1 Kings 18:5

And Ahab said [ had said ] unto Obadiah, Go into [Heb. in ] the land, unto all fountains [Heb. places of fountains . Cf. with מַעְיָן from מָאוֹר עַיִן from אוֹר etc.] of water, and unto all brooks [ wadies ; see on 1 Kings 17:3 ]: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive [It has been inferred from Ahab's concern for his stud that he viewed the sufferings of his subjects with comparative indifference, or at least regarded them as of altogether secondary importance. But this is a too hasty conclusion. His subjects were, for the most part, as well able to find water for themselves as he was for them, and he might safely trust to their instinct of self preservation to do their best to meet the emergency. But the dumb cattle, con. fined to the stall, could not act for themselves. Hence this expedition in search of fodder], that we lose not all the beasts . [Marg. that we cut not ourselves off from, etc. But this rendering, and still more that of the text, misinterprets the force of the Hiphil נַקְרִית . The literal translation is, " That we may not have to cut off from ( i.e; a portion of, מִן partitive, as in 1 Kings 17:13 below, מגְּבִיאֵי ). What Ahab means is that, unless they soon find fodder, they will have to slaughter a portion of their animals. So Bähr, Und nicht von dem Vieh ( einen Theil ) umbringen mussen . Similarly Keil.]