New International Version
1 Kings 18:43
43“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.”
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.
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then he said to his servant, “Go and look out toward the sea.” The servant went and looked, then returned to Elijah and said, “I didn’t see anything.” Seven times Elijah told him to go and look.
Context of 1 Kings 18:43
41And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” 42So 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. “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.” 44The 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.’ ” 45Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off 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, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.
- Luke 18:1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
- Genesis 32:26Then the man said, “Let me go, for it is daybreak.” But Jacob replied, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
- Habakkuk 2:3For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.
- Luke 18:7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
- Ephesians 6:18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
- Hebrews 10:36You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will 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
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