

Contemporary English Version
But seven thousand Israelites have refused to worship Baal, and they will live.

Complete Jewish Bible
Still, I will spare seven thousand in Isra'el, every knee that hasn't bent down before Ba‘al and every mouth that has not kissed him."

Darby Translation
Yet I have left [myself] seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth that hath not kissed him.

Easy-to-Read Version
I still have 7000 people in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed that idol."

George Lamsa Translation
Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.

Good News Translation
Yet I will leave seven thousand people alive in Israel—all those who are loyal to me and have not bowed to Baal or kissed his idol."

Lexham English Bible
I will leave in Israel seven thousand, all of the knees that have not bowed down to Baal and all of the mouths that have not kissed him."

Literal Translation
And I have left in Israel seven thousand, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.

American Standard Version
Yet will I leave me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

Bible in Basic English
But I will keep safe seven thousand in Israel, all those whose knees have not been bent to Baal, and whose mouths have given him no kisses.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And [thereto] I haue left me seuen thousande in Israel, of whiche neuer man bowed his knees vnto Baal, nor kissed him with his mouth.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Yet will I leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.'

King James Version (1611)
Yet I haue left me seuen thousand in Israel, all the knees which haue not bowed vnto Baal, and euery mouth which hath not kissed him.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And thou shalt leave in Israel seven thousand men, all the knees which had not bowed themselves to Baal, and every mouth which had not worshipped him.

English Revised Version
Yet will I leave [me] seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

Berean Standard Bible
Nevertheless, I have reserved seven thousand in Israel-all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Y schal leeue to me in Israel seuene thousynde of men, of whiche the knees ben not bowid bifor Baal, and ech mouth that worschipide not hym, and kisside hond.

Young's Literal Translation
and I have left in Israel seven thousand, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that hath not kissed him.'

Update Bible Version
Yet I will leave [me] seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which haven't bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him.

Webster's Bible Translation
Yet I have left to [me] seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

World English Bible
Yet will I leave [me] seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him.

New King James Version
Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him."

New Living Translation
Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!"

New Life Bible
But I will leave 7,000 in Israel whose knees have not bowed down in front of Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him."

New Revised Standard
Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Yet will I leave remaining in Israel, seven thousand, - all knees which have not bowed to Baal, and all mouths which have not kissed to him.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And I will leave me seven thousand men in Israel, whose knees have not been bowed before Baal, and every mouth that hath not worshipped him, kissing the hands.

Revised Standard Version
Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Ba'al, and every mouth that has not kissed him."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him."

Contextual Overview

⁹ and there he came to a caue, and abode there all nighte. And beholde the worde of the LORDE came to him, and sayde vnto him: What doest thou here Elias? ¹⁰ He sayde: I haue bene zelous for the LORDE God Zebaoth: for the children of Israel haue forsaken thy couenaunt, and broken downe thine altares, and slayne thy prophetes with the swerde, and I am lefte onely, & they seke to take awaye my life. ¹¹ He sayde: Go forth, and stonde vpon the mount before the LORDE. And beholde, the LORDE wete ouer: and a greate mightie wynde, which roue the mountaynes, and brake the harde stones, came before the LORDE, but the LORDE was not in the wynde. After the wynde came there an earthquake, but the LORDE was not in the earthquake. ¹² And after the earth quake there came a fyre, but the LORDE was not in the fyre. And after the fyre came there a styll softe hyssinge. ¹³ Whan Elias herde that, he couered his face with his cloke, and wente forth, and stode in the dore of the caue. And beholde, there came a voyce vnto him, and sayde: What hast thou here to do Elias? ¹⁴ He sayde: I haue bene zelous for the LORDE God Zebaoth: for the children of Israel haue forsake thy couenaunt, broken downe thine altares, slayne yi prophetes wt the swerde, & I onely am lefte, and they seke to take awaye my life. ¹⁵ But the LORDE sayde vnto him: Go yi waye agayne thorow the wyldernes vnto Damascon, & go in, & anoynte Hasael kynge ouer Siria, ¹⁶ & Iehu the sonne of Nimsi kynge ouer Israel, & Eliseus ye sonne of Saphat of Abel Mehola to be prophet in yi steade. ¹⁷ And it shal come to passe, yt, who so escapeth the swerde of Hasael, Iehu shall slaye him, & who so escapeth ye swerde of Iehu, Eliseus shal slaye him. ¹⁸ And I wil reserue vnto me vij.M. men in Israel: namely, all ye knees which haue not bowed the selues vnto Baal, and euery mouth yt hath not kyssed him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Yet I have left: or, Yet I will leave, Isaiah 1:9, Isaiah 10:20-22, Romans 11:4, Romans 11:5

the knees: Exodus 20:5, Isaiah 49:23, Romans 14:10-12, Philippians 2:10

every mouth: Idolaters often kissed their hand in honour of their idols; and hence the origin of adoration from ad, to and os, oris, the mouth. Cicero mentions a statue of Hercules, the chin and lips of which were considerably worn by the kissing of his worshippers. Job 31:27, Psalms 2:12, Hosea 13:2

