The Meaning of 1 Kings 19:8 Explained

1 Kings 19:8

KJV: And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

YLT: and he riseth, and eateth, and drinketh, and goeth in the power of that food forty days and forty nights, unto the mount of God -- Horeb.

Darby: And he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God.

ASV: And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he arose,  and did eat  and drink,  and went  in the strength  of that meat  forty  days  and forty  nights  unto Horeb  the mount  of God. 

What does 1 Kings 19:8 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 19:1-8 - Exaltation And Depression
When the priests had been executed, the quick ear of the prophet detected the hurrying rain-clouds. Note the contrast between Ahab and the prophet. The one ascended from the Kishon gorge to eat and drink in his pavilion until the darkened heavens made him drive-post-haste to Jezreel; the other went up to pray! which do we care for most-to eat and drink or to pray? God help us! The answer that our hearts utter is far from satisfactory. But what praying was this! So humble, so intense, so expectant. Six times the servant came down from the spur, saying, "There is nothing," and a seventh time he was sent back to watch the Mediterranean sky-line-this time, not in vain!
But why that sudden change to despair? Was it the overstrain of that day on Carmel, which induced a terrible reaction? Was it that swift run from Carmel to Jezreel, in front of Ahab's fiery steeds? Was it that threat of Jezebel? She, at least, was neither awed nor checkmated by the massacre of her favorite priests. Did he lose sight of God in that dark hour? Elijah was but mortal! His feet had almost gone; his steps had well-nigh slipped, Psalms 73:2. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 19

1  Elijah, threatened by Jezebel, flees to Beersheba
4  In the desert, being weary of his life, he is comforted by an angel
9  At Horeb God appears unto him, sending him to anoint Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha
19  Elisha, taking leave of his friends, follows Elijah

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 19:8 mean?

So he arose and ate and drank and he went in the strength of food that forty days and forty nights as far as the mountain of God Horeb
וַיָּ֖קָם וַיֹּ֣אכַל וַיִּשְׁתֶּ֑ה וַיֵּ֜לֶךְ בְּכֹ֣חַ ׀ הָאֲכִילָ֣ה הַהִ֗יא אַרְבָּעִ֥ים יוֹם֙ וְאַרְבָּעִ֣ים לַ֔יְלָה עַ֛ד הַ֥ר הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים חֹרֵֽב

וַיָּ֖קָם  So  he  arose 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
וַיֹּ֣אכַל  and  ate 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
וַיִּשְׁתֶּ֑ה  and  drank 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁתָה  
Sense: to drink.
וַיֵּ֜לֶךְ  and  he  went 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
בְּכֹ֣חַ ׀  in  the  strength 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּחַ 
Sense: strength, power, might.
הָאֲכִילָ֣ה  of  food 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲכִילָה  
Sense: food, a meal, an eating, meat.
הַהִ֗יא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
אַרְבָּעִ֥ים  forty 
Parse: Number, common plural
Root: אַרְבָּעִים  
Sense: forty.
יוֹם֙  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
וְאַרְבָּעִ֣ים  and  forty 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, common plural
Root: אַרְבָּעִים  
Sense: forty.
לַ֔יְלָה  nights 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לַיִל 
Sense: night.
עַ֛ד  as  far  as 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
הַ֥ר  the  mountain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
חֹרֵֽב  Horeb 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֹרֵב  
Sense: another name for Mount Sinai from which God gave the law to Moses and the Israelites.