And it came to pass after many days,.... When two years and more were gone from the time the drought and famine began; or rather from the time of the prophets departure to the brook Cherith, which might be six months after the famine began:
that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year; of his absence from Ahab:
saying, go show thyself unto Ahab; whom he had not seen so long, and who had been seeking for him, but to no purpose:
and I will send rain upon the earth; the term of three years and six months being almost expired, see James 5:17.