English Standard Version
1 Kings 18:42
42So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel. And he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees.
1 Kings 18:42 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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,
- New International Version (NIV)So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees,
- New Living Translation (NLT)So Ahab went to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the top of Mount Carmel and bowed low to the ground and prayed with his face between his knees.
Context of 1 Kings 18:42
40And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape." And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there. 41And Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain." So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel. And he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees. 43And he said to his servant, "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. 44And at the seventh time he said, "Behold, a little cloud like a man's hand is rising from the sea." And he said, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.'"
Read all of 1 Kings 181 Kings 18:42 word by word
וַיַּעֲלֶ֥ה אַחְאָ֖ב לֶאֱכֹ֣ל וְלִשְׁתּ֑וֹת וְאֵ֨לִיָּ֜הוּ עָלָ֨ה אֶל־רֹ֤אשׁ הַכַּרְמֶל֙ וַיִּגְהַ֣ר אַ֔רְצָה וַיָּ֥שֶׂם פָּנָ֖יו בֵּ֥ין בִּרְכָּֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- So Ahabאַחְאָב'ach'âb 'echâb · AhabH256
- went upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- to eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- and to drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
- And Elijahאֵלִיָּה'êlîyâh 'êlîyâhû · ElijahH452
- to the topרֹאשׁrô'sh · head: topH7218
- of Carmelכַּרְמֶלkarmel · (Mount) CarmelH3760
- and he cast himself downגָּהַרgâhar · to bend (down)H1457
- upon the earthאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: soilH776
- and putשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: putH7760
- his faceפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- between his kneesבֶּ֫רֶךְberek · kneeH1290
Cross-references for 1 Kings 18:42
- 1 Kings 18:19Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table."
- Matthew 14:23And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,
- Luke 6:12In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.
- Acts 10:9The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.
- Genesis 24:52When Abraham's servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the earth before the Lord.
- Joshua 7:6Then Joshua tore his clothes and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the Lord until the evening, he and the elders of Israel. And they put dust on their heads.
- 2 Samuel 12:16David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground.
- Daniel 9:3Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.
- Mark 14:35And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
- James 5:16Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
- 1 Kings 19:13And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
- Ezra 9:6saying: "O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens.
- Psalms 89:7a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him?
- Isaiah 6:2Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
- Isaiah 38:2Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord,
- Daniel 9:7To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 18:42
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 42Put his face between his knees - He kneeled down, and then bowed his head to the earth, so that, while his face was between his knees, his forehead touched the ground.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 42Ahab could feast; Elijah could not, or would not. Ascending Carmel not quite to the highest elevation 1 Kings 18:43, but to a point, a little below the highest, from where the sea was not visible, he proceeded to pray earnestly for rain, as he had prayed formerly that it might not rain.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. 41-45The servant saw a small cloud on the horizon, about the size of a hand. It signaled the coming of a huge rainstorm.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4242. Ahab went up to eat and to drink--Ahab, kept in painful excitement by the agonizing scene, had eaten nothing all the day. He was recommended to refresh himself without a moment's delay; and, while the king was thus occupied, the prophet, far from taking rest, was absorbed in prayer for the fulfilment of the promise (1Ki 18:1). put his face between his knees--a posture of earnest supplication still used.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 18:42
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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