Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 18:32
And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
32. a trench ] The LXX. has = a sea, which is interesting in connexion with the name given to the great cistern which Solomon caused to be made for the temple-services. Cf. 1Ki 7:23 above.
as great as would contain two measures of seed ] The LXX. omits these words, which are not quite easy of explanation. The measure mentioned is a seah, which is the third part of an ephah. But whether the dimension applies to each side of the altar, so that on each of the four sides there would be a ditch of this capacity, or whether this was the capacity of the whole surrounding trench is not evident. It was clearly intended to catch the water that was poured over the sacrifice.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He built an altar in the name of the Lord – i. e., calling, as he built it, on the name of Yahweh, and so dedicating it to His service.
Two measures of seed – literally, two seahs of seed. The seah contained about three gallons.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 32. He made a trench] This was to detain the water that might fall down from the altar when the barrels should be poured upon it, 1Kg 18:35.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
With the assistance of the people, who readily yielded their helping hand,
he built an altar; which, though generally forbidden, he might do, because he did it by the command and suggestion of God, who can dispense with his own laws, and upon apparent and urgent necessity, and for a work of great mercy, (to which even by Gods command the ceremonial laws must give place, Hos 6:6; Mar 2:27) even for the conversion of the Israelites, whom it was impossible to bring to the altar of Jerusalem at this time.
In the name of the Lord; by the authority of God, and for his worship.
Two measures, i.e. two third parts of an ephah; which shows that the trench was of a competent largeness.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And with the stones he built an altar in the same of the Lord,…. Whom the twelve tribes had formerly worshipped; and though now divided in their civil state, yet ought to be united in the worship of God:
and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed; or two seahs, one of which was the third part of an ephah, and two of them were more than half a bushel; and this trench or ditch round the altar was as broad as such a measure of seed would sow.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(32) Measures.The measure, the third part of the ephah, hence also often called shalish (a tierce, or third), was something less than three gallons. A trench to contain only six gallons seems too insignificant for the context; hence it is supposed that the sense is large enough for the sowing (as in a furrow) of two measures of seed.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
32. As great as would contain two measures of seed This means, according to Thenius and Keil, that the space taken up by the whole trench was as large as that on which two measures of grain would ordinarily be sown. But this would have made the trench enclose a space incredibly large. The measures here mentioned are in the Hebrew seahs, containing at the lowest estimate about six quarts, and twelve quarts of grain would be more than enough to sow over the entire level space of the summit of el-Mohrakah, which is about twenty rods square. It is better, therefore, to understand that the trench itself would hold about twelve quarts of grain or water. It was dug to catch and hold the water which Elijah proposed to pour over the altar, and thus to show the people that there was no secret way of letting it off. It needed no large trench to answer this purpose, and no deep trench could easily be dug in that rocky surface; but the shallow soil now on the rock would be sufficient for a trench capable of holding three gallons, and the soil may have been deeper in Elijah’s time. “I myself observed,” writes Professor Mead, ( Bibliotheca Sacra, 1873, p. 685,) “close to the Mohrakah, a rocky surface, artificially smoothed, about eight feet square, around the edge of which had been dug a groove an inch or two in depth. One might almost be tempted to find in that the foundation and trench of the very altar itself.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
1Ki 18:32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
Ver. 32. In the name of the Lord, ] i.e., By his special warrant, and for his honour and service.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
And with: Exo 20:24, Exo 20:25, Jdg 6:26, Jdg 21:4, 1Sa 7:9, 1Sa 7:17
in the name: 1Co 10:31, Col 3:17
Reciprocal: Deu 27:5 – And there Jos 8:31 – altar 1Ki 18:35 – the trench Isa 37:16 – thou art Eze 43:17 – and the border
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Ki 18:32-33. With the stones he built an altar With the assistance of the people, who now readily yielded their helping hands. In the name of the Lord By the authority of God and for his worship. He made a trench, as great as would contain two measures of seed As capacious, say some, as a sack that would contain that quantity, namely, two third parts of an ephah. Others understand the words as meaning a trench of sufficient breadth and circuit to sow therein that quantity of seed, or about twenty pounds weight of barley: which must have been very large indeed. Fill four barrels with water This they could quickly fetch, either from the river Kishon; or, if that was dried up, from the sea; both were at the foot of the mountain. This he did to make the miracle more glorious, and more unquestionable; to show that there was no fallacy in it, no fire concealed in or about the altar; but that the lightning which was to consume the sacrifice came from heaven; and came at Elijahs invocation; and Josephus tells us, that Elijah invited the people to draw near, that they might search and spy everywhere, if they could find any fire secretly conveyed under the altar. Antiq. lib. 8. cap. 7.