1 Kings 18:36-46

Elijah's Prayer

36 ¹At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said, "²O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that ³You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and ⁴I have done all these things at Your word.

37 "Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again."

38 Then the ⁵fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

39 When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "⁶The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God."

40 Then Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape." So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to ⁷the brook Kishon, ⁸and slew them there.

41 Now Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower."

42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of ⁹Carmel; and he ¹⁰crouched down on the earth and put his face between his knees.

43 He said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up and looked and said, "There is nothing *." And he said, "Go back " seven times.

44 It came about at the seventh time, that he said, "Behold, ¹¹a cloud as small as a man's hand is coming up from the sea." And he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.' "

45 In a little * while * the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower. And Ahab rode and went to ¹²Jezreel.

46 Then ¹³the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, and ¹⁴he girded up his loins and outran * Ahab to Jezreel.

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1 Kings 18:36-46 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 18

In this chapter Elijah has an order from the Lord to show himself to Ahab, who, going first, and meeting with a servant of his, Obadiah, charges him to tell his master where he was, that he might meet him, 1Ki 18:1-16, and, upon meeting him, desires that all Israel, and the prophets of Baal, might be convened, which was accordingly done, 1Ki 18:17-20, when he expostulated with the people of Israel for their idolatry, mocked and confounded the prophets of Baal, and gave the strongest proofs, to the conviction of the people, that Jehovah is the true God, 1Ki 18:21-39, on which all the prophets of Baal were slain, 1Ki 18:40, and rain in great abundance was given at the prayer of the prophet, 1Ki 18:41-46.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 14

1. 1 Kings 18:29
2. Genesis 28:13; Exodus 3:6; Exodus 4:5; Matthew 22:32
3. 1 Kings 8:43
4. Numbers 16:28-32
5. Genesis 15:17; Leviticus 9:24; Leviticus 10:1, 2; Judges 6:21; 2 Kings 1:12; 1 Chronicles 21:26; 2 Chronicles 7:1; Job 1:16
6. 1 Kings 18:21, 24
7. Judges 4:7; Judges 5:21
8. Deuteronomy 13:5; Deuteronomy 18:20; 2 Kings 10:24, 25
9. 1 Kings 18:19, 20
10. James 5:18
11. Luke 12:54
12. Joshua 17:16; Judges 6:33
13. 2 Kings 3:15; Isaiah 8:11; Ezekiel 3:14
14. 2 Kings 4:29; Jeremiah 1:17; 1 Peter 1:13

Footnotes 3

[a]. Lit "Tie, harness"
[b]. Lit "ran before"
[c]. Lit "until you are coming to"