After many days is literally “And it happened many days,” which includes the verbal transition that commonly introduces a new section. The sense is well translated by New American Bible as “Long afterward” and by New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh as “Much later.” New Living Translation says “After many months passed.”

The word of the LORD came: As in previous cases (1 Kgs 6.11; 13.20; 16.1, 7; 17.2, 8), this may be better translated “the LORD spoke.”

The third year refers to the third year of the drought (see 1 Kgs 17.1, 7), and this information may be made explicit.

Show yourself to Ahab: The form of the Hebrew verb rendered show yourself often means “to appear” or “to become visible.” But the sense is not that Elijah is simply to stand around and wait for Ahab to see him. Rather, in this context with the Hebrew preposition rendered to, the sense is “make your appearance to Ahab” or “present yourself to Ahab” (New Revised Standard Version, New American Bible, New Jerusalem Bible; similarly Good News Translation). Since this is the beginning of a new chapter and a new section, Good News Translation identifies Ahab as “King Ahab.”

I will send rain: The Hebrew verb translated I will send is in a grammatical form called “cohortative,” which means that there is a slight emphasis on the speaker’s will or desire to do something. The emphasis is sometimes very minor and often does not need to be translated. Such seems to be the case here. But the grammatical construction found here in the Hebrew may also be used to express purpose or result. So translations such as “that I may send rain” (New American Bible) and “so that I may give rain” (Anchor Bible) are also possible here.

Upon the earth is literally “upon the face of the earth” as in 1 Kgs 17.14.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .