And it came to pass [after] many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, shew thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. Ver. 1. _After many days,_] _i.e., _ After three years and six months' time of famine: which to the distressed Israelites seeme... [ Continue Reading ]
And Elijah went to shew himself unto Ahab. And [there was] a sore famine in Samaria. Ver. 2. _And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab._] Though a bloody persecutor of the prophets, and to Elijah a professed enemy. Faith quelleth and killeth distrustful fear.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Ahab called Obadiah, which [was] the governor of [his] house. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly: Ver. 3. _And Ahab called Obadiah._] Who was neither the prophet Odadiah, as some have thought, nor that good captain over fifty, who begged his life of Elijah, 2Ki 1:13 but another, a good office... [ Continue Reading ]
For it was [so], when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.) Ver. 4. _When Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord._] Who declaimed against her idolatry, and proclaimed hell fire, &c. Who... [ Continue Reading ]
And Ahab said unto Obadiah, Go into the land, unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks: peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive, that we lose not all the beasts. Ver. 5. _And Ahab said unto Obadiah._] Goodness carrieth away trust, where it cannot have imitation. _... [ Continue Reading ]
So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it: Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. Ver. 6. _And Obadiah went another way by himself._] Ahab had found him faithful; and therefore trusteth him in this weighty business, rather than any other. Of a man t... [ Continue Reading ]
And as Obadiah was in the way, behold, Elijah met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said, [Art] thou that my lord Elijah? Ver. 7. _And he knew him._] They were of old acquaintance, doubtless, so good a man, and so great a prophet. Mr Fox, when a great lord, and wicked, met him in the... [ Continue Reading ]
And he answered him, I [am]: go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah [is here]. Ver. 8. _Behold, Elijah is here._] Not ashamed to show my face; but of his mind who said, _Malo miserandum quam erubescendum._ Memorable was that speech of John Frith to the archbishop's men that would have let him go and shi... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, What have I sinned, that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? Ver. 9. _Into the hand of Ahab, to slay me,_] _sc., _ For not laying hands on thee, to bring thee unto him, for whom he had so long, so anxiously sought.... [ Continue Reading ]
1 Kings 18:10 [As] the LORD thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when they said, [He is] not [there]; he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that they found thee not. Ver. 10. _There is no nation or kingdom._] And yet the prophet, by the... [ Continue Reading ]
And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah [is here]. Ver. 11. _Behold, Elijah is here._] Whereupon he shall slay me, as 1 Kings 18:14; 1 Kings 18:9 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And it shall come to pass, [as soon as] I am gone from thee, that the Spirit of the LORD shall carry thee whither I know not; and [so] when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find thee, he shall slay me: but I thy servant fear the LORD from my youth. Ver. 12. _But I thy servant fear the Lord from... [ Continue Reading ]
Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD'S prophets by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water? Ver. 13. How I hid a hundred men of the Lord's prophets.] So did Hulderic Hutten, Silvester de Schavenburg, and Franc... [ Continue Reading ]
And now thou sayest, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah [is here]: and he shall slay me. Ver. 14. _And he shall slay me._] Everything would live. Man is ζωον φιλοζωον. See on 1 Kings 18:9 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And Elijah said, [As] the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely shew myself unto him to day. Ver. 15. _I will surely show myself unto him today._] Though he be never so much incensed against me. The fear of God putteth out the fear of any mortal wight, as the sunbeams do the fire... [ Continue Reading ]
_So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him: and Ahab went to meet Elijah._ Ver. 16. _So Obadiah went._] Cured of his fear by the prophet's oath; and confident that _Deo armatus,_ he would encounter the king.... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, [Art] thou he that troubleth Israel? Ver. 17. _Art thou he that troubleth Israel?_] Alas, what had the righteous prophet done? he taxed their sin, he foretold the judgment: he deserved it not, he inflicted it not; yet he smarteth,... [ Continue Reading ]
And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim. Ver. 18. _I have not troubled Israel; but thou, &c._] This was prophet-like plain dealing; such as was afterwards also used by Micaiah... [ Continue Reading ]
Now therefore send, [and] gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table. Ver. 19. And the prophets of the groves, which eat at Jezebel's table.] These came not, as forbidden, hapl... [ Continue Reading ]
So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. Ver. 20. _Unto mount Carmel._] Where the Papists say that Elias used to live a monastic retired life; and thereupon they call an order of their friars Carmelites. A mere fancy.... [ Continue Reading ]
And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD [be] God, follow him: but if Baal, [then] follow him. And the people answered him not a word. Ver. 21. _How long halt ye between two opinions?_] Being as soon of this, and as soon of that; uncertain of... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then said Elijah unto the people, I, [even] I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets [are] four hundred and fifty men._ Ver. 22. _I, even I, only remain._] So Paphnutius in the Nicene Council carried it for the truth. So before him, did Nicodemus, John 7:51 _; _ Joh 7:53 as after,... [ Continue Reading ]
Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay [it] on wood, and put no fire [under]: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay [it] on wood, and put no fire [under]: Ver. 23. _And cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood._]... [ Continue Reading ]
And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. Ver. 24. _And the God that answereth by fire._] He would have the controversy thus decided rather by a miracle... [ Continue Reading ]
And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress [it] first; for ye [are] many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire [under]. Ver. 25. _Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first._] All privileges and advantages are granted the... [ Continue Reading ]
And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed [it], and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But [there was] no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. Ver. 26. _And they leaped upon the altar._] Or... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he [is] a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, [or] peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. Ver. 27. _That Elijah mocked them._] All mocking therefore is not unlawful: not that which... [ Continue Reading ]
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. Ver. 28. _And they cried aloud, and cut themselves._] To their _vocis intentio,_ they added _cutis incisio_ - and this they had learned of their heathen neighbours Deu 14:1 - bu... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the [time] of the offering of the [evening] sacrifice, that [there was] neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded. Ver. 29. _And they prophesied._] Did all their mad pranks, and haply sang the praises of their idol g... [ Continue Reading ]
And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD [that was] broken down. Ver. 30. _And he repaired the altar of the Lord._] Defaced, likely, by idolaters, and haply by these Baalists now in their frantic fits, and t... [ Continue Reading ]
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: Ver. 31. _According to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob._] To immind them that there ought to have been a common consent of... [ Continue Reading ]
And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. Ver. 32. _In the name of the Lord,_] _i.e., _ By his special warrant, and for his honour and service.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid [him] on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour [it] on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. Ver. 33. _Fill four barrels with water._] Which was got out of the sea, likely, which was nigh to mount Carmel, Jer... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, Do [it] the second time. And they did [it] the second time. And he said, Do [it] the third time. And they did [it] the third time. Ver. 34. _Do it the third time._] The twelve barrels might also point to the same thing as the twelve stones. 1Ki 18:31... [ Continue Reading ]
And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water. Ver. 35. _And he filled the trench also with the water._] To the end that all being licked up, the miracle might be the more manifest.... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass at [the time of] the offering of the [evening] sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou [art] God in Israel, and [that] I [am] thy servant, and [that] I have done all these things at thy... [ Continue Reading ]
Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou [art] the LORD God, and [that] thou hast turned their heart back again. Ver. 37. _Hear me, O Lord, hear me._] God is distinguished from all false gods by his hearing of prayers. This the prophet well knew, and therefore crieth, "Hear me,... [ Continue Reading ]
Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that [was] in the trench. Ver. 38. _Then the fire of the Lord fell._] In answer to the prophet's prayer, and for the conversion of the people. Plutarch giving a reas... [ Continue Reading ]
And when all the people saw [it], they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he [is] the God; the LORD, he [is] the God. Ver. 39. _The Lord, he is the God._] This was to give God a testimonial; this was to "set to their seals that God was true." Joh 3:33... [ Continue Reading ]
And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. Ver. 40. _And they took them._] The recent miracle had made them submissive. _ To the brook Kishon._] Haply, to testify that... [ Continue Reading ]
And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for [there is] a sound of abundance of rain. Ver. 41. _Get thee up, eat and drink._] One of the Hebrews saith that Ahab had long fasted, that he might obtain rain of God. The chief cause of God's wrath was now removed; he might therefore rejoic... [ Continue Reading ]
So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, Ver. 42. _And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel._] There, as in his ordinary oratory, to pray out the promise of rain, to put it in suit, and... [ Continue Reading ]
And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, [There is] nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. Ver. 43. _And said to his servant._] The widow of Sarepta's son, saith Vatablus. Heb., To his young man. _ Look toward the sea._] Whence great vapou... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare [thy chariot], and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. Ver. 44. _Behold, there ariseth a little cloud._] This little clou... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. Ver. 45. _And there was a great rain,_] _sc., _ Upon the prayer of Elias. And the like was done for the thundering legion, as they called them, the... [ Continue Reading ]
And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. Ver. 46. _And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah._] He was filled with, and acted by a supernatural ability and agility, _ut pedes regem equitantem anteiret,_ that he run before the k... [ Continue Reading ]