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.
11 And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.
12 And it shall come to pass, as soon as I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the Lord shall carry thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth.
13 Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the Lord, how I hid an hundred men of the Lord’s prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
14 And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here: and he shall slay me.
15 And Elijah said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day.
16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?
18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.
19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table.
20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.
21 And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.
22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.
23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:
24 And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.
25 And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.
26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.
27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.
28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.
30 And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.
31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:
32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.
33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.
34 And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.
35 And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.
36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.
37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.
38 Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God.
40 And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.
41 And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.
42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,
43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.
44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.
45 And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.
46 And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

1And 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.

2And Eliiah went to shew himselfe vnto Ahab, and there was a sore famine in Samaria.

3And Ahab called Obadiah which was the gouernour of his house: (now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly:

4For it was so, when Iezebel cut off the Prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah tooke an hundred Prophets, and hid them by fiftie in a caue, and fed them with bread and water.)

5And Ahab said vnto Obadiah, Goe into the land, vnto all fountaines of water, and vnto all brookes: peraduenture we may finde grasse to saue the horses and mules aliue, that we leese not all the beasts.

6So they diuided the land betweene them to passe throughout it: Ahab went one way by himselfe, and Obadiah went another way by himselfe.

7 And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Eliiah met him: and hee knew him, and fell on his face, and said; Art thou that my lord Eliiah?

8And he answered him, I am: goe, tell thy lord, Behold, Eliiah is here.

9And he said, What haue I sinned, that thou wouldest deliuer thy seruant into the hand of Ahab, to slay mee?

10As the Lord thy God liueth, there is no nation or kingdome, whither my lord hath not sent to seeke thee: and when they said, He is not there, hee tooke an oath of the kingdome and nation, that they found thee not.

11And now thou sayest, Goe, tell thy lord, Behold, Eliiah is here.

12And it shall come to passe, as soone as I am gone from thee, that the spirit of the Lord shall cary thee whither I know not; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot finde thee, he shall slay mee: but I thy seruant feare the Lord from my youth.

13Was it not told my lord, what I did when Iezebel slew the Prophets of the Lord ? How I hid an hundred men of the Lords Prophets, by fiftie in a caue, and fedde them with bread and water?

14And now thou sayest, Goe, tell thy lord, Behold, Eliiah is here: and hee shall slay me.

15And Eliiah said, As the Lord of hostes liueth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew my selfe vnto him to day.

16So Obadiah went to meete Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meete Eliiah.

17 And it came to passe when Ahab saw Eliiah, that Ahab saide vnto him, Art thou hee that troubleth Israel?

18And hee answered, I haue not troubled Israel, but thou and thy fathers house, in that yee haue forsaken the Commandements of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim.

19Now therefore send, and gather to mee all Israel vnto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal foure hundred and fiftie, and the prophets of the groues foure hundred, which eate at Iezebels table.

20So Ahab sent vnto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together vnto mount Carmel.

21And Eliiah came vnto all the people, and said, how long halt yee betweene two opinions? If the Lord bee God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him: and the people answered him not a word.

22Then said Eliiah vnto the people, I, euen I onely remaine a Prophet of the Lord: but Baals prophets are foure hundred and fiftie men.

23Let them therefore giue vs two bullocks, and let them chuse one bullocke for themselues, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire vnder: and I will dresse the other bullocke, and lay it on wood, and put no fire vnder.

24And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the Name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered, and said, It is well spoken.

25And Eliiah said vnto the prophets of Baal, Chuse you one bullocke for your selues, and dresse it first, for yee are many: and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire vnder.

26And they took the bullocke which was giuen them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning, euen vntil noone, saying, O Baal, heare vs. But there was no voyce, nor any that answered: And they leapt vpon the altar which was made.

27And it came to passe at noone, that Eliiah mocked them, and saide, Crie aloud: for he is a god, either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or hee is in a iourney, or peraduenture he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

28And they cried loud, and cut themselues after their maner, with kniues, and lancers, till the blood gushed out vpon them.

29And it came to passe when midday was past, and they prophesied vntil the time of the offering of the euening sacrifice; that there was neither voice, nor any to answere, nor any that regarded.

30And Eliiah said vnto all the people, Come neere vnto me. And all the people came neere vnto him. And he repaired the Altar of the Lord that was broken downe.

31And Eliiah tooke twelue stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sonnes of Iacob, vnto whome the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall bee thy name.