Reciprocal: Numbers 25:2 - bowed 1 Samuel 10:1 - kissed him 1 Kings 20:15 - seven thousand 2 Kings 5:18 - and I bow 2 Kings 23:4 - Baal Isaiah 17:6 - General Mark 15:19 - and bowing Ephesians 3:14 - I Revelation 3:4 - even

Cross-References

Genesis 19:6
And Lot wente out at the dore vnto the, and shut the dore after him,

Genesis 19:8
Beholde, I haue two doughters, which yet haue knowne no man: them will I brynge out vnto you, do with them as it liketh you. Onely do nothinge vnto these men of God, for therfore are they come vnder the shadowe of my rofe.

Genesis 19:11
And the men at ye dore of the house were smytte with blyndnesse both small and greate, so that they coude not fynde the dore.

Genesis 19:12
And ye men saide vnto Lot: Hast thou yet here eny sonne in lawe, or sonnes or doughters? Who so euer belongeth vnto the in the cite, brynge him out of this place:

Genesis 32:26
And he sayde: Let me go, for ye daye breaketh on. But he answered: I will not let ye go, excepte thou blesse me.

Isaiah 45:11
Thus saieth the LORDE, euen the holy one & maker of Israel: Axe me of thinges for to come, concernynge my sonnes: and put me in remebraunce, as touchinge the workes of my hodes:

Acts 9:13
Ananias answered: LORDE, I haue herde by many of this mau, how moch euell he hath done to thy sayntes at Ierusale.

Acts 10:14
But Peter sayde: Oh no, LORDE, for I neuer ate eny commen or vncleane thinge.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel,.... From perishing by the sword of either of them:

all the knees which have not bowed to Baal; that is, had not worshipped him, which was signified by this gesture:

and every mouth which hath not kissed him; either the image of Baal itself, or the hand, in reverence of him; which rites, one or other, or both, were used by his worshippers; :-. This either refers, as some think, to the present time, and so is an answer to Elijah, who thought he was the only worshipper left with which seems to agree Romans 11:2, or to the times to come, when destruction should be made by the above persons, and when God would have some faithful worshippers, and would take care of them; so some render the words, "I will reserve", c. y.

y והשארתי "reservabo vel servabo", Vatablus so V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Yet I have left me ... - Rather, as in the margin. “Seven thousand” faithful Israelites shall survive all the persecutions of Ahab and Jezebel, and carry down the worship of Yahweh to another generation. Elijah is mistaken in supposing that he only is left. The number is manifestly a “round” number, not an exact estimate. Perhaps it is, moreover, a mystical or symbolic number. Compare Revelation 7:5-8. Of all the symbolic numbers used in Scripture, seven is the most common.

Every mouth which hath not kissed him - Idolaters sometimes kissed the hand to the object of their worship Job 31:26-27; at other times they kissed the actual image (marginal reference).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 19:18. Seven thousand in Israel — That is, many thousands; for seven is a number of perfection, as we have often seen: so, The barren has borne seven - has had a numerous off-spring; Gold seven times purified-purified till all the dross is perfectly separated from it. The court and multitudes of the people had gone after Baal; but perhaps the majority of the common people still worshipped in secret the God of their fathers.

Every mouth which hath not kissed him. — Idolaters often kissed their hand in honour of their idols; and hence the origin of adoration - bringing the hand to the mouth after touching the idol, if it were within reach; and if not, kissing the right hand in token of respect and subjection. The word is compounded of ad, to, and os, oris, the mouth. Dextera manu deum contingentes, ori admovebant: "Touching the god with their right hand, they applied it to their mouth." So kissing the hand, and adoration, mean the same thing -

thus Pliny,

Inter adorandum, dexteram ad osculum referimus, totum corpus circumagimus: Nat. Hist. lib. xxviii., cap. 2. -

"In the act of adoration we kiss the right hand, and turn about the whole body."

Cicero mentions a statue of Hercules, the chin and lips of which were considerably worn by the frequent kissing of his worshippers:

Ut rictus ejus, et mentum paulo sit attritius, quod in precibus et gratulationibus, non solum id venerari, sed etiam osculari solent. - Orat. in VERREM.

I have seen several instances of this, especially in the paintings of old saints: the lips and mouth of beautiful paintings literally worn away by the unmerciful osculations of devotees.