The Meaning of 1 Kings 18:46 Explained

1 Kings 18:46

KJV: And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

YLT: and the hand of Jehovah hath been on Elijah, and he girdeth up his loins, and runneth before Ahab, till thine entering Jezreel.

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

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does 1 Kings 18:46 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 18:41-46 - Exaltation And Depression
When the priests had been executed, the quick ear of the prophet detected the hurrying rain-clouds. Note the contrast between Ahab and the prophet. The one ascended from the Kishon gorge to eat and drink in his pavilion until the darkened heavens made him drive-post-haste to Jezreel; the other went up to pray! which do we care for most-to eat and drink or to pray? God help us! The answer that our hearts utter is far from satisfactory. But what praying was this! So humble, so intense, so expectant. Six times the servant came down from the spur, saying, "There is nothing," and a seventh time he was sent back to watch the Mediterranean sky-line-this time, not in vain!
But why that sudden change to despair? Was it the overstrain of that day on Carmel, which induced a terrible reaction? Was it that swift run from Carmel to Jezreel, in front of Ahab's fiery steeds? Was it that threat of Jezebel? She, at least, was neither awed nor checkmated by the massacre of her favorite priests. Did he lose sight of God in that dark hour? Elijah was but mortal! His feet had almost gone; his steps had well-nigh slipped, Psalms 73:2. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 18

1  In the extremity of famine Elijah, sent to Ahab, meets good Obadiah
9  Obadiah brings Ahab to Elijah
17  Elijah, reproving Ahab, by fire from heaven convinces Baal's prophets
41  Elijah, by prayer obtaining rain, follows Ahab to Jezreel

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 18:46 mean?

And the hand of Yahweh came upon Elijah and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel
וְיַד־ יְהוָ֗ה הָֽיְתָה֙ אֶל־ אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ וַיְשַׁנֵּ֖ס מָתְנָ֑יו וַיָּ֙רָץ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אַחְאָ֔ב עַד־ בֹּאֲכָ֖ה יִזְרְעֶֽאלָה

וְיַד־  And  the  hand 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
יְהוָ֗ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הָֽיְתָה֙  came 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
אֶל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ  Elijah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵלִיָּה 
Sense: the great prophet of the reign of Ahab.
וַיְשַׁנֵּ֖ס  and  he  girded  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁנַס  
Sense: (Piel) to gird up.
מָתְנָ֑יו  his  loins 
Parse: Noun, mdc, third person masculine singular
Root: מָתְנַיִם  
Sense: loins, hips.
וַיָּ֙רָץ֙  and  ran 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רוּץ 
Sense: to run.
לִפְנֵ֣י  ahead 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
אַחְאָ֔ב  of  Ahab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַחְאָב 
Sense: king of Israel, son of Omri, husband of Jezebel.
בֹּאֲכָ֖ה  the  entrance 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
יִזְרְעֶֽאלָה  of  Jezreel 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: יִזְרְעֶאל 
Sense: a descendant of the father or founder of Etam of Judah.