1 Kings 18:5

18:5 Ahab told Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grazing areas ¹  so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to kill ²  some of the animals.”

1 Kings 18:27

18:27 At noon Elijah mocked them, “Yell louder! After all, he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or perhaps he stepped out for a moment or has taken a trip. Perhaps he is sleeping and needs to be awakened.” ³ 

1 Kings 20:31

20:31 His advisers ⁴  said to him, “Look, we have heard that the kings of the Israelite dynasty are kind. ⁵  Allow us to put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads ⁶  and surrender ⁷  to the king of Israel. Maybe he will spare our lives.”

¹ tn Heb “grass.”

² tn Heb “to cut off.”

³ sn Elijah’s sarcastic proposals would have been especially offensive and irritating to Baal’s prophets, for they believed Baal was imprisoned in the underworld as death’s captive during this time of drought. Elijah’s apparent ignorance of their theology is probably designed for dramatic effect; indeed the suggestion that Baal is away on a trip or deep in sleep comes precariously close to the truth as viewed by the prophets.

⁵ tn Or “servants.”

⁶ tn Or “merciful.” The word used here often means “devoted” or “loyal.” Perhaps the idea is that the Israelite kings are willing to make treaties with other kings.

⁷ sn Sackcloth was worn as a sign of sorrow and repentance. The precise significance of the ropes on the head is uncertain, but it probably was a sign of submission. These actions were comparable to raising a white flag on the battlefield or throwing in the towel in a boxing match.

⁸ tn Heb “go out.”