32And with the stones hee built an altar in the Name of the Lord, and hee made a trench about the altar, as great as would containe two measures of seed.

33And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullocke in pieces, and laide him on the wood, and said, Fill foure barrels with water, and powre it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

34And hee said, Doe it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Doe it the third time. And they did it the third time.

35And the water ran round about the altar, and hee filled the trench also with water.

36And it came to passe at the time of the offering of the euening sacrifice, that Eliiah the prophet came neere and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, Let it bee knowen this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy seruant, and that I haue done all these things at thy word.

37Heare me, O Lord, heare me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart backe againe.

38Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked vp the water that was in the trench.

39And when all the people sawe it, they fell on their faces: and they saide, The Lord, he is the God, the Lord, he is the God.

40And Eliiah saide vnto them, Take the prophets of Baal, let not one of them escape: And they tooke them, and Eliiah brought them downe to the brooke Kishon, and slewe them there.

41 And Eliiah said vnto Ahab, Get thee vp, eate and drinke, for there is a sound of abundance of raine.

42So Ahab went vp to eate and to drinke, and Eliiah went vp to the top of Carmel, and he cast himselfe downe vpon the earth, and put his face betweene his knees,

43And said to his seruant, Goe vp now, looke toward the Sea. And hee went vp, and looked, and saide, There is nothing. And he said, Goe againe seuen times.

44And it came to passe at the seuenth time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the Sea, like a mans hand. And he said, Goe vp, say vnto Ahab, Prepare thy charet, and get thee downe, that the raine stop thee not.

45And it came to passe in the meane while, that the heauen was blacke with cloudes and winde, and there was a great raine: and Ahab rode and went to Iezreel.

46And the hand of the Lord was on Eliiah; and hee girded vp his loynes, and ranne before Ahab, to the entrance of Iezreel.

I == Deut 28:12 ; Luke 4:25 ; James 5:17

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XII == 2nd Kings 2:16 ; Ezek 3:12 , 14 ; Matt 4:1 ; Acts 8:39

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XVII == Josh 7:25 ; 1st Kings 21:20 ; Acts 16:20

XVIII == 2nd Chr 15:2

 

 

XIX == Josh 19:26 ; 1st Kings 16:33

 

 

XX == 1st Kings 22:6

 

XXI == Josh 24:15 ; 2nd Kings 17:41 ; Matt 6:24

 

XXII == 1st Kings 18:19 ; 19:10 , 14

 

 

 

 

 

XXIV == 1st Kings 18:38 ; 1st Chr 21:26

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXVI == Ps 115:5 ; Jer 10:5 ; 1st Cor 8:4 ; 12:2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXVIII == Lev 19:28 ; Deut 14:1

 

XXIX == 1st Kings 18:26 ;' 1st Cor 14:4-5

 

 

XXX == 1st Kings 19:10

 

 

XXXI == Gen 32:28 ; 35:10 ; 2nd Kings 17:34

 

 

XXXII == Col 3:17

 

XXXIII == Lev 1:6-8 ; Judg 6:20

 

 

 

 

 

XXXV == 1st Kings 13:32 ; 38

XXXVI == Ez 3:6 ; Num 16:28 ; 1st Kings 8:43

; 2nd Kings 19:19 ; Ps 83:18

 

 

 

 

 

XXXVIII == Lev 9:24 ; Judg 6:21 ; 1st Chr 21:26 ; 2nd Chr 7:1

 

XXXIX == 1st Kings 18:24

 

XL == Deut 13:5 ; 18:20 ; 2nd Kings 10:25

 

 

 

 

XLII == James 5:17-18

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XLVI == 2nd Kings 4:29 ; 9:1

 

1 Long afterward, in the third year, the LORD spoke to Elijah, "Go, present yourself to Ahab," he said, "that I may send rain upon the earth."

2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab.

3 Now the famine in Samaria was bitter,

4 and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his vizier, who was a zealous follower of the LORD. When Jezebel was murdering the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took a hundred prophets, hid them away fifty each in two caves, and supplied them with food and drink.

5 Ahab said to Obadiah, "Come, let us go through the land to all sources of water and to all the streams. We may find grass and save the horses and mules, so that we shall not have to slaughter any of the beasts."

6 Dividing the land to explore between them, Ahab went one way by himself, Obadiah another way by himself.

7 As Obadiah was on his way, Elijah met him. Recognizing him, Obadiah fell prostrate and asked, "Is it you, my lord Elijah?"

