Amplified Bible
1 Kings 18:46
46Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah [giving him supernatural strength]. He girded up his loins and outran Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel [nearly twenty miles].
1 Kings 18:46 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
- New International Version (NIV)The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he gathered up his garment and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
Context of 1 Kings 18:46
44And at the seventh time the servant said, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is coming up from the sea.” And Elijah said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the rain shower does not stop you.’ ” 45In a little while the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and there were heavy showers. And Ahab mounted and rode [his chariot] and went [inland] to Jezreel. Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah [giving him supernatural strength]. He girded up his loins and outran Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel [nearly twenty miles].
Read all of 1 Kings 181 Kings 18:46 word by word
וְיַד־יְהוָ֗ה הָֽיְתָה֙ אֶל־אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ וַיְשַׁנֵּ֖ס מָתְנָ֑יו וַיָּ֙רָץ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אַחְאָ֔ב עַד־בֹּאֲכָ֖ה יִזְרְעֶֽאלָה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- was on Elijahאֵלִיָּה'êlîyâh 'êlîyâhû · ElijahH452
- and he girded upשָׁנַסshânas · to girdH8151
- his loinsמׇתְנַ֫יִםmôthen · loinH4975
- and ranרוּץrûts · to run: runH7323
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- Ahabאַחְאָב'ach'âb 'echâb · AhabH256
- to the entranceבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): towardsH935
- of Jezreelיִזְרְעֶאלyizre‛ê'l · JezreelH3157
Cross-references for 1 Kings 18:46
- 2 Kings 3:15But now bring me a musician.” And it came about while the musician played, that the hand (power) of the Lord came upon Elisha.
- Isaiah 8:11For in this way the Lord spoke to me with His strong hand [upon me] and instructed me not to walk in the way of this people [behaving as they do], saying,
- Ezekiel 1:3the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar; and the hand of the Lord came upon him there.)
- Ezekiel 3:14So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went embittered [by the sins of Israel] in the rage of my spirit; and the hand of the Lord was strong on me.
- 2 Kings 4:29Then he said to Gehazi, “Gird up your loins (prepare now!) and take my staff in your hand, and go [to the woman’s house]; if you meet any man [along the way], do not greet him and if a man greets you, do not [stop to] answer him; and lay my staff on the face of the boy [as soon as you reach the house].”
- 2 Kings 9:1Now Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets and said to him, “Gird up your loins (prepare for action), take this flask of oil in your hand and go to Ramoth-gilead.
- Job 38:3Now gird up your loins like a man, And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!
- Jeremiah 1:17But you [Jeremiah], gird up your loins [in preparation]! Get up and tell them all which I command you. Do not be distraught and break down at the sight of their [hostile] faces, or I will bewilder you before them and allow you to be overcome.
- Ephesians 6:14So stand firm and hold your ground, having tightened the wide band of truth (personal integrity, moral courage) around your waist and having put on the breastplate of righteousness (an upright heart),
- 1 Peter 1:13So prepare your minds for action, be completely sober [in spirit—steadfast, self-disciplined, spiritually and morally alert], fix your hope completely on the grace [of God] that is coming to you when Jesus Christ is revealed.
- Matthew 22:21They said, “[The Emperor Tiberius] Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, “Then pay to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.”
- 1 Peter 2:17Show respect for all people [treat them honorably], love the brotherhood [of believers], fear God, honor the king.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 18:46
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 46Ran 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…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 46Divinely directed, and divinely upheld, Elijah, instead of resting, ran in advance of the king‘s chariot the entire distance of at least 16 miles to the entrance of Jezreel. He thus showed himself ready to countenance and uphold the irresolute monarch, if he would turn from his evil courses, and proceed to carry out the religious reformation which the events of the day had inaugurated. The entrance of Jezreel - Modern “Zerin.” Ahab had not removed the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 41-46Verses 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 overspread the heavens, and watered…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 46He tucked his cloak into his belt to run faster ahead of Ahab’s chariot. The Hebrew phrase means doing something with energy or enthusiasm (2 Kings 4:29). Jezreel was located between Megiddo and Beth-shan in the southeastern part of the Jezreel Valley, about seventeen miles from Mount Carmel.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4646. 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…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 18:46
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Kings 18
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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