A.T. Robertson Commentary Luke 4:25

"But of a truth I say unto you, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there came a great famine over all the land;" — Luke 4:25 (ASV)

Three years and six months (ετη τρια κα μηνας εξ). Accusative of duration of time without επ (doubtful). The same period is given in Jas 5:17, the popular Jewish way of speaking. In 1 Kings 18:1 the rain is said to have come in the third year. But the famine probably lasted still longer.