1 Kings 17:1
And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
Study Note
Study Note
'Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab: 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' — the sudden, unexplained appearance of Elijah and his declaration of drought inaugurates one of the most dramatic prophetic ministries in the Hebrew Bible. The phrase 'before whom I stand' (asher amadti lefanav) identifies Elijah as a court prophet who has direct access to the divine royal court — the same self-description used by the angelic messenger in Luke 1:19. The drought oracle recalls the covenant curse of Deuteronomy 28:23–24 and is explicitly connected to Baal worship (the storm deity whose defeat YHWH demonstrates by withholding rain). James 5:17 cites this episode as a paradigm for efficacious prayer, noting that Elijah was 'a man with a nature like ours.'
Other Translations
And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the sojourners of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As Jehovah, the God of Israel, liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, saith unto Ahab, `Jehovah, God of Israel, liveth, before whom I have stood, there is not these years dew and rain, except according to my word.'
And Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, By the living Lord, the God of Israel, whose servant I am, there will be no dew or rain in these years, but only at my word.
Cross References
Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, …
Therefore thus saith the Lord, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: …
These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over …
Then Jephthah gathered together all the men of Gilead, and fought with Ephraim: and the men of Gilead smote Ephraim, …
The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.
Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.
And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the …
And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come …