The Meaning of 1 Kings 19:4 Explained

1 Kings 19:4

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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.'

Darby: And he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a certain broom-bush, and requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough: now, Jehovah, take my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Kings 19:4 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 19:1-8 - Exaltation And Depression
When the priests had been executed, the quick ear of the prophet detected the hurrying rain-clouds. Note the contrast between Ahab and the prophet. The one ascended from the Kishon gorge to eat and drink in his pavilion until the darkened heavens made him drive-post-haste to Jezreel; the other went up to pray! which do we care for most-to eat and drink or to pray? God help us! The answer that our hearts utter is far from satisfactory. But what praying was this! So humble, so intense, so expectant. Six times the servant came down from the spur, saying, "There is nothing," and a seventh time he was sent back to watch the Mediterranean sky-line-this time, not in vain!
But why that sudden change to despair? Was it the overstrain of that day on Carmel, which induced a terrible reaction? Was it that swift run from Carmel to Jezreel, in front of Ahab's fiery steeds? Was it that threat of Jezebel? She, at least, was neither awed nor checkmated by the massacre of her favorite priests. Did he lose sight of God in that dark hour? Elijah was but mortal! His feet had almost gone; his steps had well-nigh slipped, Psalms 73:2. [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 19:4 mean?

But he went into the wilderness journey of a day and came and sat down under broom tree a a and he prayed - for himself that he might die and said it is enough now Yahweh take my life for no better I [am] than my fathers
וְהֽוּא־ הָלַ֤ךְ בַּמִּדְבָּר֙ דֶּ֣רֶךְ י֔וֹם וַיָּבֹ֕א וַיֵּ֕שֶׁב תַּ֖חַת רֹ֣תֶם [אחת] (אֶחָ֑ד) וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל אֶת־ נַפְשׁוֹ֙ לָמ֔וּת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ רַ֗ב עַתָּ֤ה יְהוָה֙ קַ֣ח נַפְשִׁ֔י כִּֽי־ לֹא־ ט֥וֹב אָנֹכִ֖י מֵאֲבֹתָֽי

וְהֽוּא־  But  he 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
הָלַ֤ךְ  went 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בַּמִּדְבָּר֙  into  the  wilderness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִדְבָּר 
Sense: wilderness.
דֶּ֣רֶךְ  journey 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
י֔וֹם  of  a  day 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
וַיָּבֹ֕א  and  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
וַיֵּ֕שֶׁב  and  sat  down 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
תַּ֖חַת  under 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
רֹ֣תֶם  broom  tree 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֹתֶם  
Sense: broom-plant, retem.
וַיִּשְׁאַ֤ל  and  he  prayed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁאַל 
Sense: to ask, enquire, borrow, beg.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
נַפְשׁוֹ֙  for  himself 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
לָמ֔וּת  that  he  might  die 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
רַ֗ב  it  is  enough 
Parse: Adverb
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
עַתָּ֤ה  now 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
קַ֣ח  take 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
נַפְשִׁ֔י  my  life 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
לֹא־  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
ט֥וֹב  better 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
אָנֹכִ֖י  I  [am] 
Parse: Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אָנׄכִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
מֵאֲבֹתָֽי  than  my  fathers 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.