Luke 4:25

Lexham English Bible

But in truth I say to you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut for three years and six months while a great famine took place over all the land.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But I say to you, there were certainly many widows in Israel in Elijah’s days,

King James Version (1611)
But I tell you of a trueth, many widowes were in Israel in the dayes of Elias, when the heauen was shut vp three yeres and sixe moneths: when great famine was throughout all the land:

King James Version
But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

English Standard Version
But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land,

New American Standard Bible
"But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a severe famine came over all the land;

New Century Version
But I tell you the truth, there were many widows in Israel during the time of Elijah. It did not rain in Israel for three and one-half years, and there was no food anywhere in the whole country.

Amplified Bible
"But in truth I say to you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was closed up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land;

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land;

Legacy Standard Bible
But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land,

Berean Standard Bible
But I tell you truthfully that there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and great famine swept over all the land.

Contemporary English Version
Once during the time of Elijah there was no rain for three and a half years, and people everywhere were starving. There were many widows in Israel,

Complete Jewish Bible
It's true, I'm telling you — when Eliyahu was in Isra'el, and the sky was sealed off for three-and-a-half years, so that all the Land suffered a severe famine, there were many widows;

Darby Translation
But of a truth I say to you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months, so that a great famine came upon all the land,

Easy-to-Read Version
"During the time of Elijah it did not rain in Israel for three and a half years. There was no food anywhere in the whole country. There were many widows in Israel during that time. But the fact is, Elijah was sent to none of those widows in Israel. He was sent only to a widow in Zarephath, a town in Sidon.

Geneva Bible (1587)
But I tell you of a trueth, many widowes were in Israel in the dayes of Elias, when heauen was shut three yeres and sixe moneths, when great famine was throughout all the land:

George Lamsa Translation
For truly I say to you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of the prophet Elijah, when the heaven was closed for three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout the land;

Good News Translation
Listen to me: it is true that there were many widows in Israel during the time of Elijah, when there was no rain for three and a half years and a severe famine spread throughout the whole land.

Literal Translation
But truthfully I say to you, Many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah when the heaven was shut up over three years and six months, when a great famine came on all the land;

American Standard Version
But of a truth I say unto you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land;

Bible in Basic English
Truly I say to you, There were a number of widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months and there was no food in the land;

Hebrew Names Version
But truly I tell you, there were many widows in Yisra'el in the days of Eliyah, when the the sky was shut up three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land.

International Standard Version
In truth I tell you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the heaven was closed for three years and six months and there was a severe famine everywhere in the land.1 Kings 17:9; 18:1; James 5:17;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
For I say to you the truth, that many widows were in the house of Isroel in the days of Elia the prophet, when the heavens were shut up for three years and six months, and great famine was in all the land;

Murdock Translation
And I tell you the truth, that there were many widows in the house of Israel, in the days of Elijah the prophet, when the heavens were closed up three years and six months, and there was a great famine in all the land:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But I tell you of a trueth, many wydowes were in Israel, in the dayes of Elias, when heauen was shutte three yeres & sixe monethes, when great famishment was throughout all ye lande:

English Revised Version
But of a truth I say unto you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land;

World English Bible
But truly I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the the sky was shut up three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land.

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
I tell you of a truth, Many widows were in Israel, in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, while a great famine was thro' all the land.

Weymouth's New Testament
But I tell you in truth that there was many a widow in Israel in the time of Elijah, when there was no rain for three years and six months and there came a severe famine over all the land;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
In treuthe Y seie to you, that many widowis weren in the daies of Elie, the prophete, in Israel, whanne heuene was closid thre yeer and sixe monethis, whanne greet hungur was maad in al the erthe;

Update Bible Version
But of a truth I say to you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land;

Webster's Bible Translation
But I tell you in truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut three years and six months when great famine was throughout all the land:

New English Translation
But in truth I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's days, when the sky was shut up three and a half years, and there was a great famine over all the land.

New King James Version
But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land;

New Living Translation
"Certainly there were many needy widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a severe famine devastated the land.

New Life Bible
It is true that there were many women whose husbands had died in the Jewish land when Elijah lived. For three and a half years there was no rain and there was very little food in the land.

New Revised Standard
But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, of a truth, I say unto you - Many widows, were in the days of Elijah, in Israel, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine upon all the land;

Douay-Rheims Bible
In truth I say to You, there were many widows in the days of Elias in Israel, when heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there was a great famine throughout all the earth.

Revised Standard Version
But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Eli'jah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land;

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
But I tell you of a truth many wyddowes were in Israell in the dayes of Helias when hevyn was shet thre yeres and syxe monethes when greate fammisshemet was throughoute all the londe

Young's Literal Translation
and of a truth I say to you, Many widows were in the days of Elijah, in Israel, when the heaven was shut for three years and six months, when great famine came on all the land,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Neuertheles of a trueth I saye vnto you: There were many wedowes in Israel in ye tyme of Elias, wha the heaue was shut thre yeares and sixe monethes, and whan there was a greate derth in all the lande:

Mace New Testament (1729)
I assure you, though there were many widows in Israel, when the heaven had furnished no rain for three years and a half, and a great famine spread through all the land:

Simplified Cowboy Version
Listen to this, there were many widows in Israel during the time of Elijah. There was no rain for three and a half years and many were starving.

