The Meaning of 1 Kings 18:15 Explained

1 Kings 18:15

KJV: And Elijah said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day.

YLT: And Elijah saith, 'Jehovah of Hosts liveth, before whom I have stood, surely to-day I appear unto him.'

Darby: And Elijah said, As Jehovah of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will certainly shew myself to him to-day.

ASV: And Elijah said, As Jehovah of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself unto him to-day.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Elijah  said,  [As] the LORD  of hosts  liveth,  before  whom I stand,  I will surely shew  myself unto him to day. 

What does 1 Kings 18:15 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 18:1-15 - Behold, Elijah!
"The word of the Lord came" to Elijah on four successive occasions- 1 Kings 17:2; 1 Kings 17:8; 1 Kings 18:1; 1 Kings 19:9. God has many things to say to us, if we will only listen. His word may find us in very different places, and direct us to varied duties; but to live by it is to execute the perfect plan of life.
Obadiah was a good man, but weak. He did his best to shield the prophets and to keep the true light from becoming extinguished- 1 Kings 18:13. But court favor had corrupted him. He stood before Ahab, while Elijah stood before God. Our Lord said that soft raiment and the king's court go together, Luke 7:25; and in the enervating atmosphere of a palace, it is granted to very few to retain the spirit and power of Elijah or of the Baptist. Who would not rather be Elijah than Obadiah! Elijah dared confront Ahab as the troubler of Israel, while Obadiah daily feared for his own life. Elijah rooted up idolatry, while Obadiah endeavored only to check its excesses. Obadiah sought grass for the royal steeds, but Elijah's prayer brought the rain. Let us dare to stand for God, though we stand alone! [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 18:15 mean?

And said Elijah [As] lives Yahweh of hosts whom I stand before I will surely today present myself to him
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֵֽלִיָּ֔הוּ חַ֚י יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָמַ֖דְתִּי לְפָנָ֑יו כִּ֥י הַיּ֖וֹם אֵרָאֶ֥ה אֵלָֽיו

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵֽלִיָּ֔הוּ  Elijah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵלִיָּה 
Sense: the great prophet of the reign of Ahab.
חַ֚י  [As]  lives 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
צְבָא֔וֹת  of  hosts 
Parse: Noun, common plural
Root: צָבָא 
Sense: that which goes forth, army, war, warfare, host.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
עָמַ֖דְתִּי  I  stand 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
לְפָנָ֑יו  before 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
כִּ֥י  I  will  surely 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
הַיּ֖וֹם  today 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
אֵרָאֶ֥ה  present  myself 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֵלָֽיו  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).