1 Kings 18:32

32 With them, he built an altar in the name of Yahweh, and he made a trench {which would have held} about two seahs of seed, all around the altar.

1 Kings 18:32 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 18:32

And with the stones he built an altar in the same of the Lord,
&c.] Whom the twelve tribes had formerly worshipped; and though now divided in their civil state, yet ought to be united in the worship of God:

and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two
measures of seed;
or two seahs, one of which was the third part of an ephah, and two of them were more than half a bushel; and this trench or ditch round the altar was as broad as such a measure of seed would sow.

1 Kings 18:32 In-Context

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me," so all the people came closer to him. He repaired the altar of Yahweh [that had been] destroyed.

31 Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of God came, saying, "Israel shall be your name."

32 With them, he built an altar in the name of Yahweh, and he made a trench {which would have held} about two seahs of seed, all around the altar.

33 And he arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces, and placed [it] on the wood. Then he said, "Fill four jars [with] water, and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood."

34 He said, "Do [it] again!" They did [it] again. He said, "Do [it] a third time!" So they did [it] a third time.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "as the house of"