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Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

1 Kings 18:1-15

Behold, Elijah!

1 Kings 18:1

“The word of the Lord came” to Elijah on four successive occasions- 1 Kings 17:2; 1 Kings 17:8; 1 Kings 18:1; 1 Kings 19:9. God has many things to say to us, if we will only listen. His word may find us in very different places, and direct us to varied duties; but to live by it is to execute the perfect plan of life.

Obadiah was a good man, but weak. He did his best to shield the prophets and to keep the true light from becoming extinguished- 1 Kings 18:13. But court favor had corrupted him. He stood before Ahab, while Elijah stood before God. Our Lord said that soft raiment and the king's court go together, Luke 7:25; and in the enervating atmosphere of a palace, it is granted to very few to retain the spirit and power of Elijah or of the Baptist. Who would not rather be Elijah than Obadiah! Elijah dared confront Ahab as the troubler of Israel, while Obadiah daily feared for his own life. Elijah rooted up idolatry, while Obadiah endeavored only to check its excesses. Obadiah sought grass for the royal steeds, but Elijah's prayer brought the rain. Let us dare to stand for God, though we stand alone!

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See also 1 Kings 18:1-15 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    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...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    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 E...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    2. ELIJAH ON CARMEL: THE ANSWERED PRAYER CHAPTER 18 _ 1. The command to see Ahab (1 Kings 18:1)_ 2. Elijah's response (1 Kings 18:2) 3. Ahab and Obadiah (1 Kings 18:3) 4. Elijah and Obadiah ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    ELIJAH'S MEETING WITH AHAB AND HIS CONTEST WITH THE PRIESTS OF BAAL. The history of Ahab's reign must have been something like the following: On his marriage with Jezebel he must have allowed the wors...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    THE LORD. Hebrew. _Jehovah._ App-4. THIRD YEAR: i.e. the third or last full year toward the end of the three and. half years....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    1 Kings 18:1-6. Ahab and Obadiah search the land for grass. Elijah goes to meet Ahab (Not in Chronicles) 1. _in the third year_ According to the tradition preserved in the New Testament (Luke 4:25; Ja...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO ELIJAH IN THE THIRD YEAR— St. James, speaking of this event, says, that _it rained not on the earth for the space of three years and six months._ Our blessed Saviour makes...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    II. THE GREAT CONTEST ON CARMEL 18:1-46 Events in Israel during the years of Elijah's self-imposed exile are not narrated in any detail. No doubt at first Jezebel and the Baal prophets assured the peo...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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._ The third year. In the New...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    JEHOVAH OR BAAL? 1. In the third year] in Luke 4:2; James 5:17 the duration of the famine is given as 3 years and 6 months....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S LESSONS FROM HISTORY 1 KINGS _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 18 GOD SENDS ELIJAH TO KING AHAB V1 After there had been no rain for three years, the *Lord spoke to Elijah. ‘Go and meet King Ahab. Then...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THE THIRD YEAR. — By the accurate tradition, preserved in Luke 4:25; James 5:17, it would seem that the drought lasted “three years and six months.” If, therefore, the expression in the text is to be...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יְהִי֙ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים וּ דְבַר ־יְהוָ֗ה

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    ELIJAH AND AHAB 1 Kings 18:1 "Return, oh backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto Thee; for Thou art Jehovah our God. Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from t...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    In this chapter we have perhaps one of the most familiar stories of the Old Testament. There are, however, certain points of interest especially to be noted. The first is Ahab's connection with Obadia...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And it came to pass [after] many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the (a) third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. (a) After that he depar...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Year of his sojourning at Sarephta. As other six months elapsed before the drought was removed, it is probable that Elias had spent them at Carith, James v. 17. (Calmet) --- Earth. God is pleased to...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    CONTENTS This chapter relates to us the further history of Elijah. The time being arrived for his appearance again before Ahab, the Lord commands him to go on this embassy. An account of this intervi...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The days were very dark in Israel. Not only rebellion. And rebellion, always serious, was peculiarly so in Israel, for there it was insubordination in a direct manner against not only God's providence...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 17 AND 18. Elijah and Elisha, on the contrary (witnesses for God in the midst of a people that according to grace God still recognised as His own, but who had...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole 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 mig...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver. 1. _After many days,_]...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _The word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year_ Our Lord and St. James say, the drought continued three years and six months, (Luke 4:25; James 5:17;) nor do they contradict what is here asser...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 In the extremitie of famine Eliiah sent to Ahab, meeteth good Obadiah. 9 Obadiah bringeth Ahab to Eliiah. 17 Eliiah reprouing Ahab, by fire from heauen conuinceth Baals prophets. 41 Eliiah by pra...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    ELIJAH REPROVES AHAB...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And it came to pass after many days, three and one half years after the first announcement of the famine, Luke 4:25; James 5:17, THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO ELIJAH IN THE THIRD YEAR, namely, the...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    ELIJAH'S RETURN TO FACE AHAB (vs.1-20) The famine lasted three and a half years (James 5:17), the same length of time the Great Tribulation will last. But the rain would not be sent until Elijah gave...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-16 The severest judgments, of themselves, will not humble or change the hearts of sinners; nothing, except the blood of Jesus Christ, can atone for the guilt of sin; nothing, except the sanctifying...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    1 KINGS CHAPTER 18 Elijah in the extremity of famine is sent to Ahab; meeteth good Obadiah, 1 KINGS 18:1; chargeth him to certify the king of his coming: he bringeth Ahab to him, 1 KINGS 18:8. He repr...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Kings 18:1 many H7227 days H3117 word H1697 LORD H3068 Elijah H452 third H7992 year H8141 saying H559 ...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Elijah goes to meet Ahab and gives challenge. Contests with the priests of Baal. CHARACTERS: God, Elijah, Jezebel, Obadiah, Baal, priests. CONCLUSION: The man of faith need not be afraid to...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Kings 18:1. _After many days._ About the end of the third year, leaving six months more for the crops to be sown and ripened, which harmonizes the new testament with the old. Luke 4:25; James 5:17....

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Go, show thyself unto Ahab._ AHAB, OBADIAH, AND ELIJAH;- What are the general lessons as affecting Ahab, Obadiah, and Elijah? 1. It is possible for a man to be very bad in one direction and very t...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 18:1 In ch. 1 Kings 17:1 Elijah has lived privately, first in the Transjordanian wilderness and then in Zarephath. Now he reappears in public. The drought will end, but not bef

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    ELIJAH’S CONTEST WITH AHAB AND BAAL CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.— 1 Kings 18:1. _After_ MANY DAYS … IN THE THIRD YEAR—in Luke 4:25, James 5:17, the drought is said to have lastes for the space of...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION ELIJAH'S RETURN AND THE ORDEAL OF MOUNT CARMEL.—The preceding chapter having been exclusively occupied with the fortunes of Elijah during his enforced absence of three and a half years from...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    So our introduction to Elijah. Now 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 eaRuth...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 17:1; 1 Kings 17:15; 1 Kings 17:7; 1 Kings 18:15; 1 Kings 1

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    ELIJAH AT MOUNT CARMEL 1 Kings 18:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS There are three things which we wish to consider: 1. JUDGMENT AND JUSTICE. The opening verse of chapter 18 says, "And it came to pass after ma...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    The third year — Either, From the time when he went to hide himself by the brook Cherith; six months before which time the famine might begin. And so this being towards the end of the third year, it m...

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