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1 Kings 18:5

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does 1 Kings 18:5 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go through the land, unto all the fountains of water, and unto all the brooks: peradventure we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go through the land, unto all the fountains of water, and unto all the brooks: peradventure we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.
1 Kings 18:5 — American Standard Version

Context — 1 Kings 18

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
2And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. And the famine was sore in Samaria.
3And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared Jehovah greatly:
4for 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.)
5And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go through the land, unto all the fountains of water, and unto all the brooks: peradventure we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.
6So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
7And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Is it thou, my lord Elijah?
8And he answered him, It is I: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah [is here].
← 1 Kings 18:41 Kings 18:6 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And Ahab said unto Obadiah, go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks, etc.] To observe in what condition they were, and the places adjoining to them, the meadows and valleys: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive; particularly those which belonged to the king’s stables, to find provisions for which it was found difficult: that we lose not all the beasts; many of them, doubtless, were lost through the drought already, and there was great danger of the rest, and so, in time, of there being none to procreate and preserve their species, and to prevent which Ahab proposed to take this method.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Unto all fountains of water and unto all brooks - Rather, “to all springs of water and to all torrent-courses.” The former are the perennial streams; the latter are the torrent-courses which become dry in an ordinary summer. All the beasts - Rather, some, or, “a portion of our beasts.” return to 'Top of Page'”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“grass: Psa 104:14; Jer 14:5, Jer 14:6; Joe 1:18, Joe 2:22; Hab 3:17; Rom 8:20-22 we lose not all the beasts: Heb. we cut not off ourselves from the beasts 3 Kings (1 Kings) 18:6”
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Related study paths

Read 1 Kings 18 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification