וְיַד־יְהוָ֗ה הָֽיְתָה֙ אֶל־אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ וַיְשַׁנֵּ֖ס מָתְנָ֑יו וַיָּ֙רָץ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י אַחְאָ֔ב עַד־בֹּאֲכָ֖ה יִזְרְעֶֽאלָה׃
Poussé par la main de Dieu, Élie ceignit ses reins et courut en avant d’Achab jusqu’à l’entrée de Jezreël.
Rashi
ויתחזק ישראל AND ISRAEL STRENGTHENED HIMSELF — he said, “Although he is my son, he is a king, and I will do honour to him” (Midrash Tanchuma, Bo 6). From this we may infer that we must show honour to a person of royal rank (Cf. Menachot 98a). Similarly, Moses showed honour to the king when he said, (Exodus 11:8) “And all these, thy servants, shall come down to me” (which was only a polite way of saying. “Thou, thyself, wilt be forced to come down to me”); so, too, did Elijah: (1 Kings 18:46) “and he girded up his loins [and ran before Ahab] etc.” (Midrash Tanchuma, Bo 7)
Pat Lechem
Girdle your loins, bare your arms -- i.e. tighten your belt...