1 Kings 18:44

42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah climbed to the summit of Carmel, bent down on the ground, and put his face between his knees.

43 “Go and look toward the sea,” he said to his servant. So the servant went and looked, and he said, “There is nothing there.” Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”

On the seventh time the servant reported, “There is a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising from the sea.” And Elijah replied, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”

45 Meanwhile, the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and a heavy rain began to fall. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel.

46 And the hand of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.

Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
On the seventh time the servant reported, “There is a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising from the sea.” And Elijah replied, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’”
KJV
And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man’s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.
WEB
On the seventh time, he said, “Behold, a small cloud, like a man’s hand, is rising out of the sea.” He said, “Go up, tell Ahab, ‘Get ready and go down, so that the rain doesn’t stop you.’”
ASV
And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a cloud out of the sea, as small as a man`s hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Make ready [thy chariot], and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.
DARBY
And it came to pass at the seventh time that he said, Behold there is a cloud, small as a man's hand, arising out of the sea. And he said, Go up, say to Ahab, Harness and go down, that the pour of rain stop thee not.
BLB
And it came to pass on the seventh [time] that he said, “There is a cloud as small as the palm of man rising out of the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Harness and go down, and do not let the rain restrain you.’”
ÅB
Den syvende gang sa han: Se, en liten sky, så stor som en manns hånd, stiger opp fra havet. Da sa han: Gå opp og si til Akab: Spenn for og far ned, så ikke regnet skal oppholde deg!
OTB
Og da han kom tilbake den syvende gangen, sa han: "Se, en sky så liten som en persons hånd kommer opp fra havet." Og Elia sa: "Gå opp, si til Akab: 'Gjør klar vognen din og dra ned, så det kraftige regnet ikke stopper deg.'"
B1930
Den syvende gang sa han: Se, en liten sky, så stor som en manns hånd, stiger op fra havet. Da sa han: Gå op og si til Akab: Spenn for og far ned, så ikke regnet skal opholde dig!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Luke 12:54

    Then Jesus said to the crowds, “As soon as you see a cloud rising in the west, you say, ‘A shower is coming,’ and that is what happens.

    Read in context
  • Job 8:7

    Though your beginnings were modest, your latter days will flourish.

    Read in context
  • Micah 1:13

    Harness your chariot horses, O dweller of Lachish. You were the beginning of sin to the Daughter of Zion, for the transgressions of Israel were found in you.

    Read in context
  • Zechariah 4:10

    For who has despised the day of small things? But these seven eyes of the LORD, which scan the whole earth, will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.”

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 6:10

    So the men did as instructed. They took two milk cows, hitched them to the cart, and penned up their calves.

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 6:7

    Now, therefore, prepare one new cart with two milk cows that have never been yoked. Hitch the cows to the cart, but take their calves away and pen them up.

    Read in context