1 Kings 18 · Verse 1

1 Kings 18:1

And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.
1 Kings 18:1, King James Version

1 Kings 18:1 in other translations

BSBAfter a long time, in the third year of the drought, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the face of the earth.”
WEBAfter many days, the LORD’s word came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain on the earth.”
ASVAnd it came to pass after many days, that the word of Jehovah came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.
YLTAnd the days are many, and the word of Jehovah hath been unto Elijah in the third year, saying, ‘Go, appear unto Ahab, and I give rain on the face of the ground;'
DARBYAnd it came to pass after many days, that the word of Jehovah came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself to Ahab; and I will send rain upon the face of the earth.
BBENow after a long time, the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go and let Ahab see you, so that I may send rain on the earth.
WebsterAnd it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself to Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.

What does 1 Kings 18:1 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
1Ki 18:1-16. Elijah Meets Obadiah. 1. the third year--In the New Testament, it is said there was no rain "for the space of three years and six months" [Jas 5:17]. The early rain fell in our March, the latter rain in our October. Though Ahab might have at first ridiculed Elijah's announcement, yet when neither of these rains fell in their season, he was incensed against the prophet as the cause of the national judgment, and compelled him, with God's direction, to consult his safety in flight. This was six months after the king was told there would be neither dew nor rain, and from this period the three years in this passage are computed. Go, show thyself unto Ahab--The king had remained obdurate and impenitent. Another opportunity was to be given him of repentance, and Elijah was sent in order to declare to him the cause of the national judgment, and to promise him, on condition of his removing it, the immediate blessing of rain.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Introduction

Elijah is commanded by the Lord to show himself to Ahab, 1Kgs 18:1, 1Kgs 18:2. Ahab, and Obadiah his steward, search the land to find provender for the cattle, Oba 1:3-6. Obadiah meets Elijah, who commands him to inform Ahab that he is ready to present himself before him, 1Kgs 18:7-15. Elijah and Ahab meet, 1Kgs 18:16-18. Elijah proposes that the four hundred and fifty priests of Baal should be gathered together at Mount Carmel; that they should offer a sacrifice to their god, and he to Jehovah; and the God who should send down fire to consume the sacrifice should be acknowledged as the true God, 1Kgs 18:19-24. The proposal is accepted, and the priests of Baal call in vain upon their god through the whole day, 1Kgs 18:25-29. Elijah offers his sacrifice, prays to Gods and fire comes down from heaven and consumes it; whereupon the people acknowledge Jehovah to be the true God, and slay all the prophets of Baal, 1Kgs 18:30-40. Elijah promises Ahab that there shall be immediate rain; it comes accordingly, and Ahab and Elijah come to Jezreel, 1Kgs 18:41-46. Verse 1 After many days - in the third year - We learn from our Lord, Luk 4:25, that the drought which brought on the famine in Israel lasted three years and six months. St. James, Jam 5:17, gives it the same duration. Probably Elijah spent six months at the brook Cherith, and three years with the widow at Sarepta. I will send rain upon the earth - The word האדמה haadamah should be translated the ground or the land, as it is probable that this drought did not extend beyond the land of Judea.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Kings 18:1-16
The severest judgments, of themselves, will not humble or change the hearts of sinners; nothing, except the blood of Jesus Christ, can atone for the guilt of sin; nothing, except the sanctifying Spirit of God, can purge away its pollution. The priests and the Levites were gone to Judah and Jerusalem, 2Ch 11:13, 14, but instead of them God raised up prophets, who read and expounded the word. They probably were from the schools of the prophets, first set up by Samuel. They had not the spirit of prophecy as Elijah, but taught the people to keep close to the God of Israel. These Jezebel sought to destroy. The few that escaped death were forced to hide themselves. God has his remnant among all sorts, high and low; and that faith, fear, and love of his name, which are the fruits of the Holy Spirit, will be accepted through the Redeemer. See how wonderfully God raises up friends for his ministers and people, for their shelter in difficult times. Bread and water were now scarce, yet Obadiah will find enough for God's prophets, to keep them alive. Ahab's care was not to lose all the beasts; but he took no care about his soul, not to lose that. He took pains to seek grass, but none to seek the favour of God; fencing against the effect, but not inquiring how to remove the cause. But it bodes well with a people, when God calls his ministers to stand forth, and show themselves. And we may the better endure the bread of affliction, while our eyes see our teachers.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

