1 Kings 18:46

The NET Bible®

Now the Lord energized Elijah with power; he tucked his robe into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
The power of the Lord was on Elijah, and he tucked his mantle under his belt and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

Hebrew Names Version
and the hand of the LORD was on Eliyah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ach'av to the entrance of Yizre`el.

King James Version
And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

English Standard Version
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 Century Version
The Lord gave his power to Elijah, who tightened his clothes around him and ran ahead of King Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

Amplified Bible
Then the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah [giving him supernatural strength]. He girded up his loins and outran Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel [nearly twenty miles].

New American Standard Bible
Then the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, and he belted his cloak around his waist and outran Ahab to Jezreel.

Geneva Bible (1587)
And the hand of the Lord was on Eliiah, and he girded vp his Ioynes, and ran before Ahab till he came to Izreel.

Legacy Standard Bible
But the hand of Yahweh was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and outran Ahab unto where you enter Jezreel.

Complete Jewish Bible
The hand of Adonai was on Eliyahu; he tucked up his clothing and ran ahead of Ach'av to the entrance of Yizre‘el.

Darby Translation
And the hand of Jehovah was upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jizreel.

Easy-to-Read Version
The power of the Lord came to Elijah. He used his belt to hold up the bottom of his robe away from his feet. Then he ran ahead of King Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

George Lamsa Translation
And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran before Ahab till he entered Jezreel.

Good News Translation
The power of the Lord came on Elijah; he fastened his clothes tight around his waist and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

Lexham English Bible
but the hand of Yahweh was on Elijah; he girded up his loins and ran before Ahab as one comes to Jezreel.

Literal Translation
and the hand of Jehovah was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and ran before Ahab until [the place where] you enter Jezreel.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the hade of ye LORDE came vpo Elias, and he gyrde his loynes, & ranne before Achab, tyll he came vnto Iesrael.

American Standard Version
and the hand of Jehovah was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

Bible in Basic English
And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he made himself strong, and went running before Ahab till they came to Jezreel.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the hande of the Lorde was on Elias, and he girded vp his loynes, and ranne before Ahab, till he came to Iezrahel.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

King James Version (1611)
And the hand of the Lord was on Eliiah; and hee girded vp his loynes, and ranne before Ahab, to the entrance of Iezreel.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the hand of the Lord was upon Eliu, and he girt up his loins, and ran before Achaab to Jezrael.

English Revised Version
and the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

Berean Standard Bible
And the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and the hond of the Lord was maad on Elie, and whanne the leendis weren gird, he ran bifor Achab, til he cam in to Jezrael.

Young's Literal Translation
and the hand of Jehovah hath been on Elijah, and he girdeth up his loins, and runneth before Ahab, till thine entering Jezreel.

Update Bible Version
and the hand of Yahweh was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

World English Bible
and the hand of Yahweh was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

New King James Version
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.

New Living Translation
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.

New Life Bible
Then the hand of the Lord was on Elijah. He pulled his clothing up under his belt and ran before Ahab to Jezreel.

New Revised Standard
But the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; he girded up his loins and ran in front of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
but, the hand of Yahweh, came upon Elijah, so he girded his loins, - and ran before Ahab, until thou enterest Jezreel.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the hand of the Lord was upon Elias, and he girded up his loins, and ran before Achab, till he came to Jezrahel.

Revised Standard Version
And the hand of the LORD was on Eli'jah; and he girded up his loins and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and outran Ahab to Jezreel.

Contextual Overview

⁴¹ Then Elijah told Ahab, "Go on up and eat and drink, for the sound of a heavy rainstorm can be heard." ⁴² So 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. ⁴³ He 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. ⁴⁴ 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.'" ⁴⁵ Meanwhile the sky was covered with dark clouds, the wind blew, and there was a heavy rainstorm. Ahab rode toward Jezreel. ⁴⁶ Now the Lord energized Elijah with power; he tucked his robe into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the hand: 2 Kings 3:15, Isaiah 8:11, Ezekiel 1:3, Ezekiel 3:14

he girded: 2 Kings 4:29, 2 Kings 9:1, Job 38:3, Jeremiah 1:17, Ephesians 6:14, 1 Peter 1:13

ran before: Matthew 22:21, 1 Peter 2:17

to the entrance of: Heb. till thou come to

Reciprocal: Genesis 12:10 - was a Joshua 17:16 - Jezreel 1 Samuel 8:11 - run 1 Samuel 29:1 - Jezreel 1 Kings 4:12 - Jezreel 1 Kings 14:27 - guard 2 Chronicles 6:26 - the heaven Proverbs 31:17 - girdeth Jeremiah 10:13 - He causeth Luke 1:66 - And the Luke 12:35 - your loins

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah,.... Giving him more than common strength of body, as well as courage and fortitude of mind; so the Targum, the spirit of strength from the Lord was with him:

and he girded up his loins; gathered up his long loose garment, and girt it about him, that he might be more fit for travelling:

and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel; reckoned about sixteen miles from Carmel l; this showed his humility, that he was not elated with the wonderful things God had done by him, and that he bore no ill will to Ahab, but was ready to show him all honour and respect due to him as a king; and that it were his sins, and not his person, he had an aversion to; and that he was not afraid of Jezebel, and her prophets, but entered into the city where she was, to instruct the people, and warn them against her idolatries; though some think he went no further than the gate of the city, prudently avoiding falling into her hands.

l Bunting's Travels, &c. p. 204.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Divinely 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 capital from Samaria 1 Kings 22:10, 1 Kings 22:37; but he had built himself a palace at Jezreel 1 Kings 21:1, and appears to have resided there ordinarily. A contemporary Assyrian inscription speaks of him as “Ahab of Jezreel.”

Elijah’s caution in accompanying Ahab only to “the entrance” is like that of the modern Arabs, who can seldom be induced to trust themselves within walls. He rested on the outskirts of the town, waiting to learn what Jezebel would say or do, knowing that it was she, and not Ahab, who really governed the country.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 18:46. Ran before Ahab — Many think that Elijah ran before the king in order to do him honour; and much learned labour 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 hand of the Lord, or, as the Targum says, the spirit of strength, came upon Elijah, and he girded up his loins, that is, tucked up his long garments in his girdle, and ran; and notwithstanding the advantage the king had by means of his chariot, the prophet reached Jezreel before him. There is no intimation here that he ran before the horses' heads. All this was intended to show that he was under the peculiar influence and inspiration of the Almighty, that the king might respect and fear him, and not do or permit to be done to him any kind of outrage.