1 Kings 18:41

41 Elijah said to Ahab, "Up on your feet! Eat and drink - celebrate! Rain is on the way; I hear it coming."

1 Kings 18:41 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 18:41

And Elijah said unto Ahab, get thee up
From the brook and valley where the execution of the prophets had been made; either up to his chariot, or to the tent or pavilion erected on the side of the mount, where the whole scene of things was transacted;

eat and drink;
which he had no leisure for all the day, from the time of the morning sacrifice to the evening sacrifice, which was taken up in attending to the issue of the several sacrifices; but now he is bid to eat and refresh himself, and that in token of joy and gladness, as became him, both for the honour of the true God, which had been abundantly confirmed, and for the near approach of rain, of which he assures him:

for there is a sound of abundance of rain;
the wind perhaps began to rise, and blow pretty briskly, which was a sign of it F6; besides, according to the Tyrian annals F7, there were loud claps of thunder at this time, at least when the heavens became very black, as in ( 1 Kings 18:45 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F6 "Fit fragor, hinc densi----nimbi", Ovid. Metamorph. l. 1. Fab. 8. v. 269.
F7 Apud Joseph, Antiqu. l. 8. c. 13. sect. 2.

1 Kings 18:41 In-Context

39 All the people saw it happen and fell on their faces in awed worship, exclaiming, "God is the true God! God is the true God!"
40 Elijah told them, "Grab the Baal prophets! Don't let one get away!" They grabbed them. Elijah had them taken down to the Brook Kishon and they massacred the lot.
41 Elijah said to Ahab, "Up on your feet! Eat and drink - celebrate! Rain is on the way; I hear it coming."
42 Ahab did it: got up and ate and drank. Meanwhile, Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bowed deeply in prayer, his face between his knees.
43 Then he said to his young servant, "On your feet now! Look toward the sea." He went, looked, and reported back, "I don't see a thing." "Keep looking," said Elijah, "seven times if necessary."
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.