1Jezebel threatening Elijah's life for having slain Baal's prophets, he fleeth to Beer-sheba. 4In the wilderness he groweth weary of life, but being twice strengthened by food brought him by an angel, he reacheth Horeb after having fasted forty days and forty nights. 9At Horeb God appeareth unto him, and commissioneth him to anoint Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha. 19He meeteth Elisha, who taking leave of his friends followeth him.
1AND Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and 1withal how he had slain 2all the prophets with the sword.
1 Understand the entire transaction, which he had held with the prophets of Baal, to prove that the Lord was the only true God, and to punish those prophets with death in His Name.
2 That is, the four hundred and fifty men, who are called the prophets of Baal, 1 Kings 18:19, 22, and not the four hundred prophets of the idolatrous grove. See the annotation 1 Kings 18 on verse 22, and compare 1 Kings 22:6.
2Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, 3So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy 4life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.
3 See of this making an oath, Ruth 1 on verse 17.
4 Or, soul; that is, life; and so in the sequel. See Gen. 19 on verse 17.
3And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his 5life, and came to 6Beer-sheba, 7which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
5 Hebr. soul. Other, according to his soul, that is, according to his discretion.
6 See of this city, Gen. 21:31.
7 Hebr. which is of Judah, that is, which is situated among the tribe of Judah, properly pertaining to Simeon.
4¶But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a 8juniper tree: and he requested for himself that 9he might die; and said, 10It is enough; now, O LORD, 11take away my life; for I am not 12better than my fathers.
8 Other, bramble bush. See likewise of this bush, Job 30:4; Psalm 120:4.
9 Or, his soul. That is, his person, or he himself; also Num. 23:10; Judges 16:30. Compare the annotation at Gen. 12 on verse 5. Other, prayed for himself, or by himself, or in his mind, that he would die.
10 Namely, lived and suffered. Hebr. much: which word is so taken, Deut. 2:3; 3:26.
11 That is, let me live no longer, separating my soul from this body that it may dwell with Thee; also Jonah 4:3. Compare the annotation at Gen. 35 on verse 18.
12 Understand to live longer than they have lived.
5And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
6And he looked, and, behold, there was a 13cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, 14and laid him down again.
13 Hebr. a cake of the coals; that is, a cake baked or toasted on the coals. See Gen. 18 on verse 6.
14 Hebr. and he turned again, and laid himself down; that is, he laid himself down again. See Num. 11 on verse 4.
7And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because 15the journey is too great for thee.
15 Or, the journey would be too much for thee; namely, to go it by your own strength.
8And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in 16the strength of that meat fortya days and forty nights unto Horeb 17the mount of God.
16 Understand by the strength, that God had given, or put into the meat, to furnish Elijah by means thereof with necessary strength for that long and tedious journey.
a Exod. 34:28; Mat. 4:2.
17 See Num. 10 on verse 33.
9¶And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, 18What doest thou here, Elijah?
18 Hebr. What is thou here Elijah?
10And he said, I have been 19very jealous for the LORD 20God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine 21altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; andb I, even I only, am left; and they seek my 22life, to take it away.
19 Hebr. Being zealous I have been zealous. Understand by this zeal an holy commotion of the heart, which a man has, when he perceives that the Lord’s Name, doctrine, commandments, and worship, are rejected and persecuted; and on the contrary, idolatry and wickedness followed, and maintained. See similar examples, Num. 25:11; 2 Kings 10:16; Psalm 69:9; John 2:17.
20 See 1 Kings 18 on verse 15; also below, verse 14.
21 Understand by these the outward ceremonial worship, instituted by God by the ministry of Moses. Or, hereby may be understood, such altars, as had been extraordinarily built by some of the prophets through God’s inspiration.
b Rom. 11:3.
22 Or, soul. See Gen. 19 on verse 17.
11And 23he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, 24the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but 25the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
23 Namely, the Lord.
24 The Lord appeared thus unto Elijah; to assure him of His presence, to instruct him concerning His Divine attributes, and to strengthen him in his ministry, that, having vanquished and overcome the fear of men, he would steadfastly persevere and go on in his calling.
25 The Lord indeed is everywhere; but not every manner of way. In respect of His Divine oracle He was not in the wind, neither in the earthquake, nor in the fire, but only in respect of the revelation of certain Divine attributes.
12And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire 26a still small voice.
26 Namely, in which there was not the noise of a strong wind, or violent earthquake, or kindled fire.
13And it was so, when Elijah heard it, 27that he wrapped his face in his 28mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, 29What doest thou here, Elijah?
27 Namely, because of reverence and fear. See Exod. 3:6, and compare the annotation at Gen. 16 on verse 13.
28 Or, upper garment. See Jonah 3 on verse 6.
29 Hebr. What is thou here, etc.
14And he said, 30I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
30 Hebr. Being zealous I have been zealous; also verse 10.
15And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of 31Damascus: and when thou comest, 32anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:
31 See of this city Gen. 14 on verse 15.
32 How, and when this was done, we find not. Indeed, Elisha foretold him that he would be king. See 2 Kings 8:12, etc.
16And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou 33anoint to be king over Israel: and 34Elisha the son of Shaphat of 35Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet 36in thy room.
33 This Elisha put in practice by one of the disciples of the prophets, 2 Kings 9:1, 2, etc.
34 In the New Testament called in Greek Eliseus.
35 See of this city, Judges 7 on verse 22.
36 That is, to perform in My Name the aforesaid things and others as a prophet.
17And itc shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of 37Hazael shall Jehu 38slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha 39slay.
c 2 Kings 9:14, 15, etc.
37 Namely, in the war against king Joram, 2 Kings 8:12, 13, 28; 10:32; 13:3.
38 See hereof 2 Kings 9:14, etc.
39 Namely, by prophecies, threats, curses, etc. See an example, 2 Kings 2:24.
18Yetd40I have left me 41seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath 42not kissed him.
d Rom. 11:4.
40 Other, I will leave, etc.
41 That is, very many. See Lev. 26 on verse 8.
42 That is, have shown no reverence, nor subjection; whereof kissing was an outward sign. See Gen. 41 on verse 40; which the idolaters show to this day to their images and decorated sanctuary. See of the unlawful religious kissing, Job 31:27; Hosea 13:2.
19¶So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke 43of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and 44cast his mantlee upon him.
43 This word is here inserted from the following 21st verse.
44 This was an outward sign, that God had chosen him to the office of a prophet, who wore such a mantle. See 2 Kings 1:8; Zech. 13:4.
e sleeveless cloak or cape*
20And he 45left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, 46Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will 47follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: 48for what have I done to thee?
45 Compare with Mat. 4:20, 22.
46 That is, permit me to bid an honorable farewell to them. See Gen. 29 on verse 11.
47 Hebr. go after thee.
48 That is, consider what I did just now to thee; for, it was not done in vain that I cast my mantle upon thee, and that God hath put an inclination into thee to obey His call. Compare Mat. 8:22. Luke 9:62.
21And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and 49slew them, and boiled their flesh with 50the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.
49 By this he signified that he had left his former calling of tilling the ground, and at the same time taking his leave of his friends and kindred by this feast.
50 Understand the wood of the plough, the yoke, the harrow, the shovels, and other tools wherewith he had done his husbandry, of which he made a fire to boil therewith the flesh.