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Read the Bible

King James Version

1 Kings 18:1

And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Elijah;   Famine;   Israel;   Prayer;   Thompson Chain Reference - Direction, Divine;   Divine;   Guidance, Divine;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Rain;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Carmel;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Ahab;   Obadiah;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Elijah;   Gods and Goddesses, Pagan;   Providence of God;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Hospitality;   Zeal;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Fertility Cult;   Jezebel;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Lord;   Monotheism;   Persecution in the Bible;   Presence of God;   Ugarit;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ahab;   Carmel;   Haggai;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Numbers;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Mount carmel;   Obadiah;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Elijah;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Israel;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Elijah;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
After a long time, the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year: “Go and present yourself to Ahab. I will send rain on the surface of the land.”
Hebrew Names Version
It happened after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Eliyah, in the third year, saying, Go, show yourself to Ach'av; and I will send rain on the eretz.
English Standard Version
After many days the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, "Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth."
New Century Version
During the third year without rain, the Lord spoke his word to Elijah: "Go and meet King Ahab, and I will soon send rain."
New English Translation
Some time later, in the third year of the famine, the Lord told Elijah, "Go, make an appearance before Ahab, so I may send rain on the surface of the ground."
Amplified Bible
Now it happened after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, "Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the face of the earth."
New American Standard Bible
Now it happened after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, "Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will provide rain on the face of the earth."
Geneva Bible (1587)
After many dayes, the worde of the Lorde came to Eliiah, in the third yeere, saying, Goe, shewe thy selfe vnto Ahab, and I will sende rayne vpon the earth.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened after many days that the word of Yahweh came to Elijah in the third year, saying, "Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the face of the earth."
Contemporary English Version
For three years no rain fell in Samaria, and there was almost nothing to eat anywhere. The Lord said to Elijah, "Go and meet with King Ahab. I will soon make it rain." So Elijah went to see Ahab.
Complete Jewish Bible
A long time passed. Then, in the third year, the word of Adonai came to Eliyahu: "Go, present yourself to Ach'av, and I will send rain down on the land."
Darby Translation
And it came to pass after many days, that the word of Jehovah came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself to Ahab; and I will send rain upon the face of the earth.
Easy-to-Read Version
During the third year that no rain fell, the Lord said to Elijah, "Go meet with King Ahab, and I will make it rain."
George Lamsa Translation
AND it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.
Good News Translation
After some time, in the third year of the drought, the Lord said to Elijah, "Go and present yourself to King Ahab, and I will send rain."
Lexham English Bible
It happened many days later that the word of Yahweh came to Elijah in the third year, saying, "Go, present yourself to Ahab so that I may give rain on the surface of the earth."
Literal Translation
And it happened after many days the Word of Jehovah came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will give rain on the face of the earth.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And after a longe season came ye worde of the LORDE vnto Elias in the thirde yeare, & sayde: Go thy waye, & shewe yi selfe vnto Achab, yt I maye cause it for to rayne vpon earth.
American Standard Version
And it came to pass after many days, that the word of Jehovah came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.
Bible in Basic English
Now after a long time, the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go and let Ahab see you, so that I may send rain on the earth.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
After processe of many dayes, the word of the Lord came to Elias in the third yere, saying: Go shewe thy selfe vnto Ahab, and I wyll sende rayne vpon the earth.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year, saying: 'Go, show thyself unto Ahab, and I will send rain upon the land.'
King James Version (1611)
And it came to passe after many daies, that the word of the Lord came to Eliiah in the third yeere, saying, Goe shewe thy selfe vnto Ahab, and I will send raine vpon the earth.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Eliu in the third year, saying, Go, and appear before Achaab, and I will bring rain upon the face of the earth.
English Revised Version
And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.
Berean Standard Bible
After a long time, in the third year of the drought, the word of the LORD came to Elijah: "Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the face of the earth."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Aftir many daies the word of the Lord was maad to Elie, in the thridde yeer, and seide, Go, and schewe thee to Achab, that Y yyue reyn on the face of erthe.
Young's Literal Translation
And the days are many, and the word of Jehovah hath been unto Elijah in the third year, saying, `Go, appear unto Ahab, and I give rain on the face of the ground;'
Update Bible Version
And it came to pass after many days, that the word of Yahweh came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain on the earth.
Webster's Bible Translation
And it came to pass [after] many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself to Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth.
World English Bible
It happened after many days, that the word of Yahweh came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain on the earth.
New King James Version
And it came to pass after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, "Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth."
New Living Translation
Later on, in the third year of the drought, the Lord said to Elijah, "Go and present yourself to King Ahab. Tell him that I will soon send rain!"
New Life Bible
After many days, the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, "Go show yourself to Ahab. And I will send rain upon the earth."
New Revised Standard
After many days the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year of the drought, saying, "Go, present yourself to Ahab; I will send rain on the earth."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And it came to pass, after many days, that, the word of Yahweh, came unto Elijah, in the third year, saying, - Go, shew thyself unto Ahab, that I may send rain upon the face of the ground.
Douay-Rheims Bible
After many days, the word of the Lord came to Elias, in the third year, saying: Go, and shew thyself to Achab, that I may give rain upon the face of the earth.
Revised Standard Version
After many days the word of the LORD came to Eli'jah, in the third year, saying, "Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth."
THE MESSAGE
A long time passed. Then God 's word came to Elijah. The drought was now in its third year. The message: "Go and present yourself to Ahab; I'm about to make it rain on the country." Elijah set out to present himself to Ahab. The drought in Samaria at the time was most severe.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now it happened after many days that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, "Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the face of the earth."

