Elijah is commanded by the Lord to show himself to Ahab, 1Kgs 18:1, 1Kgs 18:2. Ahab, and Obadiah his steward, search the land to find provender for the cattle, Oba 1:3-6. Obadiah meets Elijah, who commands him to inform Ahab that he is ready to present himself before him, 1Kgs 18:7-15. Elijah and Ahab meet, 1Kgs 18:16-18. Elijah proposes that the four hundred and fifty priests of Baal should be gathered together at Mount Carmel; that they should offer a sacrifice to their god, and he to Jehovah; and the God who should send down fire to consume the sacrifice should be acknowledged as the true God, 1Kgs 18:19-24. The proposal is accepted, and the priests of Baal call in vain upon their god through the whole day, 1Kgs 18:25-29. Elijah offers his sacrifice, prays to Gods and fire comes down from heaven and consumes it; whereupon the people acknowledge Jehovah to be the true God, and slay all the prophets of Baal, 1Kgs 18:30-40. Elijah promises Ahab that there shall be immediate rain; it comes accordingly, and Ahab and Elijah come to Jezreel, 1Kgs 18:41-46.
Verse 1
After many days - in the third year - We learn from our Lord, Luk 4:25, that the drought which brought on the famine in Israel lasted three years and six months. St. James, Jam 5:17, gives it the same duration. Probably Elijah spent six months at the brook Cherith, and three years with the widow at Sarepta.
I will send rain upon the earth - The word האדמה haadamah should be translated the ground or the land, as it is probable that this drought did not extend beyond the land of Judea.