Contextual Overview

¹⁴ And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news about him went out throughout all the surrounding region. ¹⁵ And he began to teach in their synagogues, and was praised by all. ¹⁶ And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and according to his custom he entered into the synagogue on the day of the Sabbath and stood up to read. ¹⁷ And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him, and unrolling the scroll he found the place where it was written, ¹⁸ "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because of which he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to send out in freedom those who are oppressed, ¹⁹ to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord." ²⁰ And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were looking intently at him. ²¹ And he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." ²² And they were all speaking well of him, and were astonished at the gracious words that were coming out of his mouth. And they were saying, "Is this man not the son of Joseph?" ²³ And he said to them, "Doubtless you will tell me this parable: ‘Physician, heal yourself!' Whatever we have heard that took place in Capernaum, do here in your hometown also!"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

many: Luke 10:21, Isaiah 55:8, Matthew 20:15, Mark 7:26-29, Romans 9:15, Romans 9:20, Ephesians 1:9, Ephesians 1:11

when the: 1 Kings 17:1, 1 Kings 18:1, 1 Kings 18:2, Elijah, James 5:17

Reciprocal: Genesis 41:30 - seven years Leviticus 26:19 - make 2 Samuel 24:13 - seven 1 Kings 8:35 - heaven 2 Kings 4:38 - a dearth 2 Kings 8:1 - seven years 1 Chronicles 21:12 - three years' famine 2 Chronicles 6:26 - the heaven 2 Chronicles 7:13 - If I shut up heaven Job 12:15 - Behold Matthew 13:58 - General Luke 21:3 - Of John 16:7 - I tell Revelation 11:6 - power

Cross-References

Genesis 4:1
Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain. And she said, "I have given birth to a man with the help of Yahweh."

Genesis 4:3
And in the course of time Cain brought an offering from the fruit of the ground to Yahweh,

Genesis 4:4
and Abel also brought an offering from the choicest firstlings of his flock. And Yahweh looked with favor to Abel and to his offering,

Genesis 4:8
Then Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out into the field." And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

Genesis 4:10
And he said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground.

Genesis 4:11
So now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive the blood of your brother from your hand.

1 Chronicles 1:1
Adam, Seth, Enosh;

Luke 3:38
the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But I tell you of a truth,.... Or in truth: it answers to

באמת, a phrase often used by the Jewish writers o; and, which, they say p, wherever, and of whatsoever it is spoken, it signifies a tradition of Moses from Mount Sinai, and so that which is most true, sure, and firm, and to be depended on; and such is what our Lord hereafter delivers; yea, the word, הימנותא, "truth", or "of a truth", and which is the same as "in truth", is used by the Jews q, as לשון שבועה, "the form of an oath": so that these words of Christ are a strong asseveration, and amount to a solemn oath with respect to what follows:

many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias; or Elijah, the prophet; that is, there were many that were not only widows, but poor widows, and in very famishing circumstances in the land of Israel, when Elijah was the prophet of the Lord to that people:

and when the heaven was shut up three years and six months; so that no rain descended all that time: the same is observed by James 5:17 and though the space of time, in which there was no rain, is not so clear from the history of it in the book of Kings; yet, as this is fixed by Christ, and his apostle, and there is nothing in the history that contradicts it, it is to be received without scruple:

when great famine was throughout all the land of Israel; and which so long a drought must needs bring.

o Misn. Sabbat, c. 1. sect. 3. Trumot, c. 2. sect. 1. p T. Hieros. Sabbat, fol. 3. 2. & 12. 1. Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Trumot, c. 3. sect. 1. q T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 55. 1. & Gloss. in ib.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Of a truth - Truly, and therefore worthy of your credit. He calls attention to two cases where “acknowledged” prophets had so little honor in their own nation that they bestowed their favors on foreigners. So, says he, such is the want of faith in my own country, that I shall work no miracles here, but shall give the evidence of my divine mission to others.

In Israel - In the land of Israel, or Judea. It was therefore the more remarkable, since there were so many in his own country whom he might have helped, that the prophet should have gone to a pagan city and aided a poor widow there.

The days of Elias - The days of Elijah. See the account of this in 1 Kings 17:8-24.

Three years and six months - From 1Ki 18:1, 1 Kings 18:45, it would seem that the rain fell on the “third year” - that is, at the “end” of the third year after the rain had ceased to fall at the usual time. There were two seasons of the year when rains fell in Judea - in October and April, called the “early” and “latter” rain; consequently there was an interval between them of six months. To the three years, therefore, when rain was withheld “at the usual times,” are to be added the previous six months, when no rain fell as a matter of course, and consequently three years “and six months” elapsed without rain.

A great famine - A great want of food, from long continued and distressing drought.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 25. In the days of Elias — See this history, 1 Kings 17:1-9, compared with 1 Kings 18:1-45. This was evidently a miraculous interference, as no rain fell for three years and six months, even in the rainy seasons. There were two of these in Judea, called the first and the latter rains; the first fell in October, the latter in April: the first prepared the ground for the seed, the latter ripened the harvest. As both these rains were withheld, consequently there was a great famine throughout all the land.