Skip to main content

James 5:17

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.

KJV

Ἠλείας ἄνθρωπος ἦν ὁμοιοπαθὴς ἡμῖν, καὶ προσευχῇ προσηύξατο τοῦ μὴ βρέξαι, καὶ οὐκ ἔβρεξεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐνιαυτοὺς τρεῖς καὶ μῆνας ἕξ·

Greek NT

Elias homo erat similis nobis passibilis : et oratione oravit ut non plueret super terram, et non pluit annos tres, et menses sex.

Vulgate

Elijah was a man of like passions with us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain; and it rained not on the earth for three years and six months.

ASV

Elias was a man passible like unto us: and with prayer he prayed that it might not rain upon the earth. And it rained not for three years and six months.

Douay-Rheims

Open in reader with connections →

In this verse

People Elijah

In the original Greek

18 distinct Greek words appear in this verse.

βρέχω
brecho
verb · 7×
γῆ
ge
noun · 251×
εἰμί
eimi
verb · 2461×
καί
kai
conjunction · 8973×
μή
me
particle · 1033×
μήν
men
noun · 19×
οὐ
ou
particle · 1626×
προσευχή
proseuche
noun · 36×
προσεύχομαι
proseuchomai
verb · 85×
τρεῖς
treis
adjective · 67×
ἄνθρωπος
anthropos
noun · 549×
ἐνιαυτός
eniautos
noun · 14×
ἐπί
epi
preposition · 888×
ἕξ
ex
adjective · 12×
ἡμεῖς
emeis
pronoun · 862×
Ἡλίας
elias
noun · 29×
o
article · 19778×
ὁμοιοπαθής
omoiopathes
adjective · 2×

Intertextual echoes

This verse quotes or alludes to 1 earlier text.

  • 1Kgs 17:1 · allusion
    "And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word."
    Elijah prayed and it did not rain — James on effective prayer

Historic Christian voices

3 passages from patristic writers, Reformers, and church catechisms citing this verse.

Cross-references

  • 1Kgs 17:1 — And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my w
  • 1Kgs 17:1 — And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my w
  • 1Kgs 18:1 — And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.
  • 1Kgs 18:1 — And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.
  • Acts 10:26 — But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.
  • Acts 14:15 — And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and
  • Acts 14:15 — And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and
  • Acts 14:17 — Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.
  • Amos 4:7 — And also I have withholden the rain from you, when there were yet three months to the harvest: and I caused it to rain upon one city, and caused it not to rain upon another city: one piece was rained
  • Jer 5:24 — Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
  • Job 37:12 — And it is turned round about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth.
  • Luke 4:25 — But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
  • Luke 4:25 — But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;
  • Rev 11:6 — These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
  • Rom 11:2 — God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying,
  • Zech 14:17 — And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain.