1 Kings 18:45 kjv
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.
1 Kings 18:45 nkjv
Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel.
1 Kings 18:45 niv
Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel.
1 Kings 18:45 esv
And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel.
1 Kings 18:45 nlt
And soon the sky was black with clouds. A heavy wind brought a terrific rainstorm, and Ahab left quickly for Jezreel.
1 Kings 18 45 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Jam 5:17-18 | Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly... and the heavens poured rain... | Explicitly links Elijah's prayer to rain. |
| Deut 11:13-14 | "if you will diligently obey My commandments... I will give you the rain..." | Conditional covenant promise of timely rain. |
| Lev 26:3-4 | "If you walk in My statutes... then I will give you your rains in their season..." | Covenant blessings including rain for obedience. |
| Job 36:27-28 | "For He draws up drops of water... which distill as rain." | God's control over the water cycle and rain. |
| Job 37:11-13 | "He loads the thick cloud with moisture... so that He may execute His command..." | God commands the clouds and rain for His purposes. |
| Ps 135:7 | "He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; He makes lightnings for the rain;" | God as the sovereign controller of weather. |
| Jer 14:22 | "Are there any among the idols of the nations who can cause rain? Or can the heavens grant showers?" | Polemic against false gods regarding rain. |
| 1 Ki 17:1 | "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word." | Elijah's initial pronouncement of drought. |
| 1 Ki 18:1 | "After many days... Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth." | God's promise to send rain. |
| Deut 28:23-24 | "The sky... shall be bronze... and the earth... iron. The LORD will make the rain... dust and powder." | Drought as a covenant curse for disobedience. |
| Ps 65:9-10 | "You visit the earth and water it... enrich it greatly with the river of God, full of water..." | God's provision and visitation through rain. |
| Zech 10:1 | "Ask rain from the LORD at the time of the spring rain, even the LORD who makes the thunderclouds." | Ask God for rain; He controls weather. |
| Hag 1:11 | "And I called for a drought on the land and on the mountains, on the grain..." | God inflicting drought as judgment. |
| Amos 4:7-8 | "I also withheld the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest..." | God's specific control over withholding rain. |
| Ex 10:21-22 | "Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt..." | Darkness as a sign of divine action/presence. |
| Ex 14:21 | "the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night..." | Wind as an instrument of divine power. |
| Ps 77:17-18 | "The clouds poured out water; the skies gave forth thunder... the lightning flashed." | Divine power manifested in storms. |
| Nah 1:3 | "His way is in whirlwind and storm, and clouds are the dust of His feet." | God's power and presence in powerful storms. |
| Joel 2:23 | "for He has given you the early rain for your vindication; He has poured down for you abundant rain." | Rain as a sign of vindication and blessing. |
| Mal 3:10 | "I will open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you blessing until there is no more room." | Figurative of overwhelming divine blessing. |
| Isa 55:10-11 | "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven... so shall My word be..." | God's word (promise of rain) accomplished. |
1 Kings 18 verses
1 Kings 18 45 Meaning
1 Kings 18:45 describes the immediate and powerful fulfillment of Elijah's prayer for rain, signaling the end of the devastating three-year drought in Israel. The sudden darkening of the skies and the onset of heavy rain vividly demonstrate the absolute sovereignty of the Lord God over nature, directly refuting the claims of Baal, the false storm god. Ahab's swift departure for Jezreel marks his practical response to the change in weather.
1 Kings 18 45 Context
The context of 1 Kings 18:45 is critical. It follows the dramatic confrontation on Mount Carmel where Elijah, representing the Lord God, challenged the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah to demonstrate whose god was true. After Baal proved powerless, the Lord consumed Elijah's water-drenched sacrifice with fire from heaven, convincing the people to declare, "The Lord, He is God!" (v. 39). Elijah then had the prophets of Baal executed. Having demonstrated God's supremacy, Elijah promised the end of the three-year drought, instructing Ahab to go down before the rain came. Elijah then prayed seven times for rain, reflecting his persistence and faith. Verse 45 is the direct, instantaneous answer to this prayer, culminating the demonstration of God's power over Baal, who was worshiped as the provider of rain and fertility. Historically, the reign of Ahab and Jezebel was marked by the pervasive state-sponsored worship of Baal, a Canaanite storm and fertility god, making the control of rain a direct contest between Yahweh and Baal. Jezreel was a key royal residence of Ahab.
1 Kings 18 45 Word analysis
- In a little while:
- Hebrew: כְּרֶף עַיִן֙ (kə-ref ʿa-yin)
- Meaning: Literally "as the twinkling/blinking of an eye."
