וַיְהִי֙ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים וּדְבַר־יְהוָ֗ה הָיָה֙ אֶל־אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ בַּשָּׁנָ֥ה הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֖ית לֵאמֹ֑ר לֵ֚ךְ הֵרָאֵ֣ה אֶל־אַחְאָ֔ב וְאֶתְּנָ֥ה מָטָ֖ר עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה׃
Depois de muitos dias veio a Elias a palavra do SENHOR, no terceiro ano, dizendo: Vai, apresenta-te a Acabe; e eu mandarei chuva sobre a terra.
Radak on I Kings
Because of the drought many people repented and improved their ways. additionally, there were 7 thousand people in Israel who did not bow down to Baal.