New King James Version
1 Kings 18:46
46Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
1 Kings 18:46 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
- New International Version (NIV)The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he gathered up his garment and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then the Lord gave special strength to Elijah. He tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab’s chariot all the way to the entrance of Jezreel.
Context of 1 Kings 18:46
44Then 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.’ ” 45Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
Read all of 1 Kings 181 Kings 18:46 word by word
וְיַד־יְהוָ֗ה הָֽיְתָה֙ אֶל־אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ וַיְשַׁנֵּ֖ס מָתְנָ֑יו וַיָּ֙רָץ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אַחְאָ֔ב עַד־בֹּאֲכָ֖ה יִזְרְעֶֽאלָה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- was on Elijahאֵלִיָּה'êlîyâh 'êlîyâhû · ElijahH452
- and he girded upשָׁנַסshânas · to girdH8151
- his loinsמׇתְנַ֫יִםmôthen · loinH4975
- and ranרוּץrûts · to run: runH7323
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- Ahabאַחְאָב'ach'âb 'echâb · AhabH256
- to the entranceבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): towardsH935
- of Jezreelיִזְרְעֶאלyizre‛ê'l · JezreelH3157
People and places in 1 Kings 18:46
Cross-references for 1 Kings 18:46
- 2 Kings 3:15But now bring me a musician.” Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.
- Isaiah 8:11For the Lord spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying:
- Ezekiel 1:3the word of the Lord came expressly to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the River Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was upon him there.
- Ezekiel 3:14So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me.
- 2 Kings 4:29Then he said to Gehazi, “Get yourself ready, and take my staff in your hand, and be on your way. If you meet anyone, do not greet him; and if anyone greets you, do not answer him; but lay my staff on the face of the child.”
- 2 Kings 9:1And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said to him, “Get yourself ready, take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead.
- Job 38:3Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.
- Jeremiah 1:17“Therefore prepare yourself and arise, And speak to them all that I command you. Do not be dismayed before their faces, Lest I dismay you before them.
- Ephesians 6:14Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
- 1 Peter 1:13Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
- Matthew 22:21They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
- 1 Peter 2:17Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 18:46
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 46Ran before Ahab - Many think that Elijah ran before the king in order to do him honor; and much learned labor has been spent on this passage in order to show that Elijah had put himself at the head of a company of chanters who ran before the king reciting his praises, or the praises of God; a custom which still exists in Arabian countries! I believe all these entirely mistake the writer's meaning: Ahab yoked his chariot, and made all speed to Jezreel. The…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 46Divinely directed, and divinely upheld, Elijah, instead of resting, ran in advance of the king‘s chariot the entire distance of at least 16 miles to the entrance of Jezreel. He thus showed himself ready to countenance and uphold the irresolute monarch, if he would turn from his evil courses, and proceed to carry out the religious reformation which the events of the day had inaugurated. The entrance of Jezreel - Modern “Zerin.” Ahab had not removed the…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. 46He tucked his cloak into his belt to run faster ahead of Ahab’s chariot. The Hebrew phrase means doing something with energy or enthusiasm (2 Kings 4:29). Jezreel was located between Megiddo and Beth-shan in the southeastern part of the Jezreel Valley, about seventeen miles from Mount Carmel.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4646. Elijah ... girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab--It was anciently, and still is in some countries of the East, customary for kings and nobles to have runners before their chariots, who are tightly girt for the purpose. The prophet, like the Bedouins of his native Gilead, had been trained to run; and, as the Lord was with him, he continued with unabated agility and strength. It was, in the circumstances, a most proper service for Elijah to render…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 18:46
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries