Logos Bible Study

James 5:17–18

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5:17Elijah was a human being18 like us, and he prayed earnestly19 that it would not rain and there was no rain on the land for three years and six months! 5:18Then20 he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land sprouted with a harvest.

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Footnotes

  1. 18 Although it is certainly true that Elijah was a “man,” here ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) has been translated as “human being” because the emphasis in context is not on Elijah’s masculine gender, but on the common humanity he shared with the author and the readers.
  2. 19 Grk “he prayed with prayer” (using a Hebrew idiom to show intensity).
  3. 20 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Elijah was a human being as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the land. Then he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the land produced its fruit.

NLTNew Living Translation

Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Elijah was a human being with the same nature as us, and he prayed fervently for it not to rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the sky gave rain and the earth produced its fruit.

KJV 1900King James Version

Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.