1 Kings 18:32

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.^[a][b]

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 me." So all the people approached him. Then he repaired the Lord's altar that had been torn down:

31 Elijah took 12 stones-according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, "Israel will be your name"-

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.

33 Next, he arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. He said, "Fill four water pots with water and pour it on the offering to be burned and on the wood."

34 Then he said, "A second time!" and they did it a second time. And then he said, "A third time!" and they did it a third time.

Footnotes

• [a]. LXX reads trench containing two measures of seed
• [b]. Lit altar corresponding to a house of two seahs of seed