God’s Word Translation
1 Kings 18:43
43He said to his servant, “Please go back to ⌞Mount Carmel⌟, and look toward the sea.” He went up, looked, ⌞came back,⌟ and said, “There’s nothing.” Seven times Elijah told him, “Go back.”
1 Kings 18:43 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And 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.
- New International Version (NIV)“Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked. “There is nothing there,” he said. Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And 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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.”
Context of 1 Kings 18:43
41Then Elijah told Ahab, “Get up, eat, and drink. It sounds like a heavy rain ⌞is coming⌟.” 42Ahab got up to eat and drink. Elijah went to the top of Carmel and bowed down on the ground to pray. He said to his servant, “Please go back to ⌞Mount Carmel⌟, and look toward the sea.” He went up, looked, ⌞came back,⌟ and said, “There’s nothing.” Seven times Elijah told him, “Go back.” 44After the seventh time the servant said, “A little cloud like a man’s hand is coming from the sea.” Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Prepare ⌞your chariot⌟, and leave before the rain delays you.’ ” 45Gradually, the sky grew darker with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. Ahab got into his chariot to go back to Jezreel.
Read all of 1 Kings 181 Kings 18:43 word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֶֽל־נַעֲר֗וֹ עֲלֵֽה־נָא֙ הַבֵּ֣ט דֶּֽרֶךְ־יָ֔ם וַיַּ֙עַל֙ וַיַּבֵּ֔ט וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֵ֣ין מְא֑וּמָה וַיֹּ֕אמֶר שֻׁ֖ב שֶׁ֥בַע פְּעָמִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- to his servantנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- Go upעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- now, lookנָבַטnâbaţ · to lookH5027
- towardדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: directionH1870
- the seaיָםyâm · seaH3220
- nothingמְא֫וּמָהme'ûmâh · anythingH3972
- Go againשׁוּבshûb · to return: againH7725
- sevenשֶׁ֫בַעsheba‛ shib‛âh · sevenH7651
- timesפַּ֫עַםpa‛am pa‛ămâh · beatH6471
Cross-references for 1 Kings 18:43
- Psalms 5:3In the morning, O Lord, hear my voice. In the morning I lay my needs in front of you, and I wait.
- Luke 18:1Jesus used this illustration with his disciples to show them that they need to pray all the time and never give up.
- Genesis 32:26Then the man said, “Let me go; it’s almost dawn.” But Jacob answered, “I won’t let you go until you bless me.”
- Habakkuk 2:3The vision will still happen at the appointed time. It hurries toward its goal. It won’t be a lie. If it’s delayed, wait for it. It will certainly happen. It won’t be late.
- Luke 18:7Won’t God give his chosen people justice when they cry out to him for help day and night? Is he slow to help them?
- Ephesians 6:18Pray in the Spirit in every situation. Use every kind of prayer and request there is. For the same reason be alert. Use every kind of effort and make every kind of request for all of God’s people.
- Hebrews 10:36You need endurance so that after you have done what God wants you to do, you can receive what he has promised.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 18:43
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 43Look toward the sea - From the top of Mount Carmel the Mediterranean Sea was full in view.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 43Tradition says that Elijah‘s servant was the son of the widow of Sarepta 1 Kings 17:23.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. 4343. Go up now, look toward the sea--From the place of worship there is a small eminence, which, on the west and northwest side, intercepts the view of the sea [Stanley; Van De Velde]. It can be ascended in a few minutes, and presents a wide prospect of the Mediterranean. Six times the servant went up, but the sky was clear--the sea tranquil. On the seventh he described the sign of approaching rain [1Ki 18:44].Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 18:43
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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