1 Kings 18 43

1 Kings 18:43 kjv

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.

1 Kings 18:43 nkjv

and said to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up and looked, and said, "There is nothing." And seven times he said, "Go again."

1 Kings 18:43 niv

"Go and look toward the sea," he told his servant. And he went up and looked. "There is nothing there," he said. Seven times Elijah said, "Go back."

1 Kings 18:43 esv

And he 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.

1 Kings 18:43 nlt

Then he said to his servant, "Go and look out toward the sea." The servant went and looked, then returned to Elijah and said, "I didn't see anything." Seven times Elijah told him to go and look.

1 Kings 18 verses

1 Kings 18 43 Meaning

1 Kings 18:43 describes the instruction given by the prophet Elijah to his attendant immediately after the fiery demonstration of God's power on Mount Carmel. It captures Elijah's resolute faith and expectation of rain, even when no natural sign was yet visible. He directs his servant to repeatedly ascend and look toward the sea for any indication of an approaching cloud, a detail that underscores the need for persistent watchfulness and prayer despite the initial absence of evidence. The "seven times" command emphasizes completeness and the unwavering determination to witness God's promised action.

1 Kings 18 43 Context

1 Kings chapter 18 details the monumental confrontation between Elijah, the prophet of Yahweh, and the 450 prophets of Baal, sponsored by King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, on Mount Carmel. Following a devastating three-and-a-half-year drought, God challenges Israel to choose between Yahweh and Baal. After Yahweh miraculously sends fire from heaven to consume Elijah's soaked altar, affirming His sole divinity, Elijah then predicts the end of the drought. The drought itself was a divine judgment against Baal worship, as Baal was revered as the god of storms and rain. Therefore, the return of rain through Elijah's prayer served as a final, irrefutable demonstration of Yahweh's absolute sovereignty, dismantling the false god's purported authority over the elements. Verse 43 directly follows Elijah's confident proclamation to Ahab that "There is a sound of a heavy rain" (v. 41) and Elijah's profound intercession on the mountaintop (v. 42), setting the scene for the visible fulfillment of that prophetic word.

1 Kings 18 43 Word analysis

• And said to his servant:
  • said: Signifies a direct command and confident instruction from Elijah.
  • his servant (Hebrew: נַעַר, na'ar): This term often denotes a young man, attendant, or apprentice. In a prophetic context, it represents a close helper and disciple, suggesting a relationship of trust and authority. This relationship emphasizes immediate obedience to the prophet's command, which is crucial for God's unfolding plan.
• Go up now, look toward the sea:
  • Go up (Hebrew: עֲלֵה, aleh): An imperative command to ascend, indicating a vantage point on Mount Carmel from which the Mediterranean Sea to the west could be observed. This strategic instruction reflects Elijah's specific knowledge and expectation of how God's meteorological promise would appear.
  • now: Implies immediacy and urgency, highlighting Elijah's active expectation of God's prompt action.
  • look (Hebrew: רְאֵה, re'eh): An imperative command to observe carefully, not just glance. It suggests an active searching for a specific sign.
  • toward the sea (Hebrew: יָם, yam): Refers to the Mediterranean Sea. In the Near East, rain-bearing clouds often originated from this direction.
• And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing:
  • he went up, and looked: Demonstrates the servant's prompt and literal obedience to Elijah's specific command. This unhesitating response is vital in the narrative of faith and action.
  • said, There is nothing: (Hebrew: אֵין, ein, meaning "there is not") This immediate report of an absence of any visible sign highlights the stark contrast between Elijah's faith-filled prophecy and the current empirical reality. It emphasizes that Elijah's faith was not based on existing signs but on God's word, and that God's timing is distinct from human expectation. This initial lack of evidence also serves to underscore the servant's reliability as a witness.
• And he said, Go again seven times:
  • Go again: An instruction for repeated action. This command for reiteration emphasizes perseverance, not doubt. Elijah knows the rain is coming and insists on continuous observation until the sign appears. It signifies that God often requires patient endurance until His promises manifest.
  • seven times (Hebrew: שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים, sheva' pe'amim): The number seven holds significant symbolic weight in the Bible, often representing completeness, perfection, divine fullness, or spiritual maturity. Here, it conveys a profound insistence on unwavering and thorough observation. It is not an arbitrary number but suggests that a full measure of human diligence, paired with faith, is sometimes required before the divine breakthrough is granted. It highlights the completeness of Elijah's intercession and God's perfect timing, not a trial-and-error approach. This repetition prepares the way for the decisive, perfect outcome.

1 Kings 18 43 Bonus section

The deliberate instruction to look "toward the sea" reflects Elijah's understanding of regional meteorology, where rain-bearing clouds in Israel typically originate from the west (the Mediterranean). This combination of spiritual revelation and practical knowledge indicates that faith does not negate sensible observation but can integrate with it, though in this case, faith went far beyond what was naturally evident. Elijah's prostrate prayer posture (mentioned in the preceding verse, 1 Kgs 18:42), combined with the "seven times" instruction, illustrates an intense, prolonged wrestling in prayer for the fulfillment of God's promise. This sequence signifies that divine intervention often follows not just belief, but fervent and consistent intercession. The repetition is not because God needs reminding, but because it refines the faith and commitment of the one praying, making them fully engaged and watchful for His response.

1 Kings 18 43 Commentary

1 Kings 18:43 is a profound biblical lesson on the nature of persistent prayer and unwavering faith, even in the face of initial "nothingness." Following God's dramatic confirmation on Carmel, Elijah had absolute certainty that rain would come, yet he knew it wouldn't be without sustained, fervent engagement. His repeated instruction to his servant to "look toward the sea" and to do so "seven times" models several critical spiritual principles: obedient patience, active expectation, and faith that operates independently of immediate visible evidence. The servant's initial report of "nothing" underscores the tension between divine promise and the reality of waiting, magnifying the eventual arrival of the cloud and reinforcing God's sovereignty over time and elements. This passage reminds us that the fulfillment of God's word often requires steadfastness, teaching us to continue "looking" and praying even when there is no visible sign of breakthrough until God's perfect time is manifest.

• Example 1: When facing a challenging situation for which you've prayed, continuing to trust and take small, obedient steps even when no immediate change is apparent.
• Example 2: Persisting in prayer for a loved one's spiritual breakthrough over many years, maintaining hope and specific petition despite visible resistance.