INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 19 This chapter gives us a further account of Elijah, of his being obliged to flee for his life through the threats of Jezebel, 1 Kings 19:1, of the care the Lord took of him, providing food for him, in the strength of which he went to Horeb, 1 Kings 19:5, of the Lord's appe... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AHAB TOLD JEZEBEL ALL THAT ELIJAH HAD DONE,.... What miracles he had wrought, how that not only fire came down from heaven, and consumed the sacrifice, but even the stones and dust of the altar, and licked up great quantities of water in the trench around it; and that it was at his prayer that r... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN JEZEBEL SENT A MESSENGER UNTO ELIJAH,.... In Jezreel, or near it, to frighten him away; not caring to seize him, and dispatch him, for fear of the people, in whom he had now a great interest; or otherwise it is not easy to account for it that she should give him notice of it; unless she scorned... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN HE SAW THAT,.... That her design and resolution were to take away his life; the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Syriac versions read, "and he was afraid"; or frightened; he that had such courage as not to be afraid to meet Ahab, and contend with four hundred and fifty priests of Baal, and in... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT HE HIMSELF WENT A DAY'S JOURNEY INTO THE WILDERNESS,.... Of Paran, which began near Beersheba, and was the wilderness of Arabia, in which the Israelites were near forty years; this day's journey carried him about twenty miles from Beersheba southward, as the above writer reckons: AND CAME AND S... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AS HE LAY AND SLEPT UNDER A JUNIPER TREE,.... Being weary and fatigued with his journey, the same under which he sat; for there was but one, as that is said to be in the preceding verse: BEHOLD, THEN AN ANGEL TOUCHED HIM, AND SAID UNTO HIM, ARISE, AND EAT; so far was the Lord from granting his... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE LOOKED, AND, BEHOLD, [THERE WAS] A CAKE BAKED ON THE COALS,.... Just took off the coals, quite hot. Bochart q thinks it should be rendered, "baked on hot stones"; and such was the way of baking cakes in some of the eastern countries, Genesis 18:6, the stones hereabout might be heated by a sup... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD CAME AGAIN THE SECOND TIME, AND TOUCHED HIM,.... In order to awake him out of sleep: AND SAID UNTO HIM, ARISE, AND EAT, BECAUSE THE JOURNEY IS TOO GREAT FOR THEE; which he had to go to Horeb, without eating more than he had; and there were no provisions to be had in a comm... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE AROSE, AND DID EAT AND DRINK,.... Of what was left of the cake and cruse of water, before provided for him: AND WENT IN THE STRENGTH OF THAT MEAT FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS UNTO HOREB THE MOUNT OF GOD; for so long he was going to that place, though it might have been gone in three or four d... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE CAME THITHER UNTO A CAVE, AND LODGED THERE,.... This cave, some travellers say u, is to be seen at this day, not far from a church dedicated to the prophet Elijah, and that the cave itself has the appearance of a chapel; but a more particular account of it is given in a journal w lately publi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID, I HAVE BEEN JEALOUS FOR THE LORD GOD OF HOSTS,.... Through zeal for the glory of God he had slain four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and this had stirred up the malice and revenge of Jezebel against him, who sought his life, and which had obliged him to flee, and come to this plac... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID, GO FORTH AND STAND UPON THE MOUNT BEFORE THE LORD,.... Who would appear there as he had to Moses formerly, though not in the same manner: AND, BEHOLD, THE LORD PASSED BY; or was about to pass, for as yet he had not; his messengers first went before him: AND A GREAT AND STRONG WIND REN... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE A FIRE, [BUT] THE LORD WAS NOT IN THE FIRE,.... As he was when he descended on this mount, and spake to Moses, Exodus 19:1, the Targum, and so Jarchi, interpret all these appearances of angels, and not amiss; the wind, of an host of angels of wind; the earthquake, of an host... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT WAS SO, WHEN ELIJAH HEARD IT, THAT HE WRAPPED HIS FACE IN HIS MANTLE,.... Through reverence of the divine Majesty he perceived was there, and through shame and confusion under a sense of his impurity, imperfections, and unworthiness, as the seraphim in Isaiah 6:2, and as Moses, Exodus 3:6, an... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID,.... Elijah, in answer to the question put, and he says the same as before: I HAVE BEEN VERY JEALOUS,.... which the question was designed to draw from him, in order to give him some instructions and directions; which would suggest to him, that though he should not deal severely with Isr... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SAID UNTO HIM, GO, RETURN ON THY WAY TO THE WILDERNESS OF DAMASCUS,.... He is bid to go back the way he came, through the wilderness of Arabia, which was part of his way to Damascus, near to which was another wilderness, which took its name from thence; though Fortunatus Schacchus x thi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JEHU THE SON OF NIMSHI SHALT THOU ANOINT TO BE KING OVER ISRAEL,.... This was a son of Jehoshaphat, and a grandson of Nimshi; nor does he appear to have been anointed by Elijah, but by Elisha; and being done by his order and direction was the same as if it was done by himself, unless he was twic... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS, THAT HIM THAT ESCAPETH THE SWORD OF HAZAEL SHALL JEHU SLAY,.... Which suggests that many should be slain in Israel by them both, as were by Hazael, 2 Kings 10:32 and by Jehu, 2 Kings 9:24, AND HIM THAT ESCAPETH FROM THE SWORD OF JEHU SHALL ELISHA SLAY; which may be unders... [ Continue Reading ]
YET I HAVE LEFT ME SEVEN THOUSAND IN ISRAEL,.... From perishing by the sword of either of them: ALL THE KNEES WHICH HAVE NOT BOWED TO BAAL; that is, had not worshipped him, which was signified by this gesture: AND EVERY MOUTH WHICH HATH NOT KISSED HIM; either the image of Baal itself, or the hand,... [ Continue Reading ]
SO HE DEPARTED THENCE,.... From Mount Horeb, and came to Abelmeholah, which Bunting computes z at one hundred and fifty six miles: AND FOUND ELISHA THE SON OF SHAPHAT, WHO WAS PLOUGHING WITH TWELVE YOKE OF OXEN BEFORE HIM, AND HE WITH THE TWELFTH; which may be understood either of twelve couple of... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE LEFT THE OXEN, AND RAN AFTER ELIJAH,.... His heart being touched by the Lord at the same time, and his mind enlightened to understand what was meant by that action: AND SAID, LET ME, I PRAY THEE, KISS MY FATHER AND MY MOTHER; take his leave of them in this way, which was what was used by fri... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE RETURNED BACK FROM HIM,.... To his father's house, and took his leave, and then came back into the field, perhaps with others accompanying him: AND TOOK A YOKE OF OXEN AND SLEW THEM, AND BOILED THEIR FLESH WITH THE INSTRUMENTS OF THE OXEN: their yokes, and the plough, with an addition of oth... [ Continue Reading ]