1 Kings 18:41

41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, "Now, go, eat, and drink, because a heavy rain is 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 When all the people saw this, they fell down to the ground, crying, "The Lord is God! The Lord is God!"
40 Then Elijah said, "Capture the prophets of Baal! Don't let any of them run away!" The people captured all the prophets. Then Elijah led them down to the Kishon Valley, where he killed them.
41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, "Now, go, eat, and drink, because a heavy rain is coming."
42 So King Ahab went to eat and drink. At the same time Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel, where he bent down to the ground with his head between his knees.
43 Then Elijah said to his servant, "Go and look toward the sea." The servant went and looked. "I see nothing," he said. Elijah told him to go and look again. This happened seven times.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.