1 Kings 18:31 And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, "Israel shall be your name."

◄ 1 Kings 18:31 ►

New International Version
Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, “Your name shall be Israel.”

New Living Translation
He took twelve stones, one to represent each of the tribes of Israel,

English Standard Version
Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,”

Berean Standard Bible
And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, “Israel shall be your name.”

King James Bible
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:

New King James Version
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”

New American Standard Bible
Then Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”

NASB 1995
Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”

NASB 1977
And Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of Yahweh had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”

Amplified Bible
Then Elijah took twelve stones in accordance with the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”

Christian Standard Bible
Elijah took twelve 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” —

Holman Christian Standard Bible
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"—

American Standard Version
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of Jehovah came, saying, Israel shall be thy name.

English Revised Version
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Elijah took 12 stones, one for each of the tribes named after Jacob's sons. (The LORD had spoken his word to Jacob: "Your name will be Israel.")

Good News Translation
He took twelve stones, one for each of the twelve tribes named for the sons of Jacob, the man to whom the LORD had given the name Israel.

International Standard Version
Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes of Jacob's descendants, to whom the message from the LORD had come that "Israel is to be your name."

Majority Standard Bible
And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, ?Israel shall be your name.?

NET Bible
Then Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of tribes that descended from Jacob, to whom the LORD had said, "Israel will be your new name."

New Heart English Bible
Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, "Israel shall be your name."

Webster's Bible Translation
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:

World English Bible
Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom Yahweh’s word came, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
and Elijah takes twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of YHWH was, saying, “Israel is your name”;

Young's Literal Translation
and Elijah taketh twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of Jehovah was, saying, 'Israel is thy name;'

Smith's Literal Translation
And Elijah will take twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, whom was the word of Jehovah to him, saying, Israel shall be thy name:

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying: Israel shall be thy name.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he took twelve stones, in accord with the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”

New American Bible
He took twelve stones, for the number of tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the LORD had said: Israel shall be your name.

New Revised Standard Version
Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, “Israel shall be your name”;

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be your name;

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Elyah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Yaqob, he upon whom the word of LORD JEHOVAH was, and he had said to him: “Israel shall be your name.”

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying: 'Israel shall be thy name.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Eliu took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of Israel, as the Lord spoke to him, saying, Israel shall be thy name.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Elijah on Mount Carmel
…30Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people approached him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been torn down. 31And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come and said, “Israel shall be your name.” 32And with the stones, Elijah built an altar in the name of the LORD. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Genesis 32:28
Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men, and you have prevailed.”

Genesis 35:10
And God said to him, “Though your name is Jacob, you will no longer be called Jacob. Instead, your name will be Israel.” So God named him Israel.

Exodus 24:4
And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. Early the next morning he got up and built an altar at the base of the mountain, along with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.

Joshua 4:5-9
and said to them, “Cross over before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of Israel, / to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ / you are to tell them, ‘The waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters were cut off.’ Therefore these stones will be a memorial to the Israelites forever.” ...

2 Kings 17:34
To this day they are still practicing their former customs. None of them worship the LORD or observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom He named Israel.

2 Kings 17:35
For the LORD had made a covenant with the Israelites and commanded them, “Do not worship other gods or bow down to them; do not serve them or sacrifice to them.

2 Kings 17:36
Instead, worship the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm. You are to bow down to Him and offer sacrifices to Him.

2 Kings 17:37
And you must always be careful to observe the statutes, ordinances, laws, and commandments He wrote for you. Do not worship other gods.

2 Kings 17:38
Do not forget the covenant I have made with you. Do not worship other gods,

2 Kings 17:39
but worship the LORD your God, and He will deliver you from the hands of all your enemies.”

2 Kings 17:40
But they would not listen, and they persisted in their former customs.

2 Kings 17:41
So these nations worshiped the LORD but also served their idols, and to this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their fathers did.

2 Kings 23:3
So the king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments, decrees, and statutes with all his heart and all his soul, and to carry out the words of the covenant that were written in this book. And all the people entered into the covenant.

2 Chronicles 15:8
When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of Oded the prophet, he took courage and removed the detestable idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He then restored the altar of the LORD that was in front of the portico of the LORD’s temple.

2 Chronicles 33:16
Then he restored the altar of the LORD and sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings on it, and he told Judah to serve the LORD, the God of Israel.

Treasury of Scripture

And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be your name:

twelve stones

Exodus 24:4
And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.

Joshua 4:3,4
And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests' feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night…

Ezra 6:17
And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

saying

Genesis 32:28
And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

Genesis 33:20
And he erected there an altar, and called it EleloheIsrael.

Genesis 35:10
And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.

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1 Kings 18

1. In the extremity of famine Elijah, sent to Ahab, meets good Obadiah
9. Obadiah brings Ahab to Elijah
17. Elijah, reproving Ahab, by fire from heaven convinces Baal's prophets
41. Elijah, by prayer obtaining rain, follows Ahab to Jezreel

Berean Study Bible

And Elijah took twelve stones
The act of Elijah taking "twelve stones" is deeply symbolic, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. The Hebrew word for "stones" is "אֲבָנִים" (avanim), which often signifies strength and permanence. In the context of ancient Israel, stones were used to build altars, memorials, and markers of significant events. Elijah's use of twelve stones underscores the unity and covenant relationship between God and the entire nation of Israel, despite the division into the northern and southern kingdoms. This act is a call back to the foundational identity of the people as one nation under God.

one for each of the tribes of the sons of Jacob
The phrase "one for each of the tribes of the sons of Jacob" emphasizes the inclusivity and completeness of God's covenant. Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel, fathered the twelve tribes, each representing a distinct part of the nation. The Hebrew term "שֵׁבֶט" (shevet) for "tribes" can also mean "staff" or "scepter," symbolizing authority and identity. By using one stone per tribe, Elijah reaffirms the collective identity and shared heritage of the Israelites, reminding them of their roots and the promises made to their forefathers.

to whom the word of the LORD had come
This phrase highlights the divine communication and covenantal relationship between God and the people of Israel. The "word of the LORD" in Hebrew is "דְּבַר יְהוָה" (devar Yahweh), which signifies not just spoken words but the active, living presence and will of God. Throughout the Old Testament, God's word is a powerful force that brings creation, judgment, and salvation. Here, it serves as a reminder of the promises and instructions given to the patriarchs, calling the people back to faithfulness and obedience.

saying, 'Israel shall be your name.'
The declaration "Israel shall be your name" is a direct reference to Genesis 32:28, where Jacob is renamed Israel after wrestling with God. The name "Israel" (יִשְׂרָאֵל, Yisra'el) means "God prevails" or "he struggles with God," encapsulating the nation's identity as one that contends with and is sustained by God. This renaming signifies transformation and purpose, reminding the Israelites of their unique calling and relationship with God. Elijah's invocation of this name serves as a powerful reminder of their identity and destiny as God's chosen people, urging them to return to their covenantal roots and trust in the Lord's sovereignty.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(31) Twelve stones.--The emphatic notice of these, as emblematic of the twelve tribes, is significant. In spite of political division, and even religious separation, the tribes were still united in the covenant of God.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 31. - And Elijah took twelve stones [This number, too, was full of significance. Not only would it carry back their thoughts to the giving of the law (Exodus 24:4; Exodus 28:21), and to their fathers' entrance into the promised land (Joshua 4:3, 9), but it would remind them of the essential unity of the people, notwithstanding the division of the kingdom. The act was thus a protest against the schism. We cannot hold with Keil, Wordsworth, al. that it was "a practical declaration on the part of the prophet that the division of the nation into two kingdoms was at variance with the will of God," because we are distinctly told that that division was "from the Lord" (1 Kings 12:15). But it was certainly a witness against a divided Church, and a reminder of the unity of the race], according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came [Genesis 32:28], saying, Israel shall be thy name. [He thus protests against the exclusive assumption of the name of Israel, and the exception of the southern kingdom from the glorious heritage and calling of Israel, by the ten tribes. But we cannot follow Bahr in the belief that Jacob received "from Jehovah the name of Israel," i.e., the "soldier of God," because he commanded his house to "put away the strange gods" (Genesis 35:2, 10 sqq.), or that Elijah would teach that "only those who did as Jacob did had a claim to his name." The great idea is that the people are one, and are the Lord's.]

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

And Elijah
אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ (’ê·lî·yā·hū)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 452: Elijah -- 'Yah is God', a well-known prophet of Israel, also three other Israelites

took
וַיִּקַּ֣ח (way·yiq·qaḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

twelve
שְׁתֵּ֤ים (šə·têm)
Number - fd
Strong's 8147: Two (a cardinal number)

stones—
אֲבָנִ֔ים (’ă·ḇā·nîm)
Noun - feminine plural
Strong's 68: A stone

one for each
כְּמִסְפַּ֖ר (kə·mis·par)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4557: A number, definite, indefinite, narration

tribe
שִׁבְטֵ֣י (šiḇ·ṭê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 7626: Rod, staff, club, scepter, tribe

of Jacob's
יַעֲקֹ֑ב (ya·‘ă·qōḇ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3290: Jacob -- a son of Isaac, also his desc

descendants
בְנֵֽי־ (ḇə·nê-)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121: A son

to
אֵלָיו֙ (’ê·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

whom
אֲשֶׁר֩ (’ă·šer)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

the word
דְבַר־ (ḏə·ḇar-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 1697: A word, a matter, thing, a cause

of the LORD
יְהוָ֤ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

had come
הָיָ֨ה (hā·yāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

and said,
לֵאמֹ֔ר (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Israel
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

shall be
יִהְיֶ֥ה (yih·yeh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

your name.”
שְׁמֶֽךָ׃ (šə·me·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 8034: A name

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OT History: 1 Kings 18:31 Elijah took twelve stones according to (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)