1 Kings 19:4
New International Version
while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”

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.”

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.”

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.”

King James 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 LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than 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!”

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.”

NASB 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.”

NASB 1977
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.”

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.”

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.”

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 ancestors.”

Holman 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.”

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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he walked in the wilderness one day’s journey and sat down under an oak, and he asked death for himself and said: “It is too much for me! Now, LORD JEHOVAH, take my soul from me, because I have not been better than my fathers!”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
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.

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."

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.

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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then he traveled through the wilderness for a day. He sat down under a broom plant and wanted to die. "I've had enough now, LORD," he said. "Take my life! I'm 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!"

International Standard Version
and ran for a day's journey deep into the wilderness. He found a juniper tree, sat down under it, and prayed that he could die. He asked God, "Enough! LORD! Take my life, because I'm not better than my ancestors!"

JPS Tanakh 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.'

Literal Standard Version
and he himself has gone a day’s journey into the wilderness, and comes and sits under a certain broom tree, and desires his soul to die, and says, “Enough, now, O YHWH, take my soul, for I [am] not better than my fathers.”

Majority 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.”

New American Bible
and went a day’s journey into the wilderness, until he came to a solitary broom tree and sat beneath it. He prayed for death: “Enough, LORD! Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.”

NET Bible
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."

New Revised Standard Version
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.”

New Heart English Bible
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 no 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.

World English Bible
But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree. Then 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.”

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.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Elijah Flees From Jezebel
3And Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4while 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.” 5Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”…

Cross References
Numbers 11:15
If this is how You are going to treat me, please kill me right now--if I have found favor in Your eyes--and let me not see my own wretchedness."

1 Kings 19:5
Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said, "Get up and eat."

Job 6:9
that God would be willing to crush me, to unleash His hand and cut me off!

Jeremiah 20:9
If I say, "I will not mention Him or speak any more in His name," His message becomes a fire burning in my heart, shut up in my bones, and I become weary of holding it in, and I cannot prevail.

Jeremiah 20:14
Cursed be the day I was born! May the day my mother bore me never be blessed.

Jonah 4:3
And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live."

Jonah 4:8
As the sun was rising, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on Jonah's head so that he grew faint and wished to die, saying, "It is better for me to die than to live."


Treasury of Scripture

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.

sat down

1 Kings 13:14
And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am.

Genesis 21:15,16
And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs…

John 4:6
Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

he requested

1 Kings 19:3
And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.

Numbers 11:15
And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.

2 Kings 2:11
And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

for himself [heb] for his life

Amos 6:2
Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border?

Nahum 3:8
Art thou better than populous No, that was situate among the rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was from the sea?

Matthew 6:26
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

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1 Kings 19
1. Elijah, threatened by Jezebel, flees to Beersheba
4. In the desert, being weary of his life, he is comforted by an angel
9. At Horeb God appears unto him, sending him to anoint Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha
19. Elisha, taking leave of his friends, follows Elijah














(4) Juniper tree.--A sort of broom, found abundantly in the desert. It has been noted that its roots were much prized for charcoal, the "coal" of 1Kings 19:6.

I am not better than my fathers.--The exclamation is characteristic. Evidently he had hoped that he himself was "better than his fathers" as a servant of God--singled out beyond all those that went before him, to be the victorious champion of a great crisis, "he, and he alone" (1Kings 18:22; 1Kings 19:10-14). Now he thinks his hope vain, and sees no reason why he should succeed when all who went before have failed. Why, he asks, should he live when the rest of the prophets have died?