1 Kings 18:1 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיְהִי֙vay.Hiand it wasH1961
יָמִ֣יםya.MimdaysH3117
רַבִּ֔יםra.BimmanyH7227
וּדְבַר\־u.de.var-and [the] word ofH1697
יְהוָ֗הYah.wehYahwehH3068
הָיָה֙ha.Yahit cameH1961
אֶל\־'el-toH413
אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ'e.li.Ya.huElijahH452
בַּשָּׁנָ֥הba.sha.Nahin the yearH8141
הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֖יתha.she.li.Shit<the> thirdH7992
לֵאמֹ֑רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
לֵ֚ךְlekhgoH1980
הֵרָאֵ֣הhe.ra.'Ehpresent yourselfH7200
אֶל\־'el-toH413
אַחְאָ֔ב'ach.'AvAhabH256
וְאֶתְּנָ֥הve.'e.te.Nahso let me giveH5414
מָטָ֖רma.TarrainH4306
עַל\־'al-onH5921
פְּנֵ֥יpe.Nei[the] surface ofH6440
הָאֲדָמָֽה\׃ha.'a.da.Mahthe groundH127

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Kings 18:1

  • Luke 4:25

    But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;

  • James 5:17

    Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

  • 1 Kings 18:15-40

    And Elijah said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day. So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah. And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim. …

  • Deuteronomy 28:12

    The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.

  • 1 Kings 17:1

    And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

  • 1 Kings 18:2

    And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.

  • Leviticus 26:4

    Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.

  • Joel 2:23

    Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.

  • Jeremiah 14:22

    Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O Lord our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things.

  • Jeremiah 10:13

    When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.

  • Revelation 11:6

    These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.

  • 1 Kings 17:15

    And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1 In the extremity of famine Elijah, sent to Ahab, meets good Obadiah.
9 Obadiah brings Ahab to Elijah.
17 Elijah, reproving Ahab, by fire from heaven convinces Baal's prophets.
41 Elijah, by prayer obtaining rain, follows Ahab to Jezreel.

A.M. 3098. B.C. 906. after many days.
Lu 4:25; Jas 5:17; Re 11:2,6
in the third year.This form of expression, both in Hebrew and Latin, means "after the third year," i.e., some time between the third and fourth year.
17:1,7,15; Lu 4:25; Jas 5:17
Go.
2,15-40
I will send rain.
Le 26:4; De 28:12; Ps 65:9-13; Isa 5:6; Jer 10:13; 14:22; Joe 2:23
Am 4:7

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Kings 18:1

    And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.

  • 1 Kings 18:2

    And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria.

Read all of 1 Kings 18

1 Kings 18:1 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		PASADOS muchos días, fué palabra de Jehová á Elías en el tercer año, diciendo: Ve, muéstrate á Achâb, y yo daré lluvia sobre la haz de la tierra.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		*Et il arriva, après bien des jours, que la parole de l’ Éternel vint à Élie, la troisième année, disant: Va, montre-toi à Achab, et je donnerai de la pluie sur la face de la terre.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und es vergingen viele Tage, da geschah das Wort Jehovas zu Elia im dritten Jahre also: Gehe hin, zeige dich Ahab; und ich will Regen geben auf den Erdboden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Post dies multos factum est verbum Domini ad Eliam, in anno tertio, dicens: Vade, et ostende te Achab, ut dem pluviam super faciem terræ.