Romans 11:3

Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

Lord {G2962}, they have killed {G615} thy {G4675} prophets {G4396}, and {G2532} digged down {G2679} thine {G4675} altars {G2379}; and I {G2504} am left {G5275} alone {G3441}, and {G2532} they seek {G2212} my {G3450} life {G5590}.

“Adonai, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars, and I’m the only one left, and now they want to kill me too!”

“Lord, they have killed Your prophets and torn down Your altars. I am the only one left, and they are seeking my life as well”?

Lord, they have killed thy prophets, they have digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.

Romans 11:3 is a direct quote from the prophet Elijah's lament to God, found in 1 Kings 19:10 and repeated in 1 Kings 19:14. Paul uses this historical example to illustrate a point about God's enduring faithfulness to Israel, even when it seems like the nation has completely turned away.

Context

In Romans chapter 11, Paul is addressing the question of whether God has rejected His people, Israel. He argues passionately that God has not. To support his argument, Paul recalls the story of Elijah during a period of intense apostasy under King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, where Baal worship was rampant and prophets of the Lord were being killed. Elijah's despairing cry in this verse reflects the feeling that God's covenant people had utterly forsaken Him, leaving only Elijah as a faithful worshipper.

Key Themes

  • Persecution of God's Servants: The phrase "they have killed thy prophets" highlights the historical reality of intense opposition and persecution faced by those who faithfully served God throughout Israel's history. This was a common theme, as seen in Jesus' lament over Jerusalem's treatment of prophets.
  • Destruction of True Worship: "Digged down thine altars" signifies the dismantling and desecration of places of worship dedicated to Yahweh. This act symbolized a profound rejection of God and His covenant, replacing true worship with idolatry.
  • Feeling of Isolation and Despair: Elijah's cry, "I am left alone, and they seek my life," expresses a deep sense of loneliness and vulnerability. He believed he was the sole remaining faithful servant, facing imminent death. This captures the human experience of feeling isolated when surrounded by unfaithfulness.
  • God's Unseen Remnant: While Elijah felt utterly alone, God's response to him (quoted by Paul in Romans 11:4) revealed that there were still 7,000 who had not bowed to Baal. This sets the stage for Paul's argument that God always preserves a faithful remnant by grace, even when it is not immediately apparent to human eyes.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "digged down thine altars" (KJV) conveys the deliberate and destructive act of overturning or demolishing the altars dedicated to God. This wasn't merely neglect but an active effort to eradicate the visible signs of Yahweh worship.

Practical Application

Elijah's lament resonates with believers today who may feel isolated or overwhelmed by the spiritual decline they witness around them. This verse reminds us:

  • Even in times of widespread apostasy or spiritual darkness, God always has a faithful people, a remnant, known to Him, even if they are not known to us.
  • It is natural to feel despair or loneliness when surrounded by unfaithfulness, but we are never truly alone in God's eyes.
  • God hears the cries of His faithful servants, and His plan of salvation continues, even when circumstances seem dire. Our limited human perspective often misses the broader scope of God's work.
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 1 Kings 19:10

    And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, [even] I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

  • 1 Kings 19:18

    Yet I have left [me] seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

  • 1 Kings 18:4

    For it was [so], when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)

  • 1 Kings 18:30

    And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD [that was] broken down.

  • 1 Kings 18:31

    And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:

  • Nehemiah 9:26

    Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.

  • Jeremiah 2:30

    In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
← Back