Verse 4. - But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness [Cf. Genesis 21:14, 21; Jeremiah 9:2; Revelation 12:6. Beer-sheba stands on the fringe of the desert of Et-Tih. It was not for the sake of security alone that the prophet plunged into the "great and terrible wilderness." It is probable that from the first, "Horeb, the mount of God," was in his thoughts. He may well have seen that he was destined to be a second Moses; that he was raised up to assert and enforce the covenant of which Moses was the mediator. We have seen already that he cites the words spoken to Moses at the bush (1 Kings 18:36); that to him as to Moses there was granted an apparition of fire; we now find him rejected as Moses had been before him (Acts 7:25, 35). How natural that, like Moses, he should flee into the land of Midian, to the place where God had spoken With Moses face to face. Wordsworth reminds us that the Jewish Church, by its cycle of lessons, suggests a comparison between the Law Giver and the Law Restorer], and came and sat down under a [Heb. one; see note on 1 Kings 13:11] juniper tree [The רֹתֶם, here found with a feminine numeral (Keri, masculine), in ver. 5 with a masculine, is not the juniper, but the plant now known to the Arabs as retem, i.e., the broom (genista monosperma, or G. raetam), "the most longed for and most welcome bush of the desert, abundant in beds of streams and valleys, where spots for camping are selected, and men sit clown and sleep in order to be protected against wind and sun" (Robinson, Pal. vol. 1. p. 203). It does not, however, afford a complete protection (Thomson, L. and B. vol. 2. pp. 436, 437). Every traveller remarks on its abundance in the desert; it gave a name, Rithmah, to one of the stations of the Israelites (Numbers 33:18. Cf. Stanley, S. and P. pp. 20, 79). Its roots are still used by the Bedouin, for the manufacture of charcoal (cf. Psalm 120:4, "coals of rethern"), which they carry to Cairo]: and he requested for himself [Heb. asked as to his life, accusative of reference] that he might die [Again like Moses, Numbers 11:15; Exodus 32:32]; and said, It Is enough [or, Let it be enough. LXX. ἱκανούσθω. See note on 1 Kings 12:28]; now, O Lord, take away my life ["Strange contradiction! Here the man who was destined not to taste of death, flees from death on the one hand and seeks it on the other." Kitto]; for I am not better than my fathers. [These words clearly reveal the great hopes Elijah had formed as to the result of his mission, and the terrible disappointment his banishment had occasioned him. Time was when he had thought himself a most special messenger of Heaven, raised up to effect the regeneration of his country. He now thinks his work is fruitless, and he has nothing to live for longer. Keil concludes from these words that Elijah was already of a great age, but this is extremely doubtful.]

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
while he himself
וְהֽוּא־ (wə·hū-)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

traveled on
הָלַ֤ךְ (hā·laḵ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

a day’s
י֔וֹם (yō·wm)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3117: A day

journey
דֶּ֣רֶךְ (de·reḵ)
Noun - common singular construct
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

into the wilderness.
בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ (bam·miḏ·bār)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4057: A pasture, a desert, speech

He sat down
וַיֵּ֕שֶׁב (way·yê·šeḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3427: To sit down, to dwell, to remain, to settle, to marry

under
תַּ֖חַת (ta·ḥaṯ)
Preposition
Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of

a
אֶחָ֑ד (’e·ḥāḏ)
Number - masculine singular
Strong's 259: United, one, first

broom tree
רֹ֣תֶם (rō·ṯem)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7574: Broom plant, retem

and prayed
וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל (way·yiš·’al)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7592: To inquire, to request, to demand

that he
נַפְשִׁ֔י (nap̄·šî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

might die.
לָמ֔וּת (lā·mūṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 4191: To die, to kill

“I have had enough,
רַ֗ב (raḇ)
Adverb
Strong's 7227: Much, many, great

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

he said.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Take
קַ֣ח (qaḥ)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 3947: To take

my life,
נַפְשׁוֹ֙ (nap̄·šōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5315: A soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, passion, appetite, emotion

for
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

I am
אָנֹכִ֖י (’ā·nō·ḵî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 595: I

no
לֹא־ (lō-)
Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808: Not, no

better
ט֥וֹב (ṭō·wḇ)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

than my fathers.”
מֵאֲבֹתָֽי׃ (mê·’ă·ḇō·ṯāy)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1: Father


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OT History: 1 Kings 19:4 But he himself went a day's journey (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
1 Kings 19:3
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