Contextual Overview

1 And it came to pass after many days, that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. 2 And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And there was a sore famine in Samaria. 3 And Ahab called Obadiah, which was the governor of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly: 4 For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord , that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) 5 And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts. 6 So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. 7 And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, Art thou that my lord Elijah? 8 And he answered him, I am: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here. 9 And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? 10 As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, He is not there; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

am 3098, bc 906

after many days: Luke 4:25, James 5:17, Revelation 11:2, Revelation 11:6

in the third year: This form of expression, both in Hebrew and Latin, means "after the third year," i.e., some time between the third and fourth year. 1 Kings 17:1, 1 Kings 17:7, 1 Kings 17:15, Luke 4:25, James 5:17

Go: 1 Kings 18:2, 15-40

I will send rain: Leviticus 26:4, Deuteronomy 28:12, Psalms 65:9-13, Isaiah 5:6, Jeremiah 10:13, Jeremiah 14:22, Joel 2:23, Amos 4:7

Reciprocal: Genesis 20:7 - a prophet 2 Samuel 12:1 - the Lord 1 Kings 8:36 - give rain 1 Kings 18:41 - a sound 2 Kings 1:3 - Arise Psalms 135:7 - He causeth Hosea 9:8 - with Acts 14:17 - and gave

Cross-References

Genesis 12:7
And the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the Lord , who appeared unto him.
Genesis 15:1
After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
Genesis 17:22
And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
Genesis 18:1
And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
Genesis 18:3
And said, My Lord , if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
Genesis 26:2
And the Lord appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of:
Genesis 48:3
And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,
Exodus 4:1
And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.
2 Chronicles 1:7
In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.
Acts 7:2
And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass after many days,.... When two years and more were gone from the time the drought and famine began; or rather from the time of the prophets departure to the brook Cherith, which might be six months after the famine began:

that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year; of his absence from Ahab:

saying, go show thyself unto Ahab; whom he had not seen so long, and who had been seeking for him, but to no purpose:

and I will send rain upon the earth; the term of three years and six months being almost expired, see James 5:17.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The third year - i. e., in the third year of his sojourn with the widow. The whole period of drought was three years and a half Luke 4:25; James 5:17 : of this, probably about one year was passed by Elijah in the torrent-course of Cherith, and two years and a half at Sarepta.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER XVIII

Elijah is commanded by the Lord to show himself to Ahab, 1, 2.

Ahab, and Obadiah his steward, search the land to find

provender for the cattle, 3-6.

Obadiah meets Elijah, who commands him to inform Ahab that he

is ready to present himself before him, 7-15.

Elijah and Ahab meet, 16-18.

Elijah proposes that the four hundred and fifty priests of Baal

should be gathered together at Mount Carmel; that they should

offer a sacrifice to their god, and he to Jehovah; and the God

who should send down fire to consume the sacrifice should be

acknowledged as the true God, 19-24.

The proposal is accepted, and the priests of Baal call in vain

upon their god through the whole day, 25-29.

Elijah offers his sacrifice, prays to Gods and fire comes down

from heaven and consumes it; whereupon the people acknowledge

Jehovah to be the true God, and slay all the prophets of Baal,

30-40.

Elijah promises Ahab that there shall be immediate rain; it

comes accordingly, and Ahab and Elijah come to Jezreel, 41-46.

NOTES ON CHAP. XVIII

Verse 1 Kings 18:1. After many days - in the third year — We learn from our Lord, Luke 4:25, that the drought which brought on the famine in Israel lasted three years and six months. St. James, James 5:17, gives it the same duration. Probably Elijah spent six months at the brook Cherith, and three years with the widow at Sarepta.

I will send rain upon the earth. — The word האדמה haadamah should be translated the ground or the land, as it is probable that this drought did not extend beyond the land of Judea.


 
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