Keraia
1 Kings 19

1 Kings 19:18

The LORD Speaks to Elijah at Horeb · 1 Kings 19:9–18
Read 1 Kings 19

Translations

Modern
Nevertheless, I have reserved seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”
Traditional
Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
Literal
And I have reserved in Israel seven thousand—all the knees that have not bowed to the Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
Latin
Et derelinquam mihi in Israël septem millia virorum, quorum genua non sunt incurvata ante Baal, et omne os quod non adoravit eum osculans manus.

Original

Hebrew
English
Nevertheless, I have reserved seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

Notes

1 Kings 19:18

  • The Lord corrected Elijah's thinking. The prophet was not alone. Earlier, he forgot about the 100 prophets protected by Obadiah (1 Kings 18:4, 13). Now he learned that 7,000 others stayed faithful to the Lord.

  • bowed … kissed him: These were common ways to show submission in the ancient Near East (2 Kings 21:3; Isaiah 46:6; 60:14; Hosea 13:2). They are often mentioned in the records of victorious kings or ancient stories. Ashurbanipal reported that during his sixth campaign, an Elamite king kissed his royal feet and cleaned the ground with his beard. In the Mesopotamian creation story (Enuma Elish, V 86), even the great gods bowed down and kissed the feet of Marduk, the victorious leader of the gods.

1 Kings 17:1–19:21

The prophet Elijah's work was closely tied to his spiritual growth. Elijah challenged Israel's interest in Baal, the Canaanite storm god. During this conflict, Elijah saw God's power and support, unlike Baal's weakness. This was shown in Elijah's contest with Baal's prophets on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:1–46). After fleeing from Jezebel, God renewed Elijah's mission at Mount Sinai (1 Kings 19:1–18). Elijah's mission was finished by his successor, Elisha (1 Kings 19:19–21).

Events

People

Baal: Canaanite god, "Lord/God of the Covenant" Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes

Glossary

Clothing John the Baptist Kings, Books of First and Second Kiss, Kiss of Peace Kneeling Leather Lord Miracle Mount, Mountain Remnant Shalmaneser Shaphat

Topics

Baal: An Idol of the Phoenicians, God of the Sun: Under Ahab Calves of Jeroboam: God's People Refused to Worship Christian Minister: God's Care of Decision: Israelites Doubting: Exemplified Elijah: Flees to the Wilderness of Damascus Escapes to the Wilderness from the Fierceness of Jezebel Idolatry: Objects of, Worshipped by Bowing to Them Idolatry: Objects of, Worshipped by Kissing Them Idolatry: Other Customs of Bowing Idolatry: Other Customs of Kissing Idolatry: Saints Preserved by God From The Jews: A Spiritual Seed of True Believers Always Among