Then Elijah said, “As surely as the Lord of armies lives, before whom I stand, I will certainly present myself to him today.”
Parallel translations
- WEB Elijah said, “As Yahweh of Armies lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.”
- KJV And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day.
- BSB Then Elijah said, “As surely as the LORD of Hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will present myself to Ahab today.”
- NKJV Then Elijah said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely present myself to him today.”
- NLT But Elijah said, “I swear by the Lord Almighty, in whose presence I stand, that I will present myself to Ahab this very day.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Elijah solemnly swears by the living God that he will present himself to Ahab that very day. His oath removes Obadiah's fear.
Overview
Elijah's vow, made before "Yahweh of Armies, before whom I stand," expresses his unwavering sense of standing in God's presence and service. By guaranteeing he will not flee, he frees Obadiah to deliver the message safely. The phrase captures the prophet's identity: a man whose first allegiance is to the Lord he constantly serves.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- 1 Kgs 17:1Elijah the Tishbite, who was one of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As Yahweh, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.”
- 1 Kgs 18:10As Yahweh your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent to seek you. When they said, ‘He is not here,’ he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they didn’t find you.
- Isa 51:7–8“Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law: Don’t fear the reproach of men, and don’t be dismayed at their insults.
- Isa 6:3One called to another, and said, “Holy, holy, holy, is Yahweh of Armies! The whole earth is full of his glory!”
- Ps 24:8–10Who is the King of glory? Yahweh strong and mighty, Yahweh mighty in battle.
- Heb 6:16–17For men indeed swear by a greater one, and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation.
- Deut 4:19and lest you lift up your eyes to the sky, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the army of the sky, you are drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which Yahweh your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole sky.
- Luke 2:13–14Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying,
- Luke 1:19The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.
- Gen 2:1The heavens, the earth, and all their vast array were finished.
- Deut 1:38Joshua the son of Nun, who stands before you, shall go in there. Encourage him, for he shall cause Israel to inherit it.
- Jer 8:2and they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the army of the sky, which they have loved, and which they have served, and after which they have walked, and which they have sought, and which they have worshiped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried, they shall be for dung on the surface of the earth.
- Ps 103:21Praise Yahweh, all you armies of his, you servants of his, who do his pleasure.
- Ps 148:2–3Praise him, all his angels! Praise him, all his army!
- Job 25:3Can his armies be counted? On whom does his light not arise?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.
How 1 Kings 18:15 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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