Albert Barnes Commentary 1 Kings 18:46

"and the hand of Jehovah was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel." — 1 Kings 18:46 (ASV)

Divinely directed and divinely upheld, Elijah, instead of resting, ran ahead of the king’s chariot for the entire distance of at least 16 miles to the entrance of Jezreel. He thus showed himself ready to support and uphold the irresolute monarch, if he would turn from his evil ways and proceed to carry out the religious reformation which the events of the day had inaugurated.

The entrance of Jezreel - Modern “Zerin.” Ahab had not removed the capital from Samaria (1 Kings 22:10, 37), but he had built himself a palace at Jezreel (1 Kings 21:1) and appears to have resided there ordinarily. A contemporary Assyrian inscription speaks of him as “Ahab of Jezreel.”

Elijah’s caution in accompanying Ahab only to “the entrance” is like that of modern Arabs, who can seldom be persuaded to trust themselves within walls. He rested on the outskirts of the town, waiting to learn what Jezebel would say or do, knowing that it was she, and not Ahab, who really governed the country.