1 Kings 18:41-46
New Catholic Bible
41 Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat, and drink, for I hear the sound of heavy rain.” 42 Ahab went to eat and drink, and Elijah climbed up to the top of Carmel. He cast himself down to the ground and placed his face between his knees.
43 He said to his servant, “Go, now, and look out toward the sea.” He went and looked and said, “There is nothing.” Seven times he told him, “Go again.” 44 The seventh time he said, “Behold, there is a small cloud like the shape of a man’s hand rising from out of the sea.” He said, “Go tell Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’ ”
45 Meanwhile, the skies grew dark with clouds, the wind rose up, and it poured. Ahab rode off and went to Jezreel. 46 The hand of the Lord was upon Elijah, and he girded up his loins[a] and ran in front of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
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- 1 Kings 18:46 Girded up his loins: Elijah ran after Ahab, in this case, pulling up his clothes and securing them, so that he could run quickly into Jezreel so that the events of the ending of the drought and the killing of the evil prophets would be known there. Elijah also wanted to confront Ahab about his wrongdoing, just as Nathan had confronted David about Uriah (2 Sam 12:9).
