And with the stones, Elijah built an altar in the name of the LORD. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.
Parallel translations
- WEB With the stones he built an altar in Yahweh’s name. He made a trench around the altar, large enough to contain two seahs of seed.
- KJV And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
- NKJV Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord; and he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.
- NASB And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord; and he made a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two measures of seed.
- NLT and he used the stones to rebuild the altar in the name of the Lord. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold about three gallons.
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 builds the altar in Yahweh's name and digs a large trench around it. He prepares for an unmistakable display of God's power.
Overview
Building the altar "in Yahweh's name" dedicates the whole act to God's glory. The sizable trench, able to hold seed equivalent to many gallons of water, is designed to make the coming miracle obvious. Every detail is arranged so that no natural explanation can account for what God is about to do.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Col 3:17And whatever you do, in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
- Exod 20:24–25You are to make for Me an altar of earth, and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and peace offerings, your sheep and goats and cattle. In every place where I cause My name to be remembered, I will come to you and bless you.
- Judg 21:4The next day the people got up early, built an altar there, and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings.
- 1 Cor 10:31So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.
- 1 Sam 7:9Then Samuel took a suckling lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the LORD. He cried out to the LORD on behalf of Israel, and the LORD answered him.
- 1 Sam 7:17Then he would return to Ramah because his home was there, and there he judged Israel and built an altar to the LORD.
- Judg 6:26Then build a proper altar to the LORD your God on the top of this stronghold. And with the wood of the Asherah pole you cut down, take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering.”
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 18:32 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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