1 Kings 18:35

So the water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Elijah’s servants complete the third pouring of water over the sacrifice and wood, after which the liquid flows around the altar and fills the surrounding trench. (1 Kings 18:34–35)

The words — סָבִיב (sāḇîḇ) means “around,” and מִלֵּא (millē’) means “he filled,” tracking the water’s physical movement to the altar and into the ditch.

The thread — The trench Elijah previously dug (1 Kings 18:32) now holds the poured water, which the text later notes the consuming fire will lick up (1 Kings 18:38).

Why it lands — The verse records a literal overflow that establishes the exact physical conditions for the coming miracle, requiring the reader to observe the precise preparation before any divine response.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיֵּלְכ֣וּva/i.ye.le.Khuand/ they went הַמַּ֔יִםha./Ma.yimthe/ waters סָבִ֖יבsa.Vivaround לַמִּזְבֵּ֑חַla./miz.Be.ach<to> the/ altar וְגַ֥םve./Gamand/ also אֶת־'et-<obj.>הַתְּעָלָ֖הha./te.'a.Lahthe/ trench מִלֵּא־mi.le'-he filled מָֽיִם׃Ma.yimwater

King James Version

And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.

Cross-references

1 Kings 18:32 And with the stones, Elijah built an altar in the name of the LORD. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.
1 Kings 18:38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and it licked up the water in the trench.