1 Kings 18:42

Authorized King James Version

So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,

Word-by-Word Analysis
#1
עָלָ֨ה
went up
to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
#2
אַחְאָ֖ב
So Ahab
achab, the name of a king of israel and of a prophet at babylon
#3
לֶֽאֱכֹ֣ל
to eat
to eat (literally or figuratively)
#4
וְלִשְׁתּ֑וֹת
and to drink
to imbibe (literally or figuratively)
#5
וְאֵ֨לִיָּ֜הוּ
And Elijah
elijah, the name of the famous prophet and of two other israelites
#6
עָלָ֨ה
went up
to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
#7
אֶל
near, with or among; often in general, to
#8
רֹ֤אשׁ
to the top
the head (as most easily shaken), whether literal or figurative (in many applications, of place, time, rank, itc.)
#9
הַכַּרְמֶל֙
of Carmel
karmel, the name of a hill and of a town in palestine
#10
וַיִּגְהַ֣ר
and he cast himself down
to prostrate oneself
#11
אַ֔רְצָה
upon the earth
the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
#12
וַיָּ֥שֶׂם
and put
to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)
#13
פָּנָ֖יו
his face
the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi
#14
בֵּ֥ין
between (repeated before each noun, often with other particles); also as a conjunction, either...or
#15
בִּרְכָּֽו׃
between his knees
a knee

Analysis

The salvation theme here intersects with the metanarrative of redemption running from Genesis to Revelation. Biblical theology recognizes this as part of a unified storyline from the promise in Genesis 3:15 to its fulfillment in Christ. The phrase emphasizing divine revelation contributes to our systematic understanding of Christian doctrine and connects to the broader scriptural witness about God's saving work from the Exodus to the cross.

Historical Context

The historical context of the biblical period relevant to this book's composition provides crucial background for understanding this verse. The historical and cultural milieu of the biblical world informed the author's theological expression and the audience's understanding. The the cultural context of the biblical world would have shaped how the original audience understood divine revelation. Archaeological and historical evidence reveals Archaeological discoveries continue to illuminate the historical context of biblical texts.

Questions for Reflection

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