James 5 · Verse 18

James 5:18

And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

James 5:18, King James Version

James 5:18 in other translations

BSB	Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth yielded its crops.
WEB	He prayed again, and the sky gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.
ASV	And he prayed again; and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
YLT	and again he did pray, and the heaven did give rain, and the land did bring forth her fruit.
DARBY	and again he prayed, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth caused its fruit to spring forth.
BBE	And he made another prayer, and the heaven sent down rain and the earth gave her fruit.
Webster	And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth its fruit.

What does James 5:18 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

18. prayed ... and--that is, "and so." Mark the connection between the prayer and its accomplishment. her fruit--her usual and due fruit, heretofore withheld on account of sin. Three and a half years is the time also that the two witnesses prophesy who "have power to shut and open heaven that it rain not."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes

Verse 18. And he prayed again. The allusion here seems to be to 1Kgs 18:42,45, though it is not expressly said there that he prayed. Perhaps it might be fairly gathered from the narrative that he did pray, or at least that would be the presumption, for he put himself into a natural attitude of prayer. "he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees," 1Kgs 18:42. In such circumstances, it is to be fairly presumed that such a man would pray; but it is remarkable that it is not expressly mentioned, and quite as remarkable that James should have made his argument turn on a thing which is not expressly mentioned, but which seems to have been a matter of inference. It seems probable to me, therefore, that there was some tradition on which he relied, or that it was a common interpretation of the passage in 1Kgs 18 that Elijah prayed earnestly, and that this was generally believed by those to whom the apostle wrote. Of the fact that Elijah was a man of prayer, no one could doubt; and in these circumstances the tradition and common belief were sufficient to justify the argument which is employed here.

And the heaven gave rain. The clouds gave rain. "The heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain," 1Kgs 18:45.

And the earth brought forth her fruit. The famine ceased, and the land again became productive. The case referred to here was indeed a miracle, but it was a case of the power of prayer, and therefore to the point. If God would work a miracle in answer to prayer, it is reasonable to presume that he will bestow upon us the blessings which we need in the same way.

(a) "he prayed again" 1Kgs 18:42,45 (+) "fruit" or, "produce"

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 18 And he prayed again - This second prayer is not mentioned in the history in express words, but as in 1Kgs 18:42, it is said, He cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees; that was probably the time of the second praying, namely, that rain might come, as this was the proper posture of prayer.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on James 5:12-18

The sin of swearing is condemned; but how many make light of common profane swearing! Such swearing expressly throws contempt upon God's name and authority. This sin brings neither gain, nor pleasure, nor reputation, but is showing enmity to God without occasion and without advantage It shows a man to be an enemy to God, however he pretends to call himself by his name, or sometimes joins in acts of worship. But the…

Read the full comment on James 5:12-18 →

James 5:18 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

καὶkaiAndG2532

πάλινpalinagainG3825

προσηύξατοprosēuxatohe prayedG4336

καὶkaiandG2532

ὁhotheG3588

οὐρανὸςouranosheavenG3772

ὑετὸνhu'etonrainG5205

ἔδωκενedōkengaveG1325

καὶkaiandG2532

ἡhētheG3588

γῆgēearthG1093

ἐβλάστησενeblastēsenproducedG985

τὸνtontheG3588

καρπὸνkarponfruitG2590

αὐτῆς.¶autēsof it.G846

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for James 5:18

1 Kings 18:42-45
So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.
Jeremiah 14:22
Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O Lord our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things.
1 Kings 18:18
And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.
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.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

1Ki 18:18,42-45; Jer 14:22; Ac 14:17

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

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.
James 5:18
And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
James 5:19
Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;

Read all of James 5

James 5:18 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Y otra vez oró, y el cielo dió lluvia, y la tierra produjo su fruto.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	et il pria de nouveau, et le ciel donna de la pluie, et la terre produisit son fruit.
German Elberfelder 1871	Und wiederum betete er, und der Himmel gab Regen, und die Erde brachte ihre Frucht hervor.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Et rursum oravit: et cælum dedit pluviam, et terra dedit fructum suum.