1 Kings 18:43

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 18:41-46

Israel being thus far reformed that they had acknowledged the Lord to be God, and had consented to the execution of Baal's prophets, that they might not seduce them any more, though this was far short of a thorough reformation, yet it was so far accepted that God thereupon opened the bottles of heaven, and poured out blessings upon his land, that very evening (as it should seem) on which they did this good work, which should have confirmed them in their reformation; see Hag. 2:18, 19. I.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 18:43

And said to his servant ,.... Whom some take to be the son of the widow of Sarepta, but he must be too young to be employed in such service as this was: go up now ; still higher on Mount Carmel; than where he was, even to the highest point of it: look towards the sea : or the west, as the Targum, the Mediterranean sea, which lay to the west of the land of Israel: and he went up and looked, and he said, there is nothing ; there was nothing in the sky, or arising out of the sea,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 18:43

Look toward the sea - From the top of Mount Carmel the Mediterranean Sea was full in view. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 18:1-46

Elijah and the Prophets of Baal. Elijah is now prepared for his work. He who had sent him into the desert now commands him to enter into open conflict with idolatry. God makes His will known to him in two ways. I. BY AN INWARD IMPULSE . II. THROUGH HIS MEETING WITH THE YOUNG OBADIAH , the protector of the prophets, and the faithful servant of God in the midst of the impure court of Ahab. Let it be ours to seek such a twofold assurance of the will of God. Let... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 18:41-45

Effectual Fervent Prayer. It is pre-eminently in the matter of prayer that Elijah is proposed to us as an example in the New Testament. From the long list of Hebrew saints and worthies he has been selected by St. James 5:17 , James 5:18 to prove and illustrate the proposition that "the prayer of a righteous man availeth much in its working" ( James 5:16 , Revised Version). His prayers for drought are not mentioned by our historian, but his prayer for rain may not unreasonably be... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 18:41-46

The Sound of Rain. The fire has fallen upon the sacrifice of Elijah. The people are convinced, renounce Baal, confess Jehovah supreme, and evince their sincerity by slaying the idolatrous priests. Now there is "a sound of abundance of rain." I. THIS WAS THE SOUND OF SALVATION . 1 . Rain was salvation to the nation . 2 . It was a sign of spiritual blessings . 3 . Revivals have their premonitions . II. THE CONDITIONS HAD BEEN FULFILLED . 1 ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 18:41-46

The return of blessing. I. ELIJAH 'S ASSURANCE OF GOD 'S MERCY . "There is a sound of abundance of rain," but it was only as yet a sound in the prophet's ear . 1 . The ground of the assurance . 2 . The use he made of it . "He said unto Ahab," and through him to all Israel, "Get thee up," etc. The work of the believer is to comfort God's people, and strengthen their expectation of good. II. HIS PREVAILING WITH GOD . 1 . The assurance of God ' s... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 1 Kings 18:43

And said to his servant [of whom we now hear for the first time. It is an old tradition that this was none other than the son of the Sareptan, who was afterwards known as the prophet Jonah (Jerome, Praef. in Jonam). See note on 1 Kings 17:24 ], Go up now, look toward [Heb. the way of ] the sea. [It is a striking confirmation of the theory which identifies El Murahkah with the scene of Elijah's sacrifice that the sea, though not visible from the plateau itself, is from the crest... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 1 Kings 18:43

Tradition says that Elijah’s servant was the son of the widow of Sarepta 1 Kings 17:23. read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - 1 Kings 18:43

1 Kings 18:43. Go up now, &c. While I continue praying. Look toward the sea Whence clouds and vapours usually arise. Elijah desired to have timely notice of the first appearance of rain, not out of vanity, but that Ahab and the people might know that it was obtained from Jehovah by his prayers, and thereby be confirmed in the true religion. He looked and said, There is nothing We must not be dejected for some disappointments; but, though the answer of our fervent supplications do... read more

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