1 Kings 18 · Verse 46

1 Kings 18:46

And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
1 Kings 18:46, King James Version

1 Kings 18:46 in other translations

BSBAnd the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
WEBThe LORD’s hand was on Elijah; and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
ASVand the hand of Jehovah was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
YLTand the hand of Jehovah hath been on Elijah, and he girdeth up his loins, and runneth before Ahab, till thine entering Jezreel.
DARBYAnd the hand of Jehovah was upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jizreel.
BBEAnd the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he made himself strong, and went running before Ahab till they came to Jezreel.
WebsterAnd the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

What does 1 Kings 18:46 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
46. Elijah ... girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab--It was anciently, and still is in some countries of the East, customary for kings and nobles to have runners before their chariots, who are tightly girt for the purpose. The prophet, like the Bedouins of his native Gilead, had been trained to run; and, as the Lord was with him, he continued with unabated agility and strength. It was, in the circumstances, a most proper service for Elijah to render. It tended to strengthen the favorable impression made on the heart of Ahab and furnished an answer to the cavils of Jezebel for it showed that he who was so zealous in the service of God, was, at the same time, devotedly loyal to his king. The result of this solemn and decisive contest was a heavy blow and great discouragement to the cause of idolatry. But subsequent events seem to prove that the impressions, though deep, were but partial and temporary.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 46 Ran before Ahab - Many think that Elijah ran before the king in order to do him honor; and much learned labor has been spent on this passage in order to show that Elijah had put himself at the head of a company of chanters who ran before the king reciting his praises, or the praises of God; a custom which still exists in Arabian countries! I believe all these entirely mistake the writer's meaning: Ahab yoked his chariot, and made all speed to Jezreel. The hand of the Lord, or, as the Targum says, the spirit of strength, came upon Elijah, and he girded up his loins, that is, tucked up his long garments in his girdle, and ran; and notwithstanding the advantage the king had by means of his chariot, the prophet reached Jezreel before him. There is no intimation here that he ran before the horses' heads. All this was intended to show that he was under the peculiar influence and inspiration of the Almighty, that the king might respect and fear him, and not do or permit to be done to him any kind of outrage.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Kings 18:41-46

Israel, being so far reformed as to acknowledge the Lord to be God, and to consent to the execution of Baal's prophets, was so far accepted, that God poured out blessing upon the land. Elijah long continued praying. Though the answer of our fervent and believing supplications does not come quickly, we must continue earnest in prayer, and not faint or give over. A little cloud at length appeared, which soon…

Read the full comment on 1 Kings 18:41-46 →

1 Kings 18:46 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.

וְיַד\־ve.yad-and [the] hand ofH3027
יְהוָ֗הYah.wehYahwehH3068
הָֽיְתָה֙ha.ye.Tahit wasH1961
אֶל\־'el-toH413
אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ'e.li.Ya.huElijahH452
וַיְשַׁנֵּ֖סvay.sha.Nesand he girded upH8151
מָתְנָ֑יוma.te.Navloins hisH4975
וַיָּ֙רָץ֙vai.Ya.rotzand he ranH7323
לִפְנֵ֣יlif.Nei<to> beforeH6440
אַחְאָ֔ב'ach.'AvAhabH256
עַד\־'ad-untilH5704
בֹּאֲכָ֖הbo.'a.Khahcoming youH935
יִזְרְעֶֽאלָה\׃yiz.re.'E.lahJezreel towardsH3157

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

Cross references for 1 Kings 18:46

  • Ezekiel 3:14

    So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me.

  • Ezekiel 1:3

    The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was there upon him.

  • 2 Kings 3:15

    But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.

  • 2 Kings 9:1

    And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramoth–gilead:

  • Matthew 22:21

    They say unto him, Cesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cesar the things which are Cesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.

  • Isaiah 8:11

    For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying,

  • Jeremiah 1:17

    Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.

  • 1 Peter 1:13

    Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

  • 2 Kings 4:29

    Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.

  • Ephesians 6:14

    Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

  • 1 Peter 2:17

    Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

  • Job 38:3

    Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the hand.
2Ki 3:15; Isa 8:11; Eze 1:3; 3:14
he girded.
2Ki 4:29; 9:1; Job 38:3; Jer 1:17; Eph 6:14; 1Pe 1:13
ran before.
Mt 22:21; 1Pe 2:17
to the entrance of. Heb. till thou come to.

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

Context

  • 1 Kings 18:45

    And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.

  • 1 Kings 18:46

    And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

Read all of 1 Kings 18

1 Kings 18:46 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y la mano de Jehová fué sobre Elías, el cual ciñó sus lomos, y vino corriendo delante de Achâb hasta llegar á Jezreel.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et la main de l’ Éternel fut sur Élie, et il ceignit ses reins, et courut devant Achab jusque là où tu arrives à Jizreël.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und die Hand Jehovas kam über Elia; und er gürtete seine Lenden und lief vor Ahab her bis nach Jisreel hin.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		et manus Domini facta est super Eliam, accinctisque lumbis currebat ante Achab, donec veniret in Jezrahel.