1 Kings 19:4

Christian Standard Bible ®

but he went on a day's journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. He said, "I have had enough! Lord , take my life, for I'm no better than my fathers."

Parallel Translations

Legacy Standard Bible
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree; and he asked for himself that he might die, and said, "It is enough; now, O Yahweh, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers."

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But he him selfe went a dayes iourney into the wildernesse, and came and sat downe vnder a Iuniper tree, and desired for his soule that he might dye, and sayde: It is nowe enough O Lorde, take my soule, for I am not better then my fathers.

New King James Version
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, "It is enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!"

Literal Translation
and he himself went into the wilderness a day's journey, and came and sat under a certain broom tree. And he begged for his life, that he might die, and said, Enough, now, O Jehovah; take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.

Easy-to-Read Version
and walked for a whole day into the desert. Then he sat down under a bush and asked to die. He said, "I have had enough, Lord ! Take my life. I am no better than my ancestors."

Revised Standard Version
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree; and he asked that he might die, saying, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am no better than my fathers."

World English Bible
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is enough; now, O Yahweh, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

King James Version (1611)
But he himselfe went a dayes iourney into the wildernesse, and came and sate downe vnder a Iuniper tree: and hee requested for himselfe that hee might die, and sayd, It is enough, now O Lord, take away my life: for I am not better then my fathers.

King James Version
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord , take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But he him selfe wente a daies iourney in to ye wyldernes, & came in, & sat him downe vnder a Iuniper tre, & wy?shed vnto his soule yt he mighte dye, & sayde: It is now ynough LORDE, take my soule, for I am no better then my fathers.

American Standard Version
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper-tree: and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is enough; now, O Jehovah, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

Bible in Basic English
While he himself went a day's journey into the waste land, and took a seat under a broom-plant, desiring for himself only death; for he said, It is enough: now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.

Update Bible Version
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper-tree: and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is enough; now, O Yahweh, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

Webster's Bible Translation
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper-tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I [am] not better than my fathers.

New English Translation
while he went a day's journey into the desert. He went and sat down under a shrub and asked the Lord to take his life: "I've had enough! Now, O Lord , take my life. After all, I'm no better than my ancestors."

Contemporary English Version
then walked another whole day into the desert. Finally, he came to a large bush and sat down in its shade. He begged the Lord , "I've had enough. Just let me die! I'm no better off than my ancestors."

Complete Jewish Bible
but he himself went a day farther into the desert, until he came to a broom tree. He sat down under it and prayed for his own death. "Enough!" he said. "Now, Adonai , take my life. I'm no better than my ancestors."

Darby Translation
And he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a certain broom-bush, and requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough: now, Jehovah, take my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

Geneva Bible (1587)
But he went a dayes iourney into the wildernesse, and came and sate downe vnder a iuniper tree, and desired that he might die, and sayde, It is now ynough: O Lord, take my soule, for I am no better then my fathers.

George Lamsa Translation
But he himself went a days journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under an oak tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is enough for me; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

Amplified Bible
But he himself traveled a day's journey into the wilderness, and he came and sat down under a juniper tree and asked [God] that he might die. He said, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers."

Hebrew Names Version
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom-tree; and he requested for himself that he might die; and said: 'It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.'

New Living Translation
Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, Lord ," he said. "Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died."

New Life Bible
But he himself traveled for a day into the desert. He came and sat down under a juniper tree. There he asked that he might die, saying, "It is enough now, O Lord. Take my life. For I am not better than my fathers."

New Revised Standard
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: "It is enough; now, O Lord , take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors."

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he himself went a day’s journey in the wilderness, and came and sat under a juniper tree; and asked concerning his life that he might die, and said, Let it be enough now, O Lord, take, I pray thee, my life from me; for I am no better than my fathers.

English Revised Version
But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

Berean Standard Bible
while he himself traveled on a day's journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, LORD," he said. "Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers."

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, he himself, went into the wilderness a day's journey, and came and sat down under a certain shrub, - and asked for his life, that he might die, and said - Enough, now, O Yahweh! take away my life, for, no better, am, I, than, my fathers.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he went forward, one day’s journey into the desert. And when he was there, and sat under a juniper tree, he requested for his soul that he might die, and said: It is enough for me, Lord; take away my soul: for I am no better than my fathers.

Lexham English Bible
Then he went into the wilderness one day's journey, and he went and sat under a certain broom tree. Then he asked Yahweh that he might die, and he said, "It is enough now, Yahweh; take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors."

English Standard Version
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, "It is enough; now, O Lord , take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers."

New American Standard Bible
But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree; and he asked for himself to die, and said, "Enough! Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers."

New Century Version
Then Elijah walked for a whole day into the desert. He sat down under a bush and asked to die. "I have had enough, Lord ," he prayed. "Let me die. I am no better than my ancestors."

Good News Translation
Elijah walked a whole day into the wilderness. He stopped and sat down in the shade of a tree and wished he would die. "It's too much, Lord ," he prayed. "Take away my life; I might as well be dead!"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and yede in to deseert, the weie of o dai. And whanne he cam, and sat vndir o iunypere tre, he axide to his soule, that he schulde die; and he seide, Lord, it suffisith to me, take my soule; for Y am not betere than my fadris.

Young's Literal Translation
and he himself hath gone into the wilderness a day's Journey, and cometh and sitteth under a certain retem-tree, and desireth his soul to die, and saith, `Enough, now, O Jehovah, take my soul, for I [am] not better than my fathers.'

