New International Version
1 Kings 18:44
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.’ ”
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.
- 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.’ ”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Finally the seventh time, his servant told him, “I saw a little cloud about the size of a man’s hand rising from the sea.” Then Elijah shouted, “Hurry to Ahab and tell him, ‘Climb into your chariot and go back home. If you don’t hurry, the rain will stop you!’”
Context of 1 Kings 18:44
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. 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.” 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.’ ” 45Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. 46The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he 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 beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be.
- Zechariah 4:10“Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel?”
- 1 Samuel 6:7“Now then, get a new cart ready, with two cows that have calved and have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up.
- Micah 1:13You who live in Lachish, harness fast horses to the chariot. You are where the sin of Daughter Zion began, for the transgressions of Israel were found in 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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