- Significance: Emphasizes the instantaneousness and suddenness of God's response. It highlights the divine speed and efficiency, in stark contrast to the futile hours spent by the prophets of Baal. This suddenness further underlines the supernatural intervention.
- the heavens grew black:
- Hebrew: הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם הִתְקַדְּר֖וּ (haš-šā-ma-yim hit-qaḏ-də-rū)
- Meaning: The skies became dark/gloomy/heavy.
- Significance: Denotes an imminent, powerful storm. The darkening often signifies God's presence, judgment, or dramatic manifestation (e.g., Exod 10:21 for darkness as a plague, or the ominous storm at Sinai). It creates a sense of awe and dramatic power.
- with clouds and wind:
- Hebrew: עָבִ֤ים וְר֨וּחַ (ʿā-ḇîm wə-rū-aḥ)
- Meaning: Refers to thick storm clouds and strong winds.
- Significance: These are the precursors of a severe downpour. In ancient Near Eastern religion, Baal was the storm god, bringing rain through clouds and wind. Yahweh here demonstrates He is the true sovereign over these very elements, stripping Baal of his perceived domain. The "wind" (ruach) can also imply the Spirit's unseen power setting the meteorological stage.
- and there was a great rain:
- Hebrew: גֶּ֤שֶׁם גָּד֖וֹל (ge-šem gā-ḏōl)
- Meaning: A large, abundant, or heavy rain.
- Significance: The three-year drought made even a little rain precious. "Great rain" signifies not just a break in the drought, but an overflowing, abundant demonstration of God's blessing and power. It also reversed the covenant curse of drought (Deut 28). This overwhelming abundance washes away the residue of idolatry from the land.
- And Ahab rode:
- Hebrew: וַיִּרְכַּ֥ב אַחְאָב֙ (wa-yi-r-ḵaḇ aḥ-’āḇ)
- Meaning: Ahab immediately mounted his chariot/rode.
- Significance: His priority is to return to his palace. While he witnessed the miracle, the text implies a pragmatic rather than spiritual response from Ahab; he acts to avoid being caught in the deluge, not necessarily with repentance.
- and went to Jezreel:
- Hebrew: וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ יִזְרְעֶֽאלָה (wa-yê-leḵ yi-zə-rə-ʿe-lāh)
- Meaning: He journeyed to Jezreel.
- Significance: Jezreel was a royal city, a winter residence for the kings of Israel. Ahab is going home. The swiftness of his departure sets the stage for the dramatic sight of Elijah, empowered by God, running ahead of Ahab's chariot to Jezreel (v. 46), further magnifying the Lord's power.
1 Kings 18 45 Bonus section
- Polemics against Baal: This verse directly and powerfully refutes the false worship of Baal, who was revered as the "cloud-rider" and the god responsible for rain and agricultural fertility in Canaanite religion. Yahweh, not Baal, controls the heavens, the clouds, the wind, and sends the rain, proving Himself the only true source of life and blessing.
- God's Immediacy: The phrase "in a little while" ("as the blinking of an eye") underscores God's instantaneous responsiveness to the fervent, faithful prayer of His prophet. It contrasts sharply with Baal's silence throughout the day.
- Divine Empowerment: The sheer volume and speed of the incoming storm also explain how Elijah was able to then outrun Ahab's chariot to Jezreel in the very next verse (1 Ki 18:46). God's power was not limited to causing rain but also empowering His servant beyond natural human capability.
- Symbolic Cleansing: The "great rain" that cleansed the parched land also symbolically washed away the idolatry, albeit briefly, after the decisive victory for Yahweh on Mount Carmel. It was an act of God restoring physical and spiritual order.
1 Kings 18 45 Commentary
1 Kings 18:45 serves as the spectacular climax of the Mount Carmel confrontation, where God, through Elijah's persistent prayer, emphatically demonstrates His unparalleled sovereignty over creation, especially over the weather, a domain falsely attributed to Baal. This single verse confirms the triumph of Yahweh and fulfills His covenant promise of rain (Deut 11:14) given Israel turned back to Him, which they ostensibly did at Carmel. The instantaneousness and scale of the storm ('great rain') testify to God's readiness and power to reverse judgment with abundant blessing upon repentance. While it marks a decisive divine victory and ends the severe drought, Ahab's reaction is presented as more concerned with practical travel than with deep spiritual reflection, foreshadowing his continued struggles with idolatry. This verse beautifully illustrates James' teaching on the effectiveness of fervent prayer.