Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
1 Kings 18:41-46
The Sound Of Abundance Of Rain (1 Kings 18:41)
His offering, with its water offering, having been accepted Elijah now knew that the rain must follow. And he called on Ahab, who up to this point had been an unimportant bystander in the contest between YHWH and Baal, to make his way to his tent and eat and drink, because the crisis was now past. It was Elijah's way of letting him know that the rain which would end the long drought was coming, now that YHWH had been vindicated and the prophets of Baal executed. The command to ‘eat and drink' was a sign that things were getting back to normal.
Elijah, meanwhile, made his way to Carmel's highest peak, and bowing himself to the ground, put his face between his knees. He was making obeisance towards YHWH. Then he called on his servant to look out to sea and tell him what he observed. But the reply was, ‘nothing'. This happened another five times, and the reply was always the same. But on the seventh time the man cried out, “Behold, there arises a cloud out of the sea, as small as a man's hand.” Elijah immediately knew that his prayer was answered, and sent his servant to tell Ahab to make for home as quickly as possible before the rains came. Chariots do not do well in muddy conditions. But even while Ahab was setting out the rains came and the result was that Elijah who had set out at a run for Jezreel, overtook Ahab's mud-bound chariot, and arrived first at the entrance to Jezreel. Apart from the special stimulation by the Spirit mentioned, this need not have been too great a miracle, for the distance mentioned is only twenty nine kilometres (eighteen miles). Elijah was clearly a very fit man, as his coming journey to Horeb would reveal.
Analysis.
a And Elijah said to Ahab, “Get you up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of abundance of rain” (1 Kings 18:41).
b So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, and he bowed himself down on the earth, and put his face between his knees (1 Kings 18:42).
c And he said to his servant, “Go up now, look towards the sea.” And he went up, and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go again seven times.” And it came about at the seventh time, that he said, “Behold, there arises a cloud out of the sea, as small as a man's hand” (1 Kings 18:43 a).
b And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, Make ready, and get you down, so that the rain does not stop you” (1 Kings 18:44 b).
a And it came about in a little while, that the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel, and the hand of YHWH was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel (1 Kings 18:45).
‘ And Elijah said to Ahab, “Get you up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” '
Elijah now knew that the rains would shortly come, and he accordingly directed Ahab, who had clearly been an interested observer at the scene, to go up to this tent and eat and drink, because Elijah had heard the sound of abundance of rain. It was an indication that the problem of the drought was over and fasting could cease (compare Joel 1:14).
‘ So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, and he bowed himself down on the earth, and put his face between his knees.'
Fully confident in what Elijah had said, Ahab proceeded to his tent for a meal. Meanwhile Elijah made his way up to the top of Carmel, and there he bowed himself to the earth and put his face between his knees. It was an attitude of total humility and subjection before YHWH. Elijah did not allow his privileged position to cause him to forget Who YHWH was.
‘ And he said to his servant, “Go up now, look towards the sea.” And he went up, and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go again seven times.”
When he had prayed he told his servant to go and look towards the sea and tell him what he saw. But the servant returned and said, ‘there is nothing.' Elijah then prayed for a further five times, but the servant's reply was always the same.
‘ And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, “Behold, there arises a cloud out of the sea, as small as a man's hand.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, Make ready, and get you down, so that the rain does not stop you.” '
But once Elijah had prayed a seventh time the servant returned and declared that he had seen a cloud arising from the sea as small as a man's hand. That was all an indication that Elijah needed, and he immediately sent his servant to tell Ahab to make ready and get down from the mountain to his chariot lest the rain detain him.
‘ And it came about in a little while, that the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.'
Ahab did what Elijah had said, but it was not soon enough for the heavens grew black with cloud and wind, and there was drenching rain. And once that rain began to fall it would turn the road into a sea of mud, in which Ahab's chariot would find the going hard, as he made his way towards his chariot city of Jezreel.
‘ And the hand of YHWH was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.'
Meanwhile ‘the hand of YHWH' was on Elijah and tucking in his robe he ran to Jezreel, arriving there before Ahab. It was a journey of about twenty seven kilometres (eighteen miles) and therefore considerably less than a marathon, and Elijah was going cross country. We are given no information about what Elijah wanted in Jezreel. Possibly his aim was simply to demonstrate to Ahab the power of YHWH. Or perhaps he wanted to be on hand in case Ahab needed his help in dealing with Jezebel. It was certainly a reminder to Ahab that what his chariots could do, YHWH could do better.