1 Kings 18:4

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.)

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 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

¹ And it came to pass after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, "Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth." ² So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab; and there was a severe famine in Samaria. ³ And Ahab had called Obadiah, who was in charge of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly. ⁴ 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.) ⁵ And Ahab had said to Obadiah, "Go into the land to all the springs of water and to all the brooks; perhaps we may find grass to keep the horses and mules alive, so that we will not have to kill any livestock." ⁶ So they divided the land between them to explore it; Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. ⁷ Now as Obadiah was on his way, suddenly Elijah met him; and he recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, "Is that you, my lord Elijah?" ⁸ And he answered him, "It is I. Go, tell your master, "Elijah is here."' ⁹ So he said, "How have I sinned, that you are delivering your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me? ¹⁰ As the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent someone to hunt for you; and when they said, "He is not here,' he took an oath from the kingdom or nation that they could not find you.

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
And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant." They said, "Do as you have said."

Genesis 18:15
But Sarah denied it, saying, "I did not laugh," for she was afraid. And He said, "No, but you did laugh!"

Genesis 19:2
And he said, "Here now, my lords, please turn in to your servant's house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way." And they said, "No, but we will spend the night in the open square."

Genesis 24:32
Then the man came to the house. And he unloaded the camels, and provided straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.

Genesis 43:24
So the man brought the men into Joseph's house and gave them water, and they washed their feet; and he gave their donkeys feed.

1 Samuel 25:41
Then she arose, bowed her face to the earth, and said, "Here is your maidservant, a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord."

Luke 7:44
Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.

1 Timothy 5:10
well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work.

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.