Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 18:42

So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,

42. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel ] To a different point from that to which Ahab had gone. This is clear from 1Ki 18:44, where the prophet despatches his servant with a message to the king.

and he cast [R.V. bowed ] himself ] The prophet’s attitude was that of prayer. Cf. Jas 5:18. The humble position is further indicated by the clause which follows, ‘he put his face between his knees.’

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Ahab could feast; Elijah could not, or would not. Ascending Carmel not quite to the highest elevation 1Ki 18:43, but to a point, a little below the highest, from where the sea was not visible, he proceeded to pray earnestly for rain, as he had prayed formerly that it might not rain.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 42. Put his face between his knees] He kneeled down, and then bowed his head to the earth, so that, while his face was between his knees, his forehead touched the ground.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; where he might secretly and ardently pour out his prayers unto God; and whence he might look towards the sea, and discern when the rain was coming.

Put his face between his knees; he either sat, or rather kneeled upon his knees, and then cast down his face to the ground between his knees; either in token of profound reverence and humility, or out of fervency of spirit, which oft disposeth men to uncouth gestures, which at other times, or in other men, would be ridiculous; but in them, and in that case, are usual and allowed: or, that turning away his eyes from all outward objects, he might be more intent and earnest upon his work, or pray to God without distraction.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

42. Ahab went up to eat and todrinkAhab, kept in painful excitement by the agonizing scene,had eaten nothing all the day. He was recommended to refresh himselfwithout a moment’s delay; and, while the king was thus occupied, theprophet, far from taking rest, was absorbed in prayer for thefulfilment of the promise (1Ki18:1).

put his face between hiskneesa posture of earnest supplication still used.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

So Ahab went up to eat and to drink,…. Up to his chariot, as some think, or rather to some place higher than that in which he now was:

and Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; higher still, where he both might be alone, and have the opportunity of observing the clouds gathering, and the rain coming:

and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees; expressive of his humility, and of his earnestness, and vehement desire, and continued importunity, that rain might fall; for this was a posture of prayer he put himself into, and continued in; and it is certain that it was through his prayer that rain came, Jas 5:18 and from hence came the fable of the Grecians concerning Aeacus praying for rain in a time of drought, when it came h. So the Chinese writers i report that at the prayers of their emperor Tangus, after a seven years’ drought, great rains fell.

h Pausan. Attica, sive, l. 1. prope finem. Isocrat. Evagoras, p. 373. i Martin. Sinic. Hist. l. 3. p. 60.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(42) Put his face between his knees.The attitude is, of course, one of prayer, but is a peculiar attitudedistinct from the ordinary postures of standing and kneelingwhich has been noted as existing still among the modern dervishes. Possibly it is characteristic of the vehement excitement of the moment, and of the impulsive nature of Elijah.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

42. Cast himself down Elijah’s attitude in prayer has been understood in two ways. Some maintain that he placed himself in a sitting posture, thus bringing his knees near his chin, and making it comparatively easy for him to put his face between his knees. Chardin and Shaw observed certain Orientals in this posture while engaged in devout meditation. This attitude, however, though suitable for meditation, would be less appropriate for prayer. Others therefore think that he first kneeled down, and then bowed his head forward, so that his face would have been brought near to the ground, and may have even touched it. This latter view is favoured by the word , here rendered cast himself down, which implies prostration, not sitting. The word occurs again only in 2Ki 4:34-35, where it is used of Elisha’s stretching himself upon the dead child of the Shunammite. This prostrate attitude of Elijah’s was in keeping with that earnestness in prayer of which St. James speaks. Jas 5:17. Both king and prophet returned to the top of Carmel, the one to feast, the other to pray. The prophet, “while he was praying, withdrew himself from the very highest point of the summit, leaving Ahab to take his meal at the place where the sacrifice had been consumed. Elijah needed to retire only a short distance to the west, and there, on the slope just below the summit, sequestered by bushes and trees, such as are still to be found there, poured out his petitions for rain.” Mead.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments