1 Kings 18:41

41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, Go up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.

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 ) .

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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 And seeing it, all the people fell on their faces, and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.

40 And Elijah said unto them, Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they seized them; and Elijah took them down to the brook Kishon and slew them there.

41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, Go up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.

42 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

43 and said to his slave, 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.