Contextual Overview

¹ Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. ² So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "May the gods punish me and do so severely if I don't make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow!" ³ Then Elijah became afraid and immediately ran for his life. When he came to Beer-sheba that belonged to Judah, he left his servant there, ⁴ but he went on a day's journey into the wilderness. He sat down under a broom tree and prayed that he might die. He said, "I have had enough! Lord , take my life, for I'm no better than my fathers." ⁵ Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. Suddenly, an angel touched him. The angel told him, "Get up and eat." ⁶ Then he looked, and there at his head was a loaf of bread baked over hot stones, and a jug of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again. ⁷ Then the angel of the Lord returned for a second time and touched him. He said, "Get up and eat, or the journey will be too much for you." ⁸ So he got up, ate, and drank. Then on the strength from that food, he walked 40 days and 40 nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

sat down: 1 Kings 13:14, Genesis 21:15, Genesis 21:16, John 4:6

he requested: 1 Kings 19:3, Numbers 11:15, 2 Kings 2:11, Job 3:20-22, Jeremiah 20:14-18, Jonah 4:3, Jonah 4:8, Philippians 1:21-24

for himself: Heb. for his life

better: Amos 6:2, Nahum 3:8, Matthew 6:26, Romans 3:9

Reciprocal: Genesis 27:46 - I am Genesis 30:1 - or else I die Exodus 4:13 - send Exodus 5:22 - why is it Numbers 14:2 - Would 2 Samuel 24:16 - It is enough 1 Chronicles 21:15 - It is enough Job 3:21 - long Job 6:9 - that it would Job 7:16 - I loathe it Job 10:1 - My soul Job 40:4 - Behold Ecclesiastes 2:17 - I hated Isaiah 15:4 - his Jeremiah 8:3 - death Jeremiah 20:9 - I will Jonah 4:2 - he prayed Luke 4:1 - wilderness Revelation 12:6 - that

Cross-References

Genesis 13:13
Now the men of Sodom were evil, sinning greatly against the Lord .

Genesis 18:20
Then the Lord said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is immense, and their sin is extremely serious.

Genesis 19:1
The two angels entered Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting at Sodom's gate. When Lot saw them, he got up to meet them. He bowed with his face to the ground

Genesis 19:6
Lot went out to them at the entrance and shut the door behind him.

Genesis 19:20
Look, this town is close enough for me to run to. It is a small place. Please let me go there—it's only a small place, isn't it?—so that I can survive."

Genesis 19:25
He demolished these cities, the entire plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and whatever grew on the ground.

Exodus 16:2
The entire Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.

Exodus 23:2
"You must not follow a crowd in wrongdoing. Do not testify in a lawsuit and go along with a crowd to pervert justice.

Proverbs 4:16
For they can't sleep unless they have done what is evil; they are robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble.

Proverbs 6:18
a heart that plots wicked schemes, feet eager to run to evil,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness,.... Of Paran, which began near Beersheba, and was the wilderness of Arabia, in which the Israelites were near forty years; this day's journey carried him about twenty miles from Beersheba southward, as the above writer reckons:

and came and sat down under a juniper tree; Abarbinel supposes that Elijah chose to sit under this tree, to preserve him from venomous creatures, which naturalists say will not come near it; and Pliny o indeed observes, that it being burnt will drive away serpents, and that some persons anoint themselves with the oil of it, for fear of them; and yet Virgil p represents the shade of a juniper tree as noxious; hence some interpreters take this to be a piece of carelessness and indifference of the prophet's, where he sat:

and he requested for himself that he might die; for though he fled from Jezebel to preserve his life, not choosing to die by her hands, which would cause her prophets to exult and triumph, yet was now desirous of dying by the hand of the Lord, and in a place where his death would not be known:

[it is] enough, now, O Lord, take away my life; intimating that he had lived long enough, even as long as he desired; and he had done as much work for God as he thought he had to do; he supposed his service and usefulness were at an end, and therefore desired his dismission:

for [I am not] better than my fathers that he should not die, or live longer than they; but this desire was not like that of the Apostle Paul's, but like that of Job and of Jonah; not so much to be with God and Christ, as to be rid of the troubles of life.

o Nat. Hist. l. 24. c. 8. p "Juniperi gravis umbra----" Bucol. Eclog. 10. ver. 76.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Elijah did not feel himself safe until he was beyond the territory of Judah, for Ahab might demand him of Jehoshaphat 1 Kings 18:10, with whom he was on terms of close alliance 1 Kings 22:4. He, therefore, proceeds southward into the desert, simply to be out of the reach of his enemies.

A juniper-tree - The tree here mentioned רתם rethem is not the juniper but a species of broom (Genista monosperma), called “rethem” by the Arabs, which abounds in the Sinaitic peninsula. It grows to such a size as to afford shade and protection, both in heat and storm, to travelers.

Requested for himself that he might die - Like Moses and Jonah (marginal references). The prophet’s depression here reached its lowest point. He was still suffering from the reaction of overstrained feeling; he was weary with nights and days of travel; he was faint with the sun’s heat; he was exhausted for want of food; he was for the first time alone - alone in the awful solitude and silence of the great white desert. Such solitude might brace the soul in certain moods; but in others it must utterly overwhelm and crush. Thus the prophet at length gave way completely - made his prayer that he might die - and, exhausted sank, to sleep.

I am not better than my fathers - i. e., “I am a mere weak man, no better nor stronger than they who have gone before me, no more able to revolutionize the world than they.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 19:4. A day's journey into the wilderness — Probably in his way to Mount Horeb. See 1 Kings 19:8.

Juniper tree — A tree that afforded him a shade from the scorching sun.

It is enough — I have lived long enough! I can do no more good among this people; let me now end my days.