1 Kings 18:32

32 With the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs[a] of seed.

1 Kings 18:32 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
32 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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
32 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 seahs of seed.
New Living Translation (NLT)
32 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.
The Message Bible (MSG)
32 He built the stones into the altar in honor of God. Then Elijah dug a fairly wide trench around the altar.
American Standard Version (ASV)
32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of Jehovah; and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
32 Elijah built an altar in the LORD's name with those stones. He also made a trench that could hold 12 quarts of grain around the altar.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
32 and he built an altar with the stones in the name of Yahweh. Then he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold about four gallons.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
32 Elijah used the stones to build an altar in honor of the Lord. He dug a ditch around it. The ditch was large enough to hold 13 quarts of seeds.

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 here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which had been torn down.
31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.”
32 With the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed.
33 He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, “Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.”
34 “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again. “Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time.

Cross References 1

  • 1. S Deuteronomy 18:7; Colossians 3:17

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. That is, probably about 24 pounds or about 11 kilograms
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