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.
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.
- BSB 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.
- 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.
- 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 3:17Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father, through him.
- Exod 20:24–25You shall make an altar of earth for me, and shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I record my name I will come to you and I will bless you.
- Judg 21:4On the next day, the people rose early, and built an altar there, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.
- 1 Cor 10:31Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
- 1 Sam 7:9Samuel took a suckling lamb, and offered it for a whole burnt offering to Yahweh. Samuel cried to Yahweh for Israel; and Yahweh answered him.
- 1 Sam 7:17His return was to Ramah, for his house was there; and he judged Israel there; and he built an altar to Yahweh there.
- Judg 6:26Then build an altar to Yahweh your God on the top of this stronghold, in an orderly way, and take the second bull, and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.”
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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