1 Kings 18:5

KJV1611 – Modern English

And Ahab said to Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: perhaps we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we do not lose all the beasts.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אַחְאָב֙ אֶל־עֹ֣בַדְיָ֔הוּ לֵ֤ךְ בָּאָ֙רֶץ֙ אֶל־כָּל־מַעְיְנֵ֣י הַמַּ֔יִם וְאֶ֖ל כָּל־הַנְּחָלִ֑ים אוּלַ֣י ׀ נִמְצָ֣א חָצִ֗יר וּנְחַיֶּה֙ ס֣וּס וָפֶ֔רֶד וְל֥וֹא נַכְרִ֖ית מֵהַבְּהֵמָֽה

Transliteration

And wayyōʾmer ʾaḥʾāb to-ʿōbadyāhû lēk in-the-ʾāreṣ to-all-maʿyənê the-mayim and-to all-the-nəḥālîm ʾûlay nimṣāʾ ḥāṣîr and-nəḥayyeh sûs and-pered and-not nakrît from-the-bəhēmāh

Grammar Details

• *wayyōʾmer*: conjunction + qal imperfect 3ms - and he said
• *ʾaḥʾāb*: proper name - Ahab
• *ʿōbadyāhû*: proper name - Obadiah
• *lēk*: qal imperative masculine singular - go
• *ʾāreṣ*: noun feminine singular - land/country
• *maʿyənê*: noun masculine plural construct - springs of
• *mayim*: noun masculine plural - water
• *nəḥālîm*: noun masculine plural - wadis/brooks/streams
• *ʾûlay*: adverb - perhaps/maybe
• *nimṣāʾ*: qal imperfect 1cp - we may find
• *ḥāṣîr*: noun masculine singular - grass/hay
• *nəḥayyeh*: conjunction + piel imperfect 1cp - and we may keep alive
• *sûs*: noun masculine singular - horse
• *pered*: noun masculine singular - mule
• *nakrît*: hiphil imperfect 1cp - we cut off/destroy
• *bəhēmāh*: noun feminine singular - cattle/livestock

Word Meanings

• *ʾāreṣ*: land/earth/country/ground
• *maʿyənê*: springs/fountains/water sources
• *nəḥālîm*: wadis/streams/valleys with water
• *ḥāṣîr*: grass/hay/vegetation
• *nəḥayyeh*: keep alive/preserve/save
• *nakrît*: cut off/destroy/lose

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go through the land to all the springs and brooks. Perhaps we can find grass to keep the horses and mules alive and avoid losing the animals."

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And Ahab{H256} said{H559} unto Obadiah,{H5662} Go{H3212} through the land,{H776} unto all the fountains{H4599} of water,{H4325} and unto all the brooks:{H5158} peradventure{H194} we may find{H4672} grass{H2682} and save{H2421} the horses{H5483} and mules{H6505} alive,{H2421} that we lose{H3772} not all the beasts.{H929}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And Ahab{H256} said{H559}{(H8799)} unto Obadiah{H5662}, Go{H3212}{(H8798)} into the land{H776}, unto all fountains{H4599} of water{H4325}, and unto all brooks{H5158}: peradventure{H194} we may find{H4672}{(H8799)} grass{H2682} to save{H2421}{(H8762)} the horses{H5483} and mules{H6505} alive{H2421}{(H8762)}, that we lose{H3772}{(H8686)} not all the beasts{H929}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Achab now sayde vnto Abdia: Go thorow the londe vnto all the welles of water & ryuers, yf happlye we maye finde hay, & to saue ye horses & mules, yt all the catell perishe not.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And Ahab saide vnto Obadiah, Goe into the land, vnto all the fountaines of water, and vnto all the riuers, if so be that we may finde grasse to saue the horses and the mules aliue, lest we depriue the lande of the beastes.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And Ahab saide vnto Obadia: Go into the lande, vnto all fountaines of water, and vnto all brookes, if happyly we may finde grasse to saue the horses and mules aliue, and that we destroy not some of the beastes.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  Ahab said to Obadiah, Go through the land, to all the springs of water, and to all the brooks: peradventure we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we not lose all the animals.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and Ahab saith unto Obadiah, `Go through the land, unto all fountains of waters, and unto all the brooks, if so be we find hay, and keep alive horse and mule, and do not cut off any of the cattle.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go through the land, unto all the fountains of water, and unto all the brooks: peradventure we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go through the land, unto all the fountains of water, and unto all the brooks: peradventure we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And Ahab said to Obadiah, Come, let us go through all the country, to all the fountains of water and all the rivers, and see if there is any grass to be had for the horses and the transport beasts, so that we may be able to keep some of the beasts from destruction.

• World English Bible (2000)

  Ahab said to Obadiah, "Go through the land, to all the springs of water, and to all the brooks. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we not lose all the animals."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  Ahab told Obadiah,“Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grazing areas so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to kill some of the animals.”

Referenced Verses

• Ps 104:14 : 14 He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;
• Jer 14:5-6 : 5 Even the deer gave birth in the field, and abandoned it, because there was no grass. 6 And the wild donkeys stood on the high places, they sniffed the wind like jackals; their eyes failed because there was no grass.
• Joel 1:18 : 18 How the animals groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yes, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.
• Joel 2:22 : 22 Be not afraid, you beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness are green, for the tree bears its fruit, the fig tree and the vine give their yield.
• Hab 3:17 : 17 Though the fig tree shall not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no food; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls.
• Rom 8:20-22 : 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope. 21 Because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.