New English Translation
1 Kings 18:44
44The seventh time the servant said, “Look, a small cloud, the size of the palm of a man’s hand, is rising up from the sea.” Elijah then said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up the chariots and go down, so that the rain won’t overtake you.’”
1 Kings 18:44 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.
- New International Version (NIV)The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And 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.'"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’ ”
Context of 1 Kings 18:44
42So Ahab went on up to eat and drink, while Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel. He bent down toward the ground and put his face between his knees. 43He told his servant, “Go on up and look in the direction of the sea.” So he went on up, looked, and reported, “There is nothing.” Seven times Elijah sent him to look. The seventh time the servant said, “Look, a small cloud, the size of the palm of a man’s hand, is rising up from the sea.” Elijah then said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up the chariots and go down, so that the rain won’t overtake you.’” 45Meanwhile the sky was covered with dark clouds, the wind blew, and there was a heavy rainstorm. Ahab rode toward Jezreel. 46Now the Lord energized Elijah with power; he tucked his robe into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
Read all of 1 Kings 181 Kings 18:44 word by word
וַֽיְהִי֙ בַּשְּׁבִעִ֔ית וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּה־עָ֛ב קְטַנָּ֥ה כְּכַף־אִ֖ישׁ עֹלָ֣ה מִיָּ֑ם וַיֹּ֗אמֶר עֲלֵ֨ה אֱמֹ֤ר אֶל־אַחְאָב֙ אֱסֹ֣ר וָרֵ֔ד וְלֹ֥א יַעַצָרְכָ֖ה הַגָּֽשֶׁם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And it came to pass at the seventh timeשְׁבִיעִיshebîy‛îy shebi‛îy · seventhH7637
- that he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Behold, there arisethעָלָה‛âlâh · to ascend: riseH5927
- a littleקָטָןqâţân qâţôn · smallH6996
- cloudעָב‛âb · cloudH5645
- out of the seaיָםyâm · seaH3220
- like a man’sאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- handכַּףkaph · palmH3709
- unto Ahabאַחְאָב'ach'âb 'echâb · AhabH256
- Prepareאָסַר'âsar · to bindH631
- and get thee downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- that the rainגֶּ֫שֶׁםgeshem · rainH1653
- stopעָצַר‛âtsar · to restrainH6113
Cross-references for 1 Kings 18:44
- Job 8:7Your beginning will seem so small, since your future will flourish.
- Zechariah 4:10For who dares make light of small beginnings? These seven eyes will joyfully look on the tin tablet in Zerubbabel’s hand. (These are the eyes of the Lord, which constantly range across the whole earth.)
- 1 Samuel 6:7So now go and make a new cart. Get two cows that have calves and that have never had a yoke placed on them. Harness the cows to the cart and take their calves from them back to their stalls.
- Micah 1:13Residents of Lachish, hitch the horses to the chariots! You influenced Daughter Zion to sin, for Israel’s rebellious deeds can be traced back to you!
Commentaries on 1 Kings 18:44
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 44There ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. - איש ככף kechaph ish, like the hollow of a man's hand. In the form of the hand bent, the concave side downmost. I have witnessed a resemblance of this kind at sea previously to a violent storm, a little cloud the size of a man's hand first appearing, and this increasing in size and density every moment, till at last it covered the whole heavens, and then burst forth with incredible fury. Mr…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 44A little cloud - Sailors know full well that such a cloud on the far horizon is often the forerunner of a violent storm.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. 4444. Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand--The clearness of the sky renders the smallest speck distinctly visible; and this is in Palestine the uniform precursor of rain. It rises higher and higher, and becomes larger and larger with astonishing celerity, till the whole heaven is black, and the cloud bursts in a deluge of rain. Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not--either by the river Kishon…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 18:44
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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