8 "Yes," he answered. "Go tell your master, 'Elijah is here!'"

9 But Obadiah said, "What sin have I committed, that you are handing me over to Ahab to have me killed?

10 As the LORD, your God, lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent in search of you. When they replied, 'He is not here,' he made each kingdom and nation swear they could not find you.

11 And now you say, 'Go tell your master: Elijah is here!'

12 After I leave you, the spirit of the LORD will carry you to some place I do not know, and when I go to inform Ahab and he does not find you, he will kill me. Your servant has revered the LORD from his youth.

13 Have you not been told, my lord, what I did when Jezebel was murdering the prophets of the LORD - that I hid a hundred of the prophets of the LORD, fifty each in two caves, and supplied them with food and drink?

14 And now you say, 'Go tell your master: Elijah is here!' He will kill me!"

15 Elijah answered, "As the LORD of hosts lives, whom I serve, I will present myself to him today."

16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and informed him. Ahab came to meet Elijah,

17 and when he saw Elijah, said to him, "Is it you, you disturber of Israel?"

18 "It is not I who disturb Israel," he answered, "but you and your family, by forsaking the commands of the LORD and following the Baals.

19 Now summon all Israel to me on Mount Carmel, as well as the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel's table."

20 So Ahab sent to all the Israelites and had the prophets assemble on Mount Carmel.

21 Elijah appealed to all the people and said, "How long will you straddle the issue? If the LORD is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him." The people, however, did not answer him.

22 So Elijah said to the people, "I am the only surviving prophet of the LORD, and there are four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal.

23 Give us two young bulls. Let them choose one, cut it into pieces, and place it on the wood, but start no fire. I shall prepare the other and place it on the wood, but shall start no fire.

24 You shall call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The God who answers with fire is God." All the people answered, "Agreed!"

25 Elijah then said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one young bull and prepare it first, for there are more of you. Call upon your gods, but do not start the fire."

26 Taking the young bull that was turned over to them, they prepared it and called on Baal from morning to noon, saying, "Answer us, Baal!" But there was no sound, and no one answering. And they hopped around the altar they had prepared.

27 When it was noon, Elijah taunted them: "Call louder, for he is a god and may be meditating, or may have retired, or may be on a journey. Perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened."

28 They called out louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until blood gushed over them.

29 Noon passed and they remained in a prophetic state until the time for offering sacrifice. But there was not a sound; no one answered, and no one was listening.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come here to me." When they had done so, he repaired the altar of the LORD which had been destroyed.

31 He took twelve stones, for the number of tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the LORD had said, "Your name shall be Israel."

32 He built an altar in honor of the LORD with the stones, and made a trench around the altar large enough for two seahs of grain.

33 When he had arranged the wood, he cut up the young bull and laid it on the wood.

34 "Fill four jars with water," he said, "and pour it over the holocaust and over the wood." "Do it again," he said, and they did it again. "Do it a third time," he said, and they did it a third time.

35 The water flowed around the altar, and the trench was filled with the water.

36 At the time for offering sacrifice, the prophet Elijah came forward and said, "LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things by your command.

37 Answer me, LORD! Answer me, that this people may know that you, LORD, are God and that you have brought them back to their senses."

38 The LORD'S fire came down and consumed the holocaust, wood, stones, and dust, and it lapped up the water in the trench.

39 Seeing this, all the people fell prostrate and said, "The LORD is God! The LORD is God!"

40 Then Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal. Let none of them escape!" They were seized, and Elijah had them brought down to the brook Kishon and there he slit their throats.

41 Elijah then said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain."

42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink, while Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, crouched down to the earth, and put his head between his knees.

43 "Climb up and look out to sea," he directed his servant, who went up and looked, but reported, "There is nothing." Seven times he said, "Go look again!"

44 And the seventh time the youth reported, "There is a cloud as small as a man's hand rising from the sea." Elijah said, "Go and say to Ahab, 'Harness up and leave the mountain before the rain stops you.'"

45 In a trice, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and a heavy rain fell. Ahab mounted his chariot and made for Jezreel.

46 But the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, who girded up his clothing and ran before Ahab as far as the approaches to Jezreel.

v 1. It was three years, six months, James 5:17, before God had Elijah appear again to Ahab and tell him that He would send rain.

v 2-6. In the mean time, Ahab’s number one man, Obadiah, “feared the Lord greatly”, and  had hidden 100 prophets of the Lord, 50 per cave, and was managing to send them a subsistence ration of bread (food) and water. Obadiah was obedient to the king but secretly served the Lord. This was not cowardly, God was using his position to care for the prophets. The feed situation for the military horses was critical, and Ahab sent Obadiah one way to look for pasture while he went another.

 

 

v 7-14. Obadiah recognized Elijah when they met and bowed in respect. When asked to tell Ahab that Elijah was there, Obadiah protested it would cost him his life, because Elijah was a wanted man. Ahab had searched and even procured an oath from surrounding nations that they knew nothing of Elijah’s whereabouts, while he was comfortable at the obscure widow’s home. Obadiah can not be faulted for respectfully  saying “thy God” in verse 10. His own faith in God is stated in v 3 and proven by his actions. Obadiah feared that the Spirit would conceal Elijah, as he had been three and a half years (Also cp. 2 Ki 2:16), and himself would be killed by the king. He then pleaded for his life on the basis of his faithfulness in hiding and caring for the prophets of the Lord when Jezebel was killing them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 15.16. On the basis of Elijah’s oath to show himself, Obadiah told Ahab, who then went to meet Elijah. Elijah, as superior, waited for Ahab to come to him.

 

v 17-19. Ahab blamed the messenger, not the message, just as Israel killed other prophets later because they had spoken what God told them to. Elijah responded  the trouble was not him, but because of the wickedness of Ahab and his fathers. 1, For rejecting God’s commands. 2, For following Baal. Then he instructed Ahab to assemble all Israel and 850 false prophets on Mount Carmel. That is, 450 prophets of the male god Baal and 400 of the female goddess, Ashera. Later events indicate the 400 did not come. Perhaps Jezebel or they were suspicious

v 20-24. Thousands of Israelites no doubt came and were challenged by Elijah for trying to serve both God and Baal, “Whatever works”, and they had no answer. Elijah proposed a fair test, allowing Baal’s prophets to prepare their choice of two bullocks and put wood under it but no fire, and he would do likewise with the other. Which ever of the gods or God answered by fire would be God. The people approved of this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 25-29. The false prophets cried out all forenoon, leaping on the altar but no answer. Elijah mocked them so they cut themselves bloody and called upon their gods the rest of the afternoon without an answer. (At other times they had sometimes faked fire from gods by digging a tunnel and someone setting fire from underneath the altar.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 30-35. Elijah reassembled the people who by now were possibly getting bored. He dramatically took the torn down stones of the altar of the Lord and set up a new altar (Renewed altar - renewed faith). Next he dug a trench around the altar which would hold about five gallons of water. He cut up the bullock and laid it upon the wood, then turned work over to others. He had them fill four barrels (clay vessels of undetermined size as in 17:14) of water over the whole thing three times, until the water saturated and filled the trench he had made. It is not likely a spring or a local source of water was available. Elijah may have prepared ahead to have the water obtained from the Mediterranean Sea. Most likely, Ahab had a tent set up and water brought, since so many people would be there. We see in v 42 that food and drink was available, probably at this tent.  Obviously, no more than one trip could have been made the 10 mile round trip to the Sea for water, when it was about time for the evening sacrifice.

v 36,37. By now it was time for the evening sacrifice and Elijah called upon God to show   a. He was Lord of Israel; b. Elijah was his servant; c. He had done this at God’s command; d. They might know that God is the Lord; e. That God would turn their hearts back again.

 

 

v 38. God answered by fire, as he had done on other occasions to show His approval, and the fire even consumed the stones and water.

v 39,40. The people present unanimously and reverently acknowledged the Lord as God. Elijah commanded that all the 450 prophets of Baal be slain by the brook Kishon, where Deborah and Barak defeated Sisera.

 

v 41-44. Elijah told the king to go up, probably to his tent, to eat and drink, and that there would be heavy rain. The curse of idolatry was removed with death of false prophets, so rain could come.  While the king celebrated, Elijah went to the top of Carmel to pray. Elijah’s servant was sent to look out over the sea seven times, and when he finally reported seeing a little cloud arising like a man’s hand, Elijah knew God was starting to act. The servant was to tell Ahab to hasten lest the storm overtake him. By the time Ahab got moving, the severe storm was upon them. Whether or not the mud slowed Ahab’s chariot, God gave Elijah special strength, and he outran the chariot the whole 25 miles to Jezreel.