The First Book of the Kings, commonly called the Third Book of the Kings
1 Kings 19
Chapter XIX · Vol. II, pp. 755–756
1 Elijah, threatened by Jezebel, fleeth to Beersheba. 4 In the wilderness, being weary of his life, he is comforted by an angel. 9 At Horeb God appeareth unto him, sending him to anoint Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha. 19 Elisha, taking leave of his friends, followeth Elijah.
1 And Ahab told Jezebel aall that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.
a ch.18.19-40.
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, bSo let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by cto-morrow about this time.
3 And when he saw that, dhe arose, and went for his life, and came to eBeer-sheba,1 which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there.
4 But2 he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness,3 and came and fsat down under a juniper-tree: and he requested gfor himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.4
5 And has he lay and slept under a juniper-tree,5 behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
h Ge.28.11-16. He.1.14; 13.5.
5 The modern Arabic word, which is the same as the Hebrew, signifies a kind of broom, which still grows abundantly in Paran, and the scanty shade of which may have served to suggest the despondency of the prophet.—C.
6 And he looked, and, behold, there was ia cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head:6 and he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
7 And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; kbecause the journey is too great for thee.
k Ps.103.13,14. De.33.25. 1 Co.9.7; 10.13. 2 Co.12.9.
8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the lstrength of that meat mforty days and forty nights unto nHoreb7 the mount of God.
9 And he came thither unto oa cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him,8 and he said unto him, pWhat doest thou here, Elijah?
o Ex.33.21,22. Je.9.2. He.11.38.
8 An appearance of Christ, 'the Word of the Lord,' and whom Elijah calls (ver. 10) 'the Lord God of hosts,' the object of the altar worship, and Lord of the holy prophets.—C.
p ver.13. Ge.16.8.
10 And he said, I have been qvery jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for rthe children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and sI, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
11 And he said, Go forth, and tstand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, theu LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; xbut the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake:
12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire ya still small voice.9
y Zec.4.6. Ac.2.37,39. Job 4.16. Ex.34.6.
9 A realized parable, intended to teach (1) That wind, earthquake, and fire—the most terrible agents of destruction—are all in the hand of God. (2) That as 'the kingdom of heaven cometh not with observation,' it was not by these terrible powers God intended to work, but by a 'still small voice,' audible only to the attentive listener, Is. 55.3.—C.
13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that hez wrapped his face in his mantle,1 and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave: and, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, aWhat doest thou here, Elijah?2
z Ge.16.13; 18.27. Ex.3.6; 33.23. Is.6.2,5.
1 An eastern acknowledgment of respect.—C.
a ver.9. Ge.16.8. Jn.21.15-17.
2 The angel of the Lord appears to have either directed or approved of this journey, ver.7, which this question seems to condemn. But the reprehension is not that of the journey, but of the prophet's despondency. The lessons which the narrative conveys are pregnant with instruction. 1. It teaches that 'man shall not live by bread alone,' since a little can sustain for 40 days. 2. That no retreat is free from danger, since storm, earthquake, and fire visit the deepest solitudes. 3. That solitude, contemplative inaction, and despondency are unbecoming the commissioned servants of the Lord. 4. That God can soon raise up agents to punish wicked and idolatrous rulers; and 5. that he will preserve a succession of witnesses in his church, to testify against sin and sinners to all generations.—C.
14 And he said, bI 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.
15 And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the cwilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, danoint Hazael to be king over Syria:
16 And eJehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and fElisha the son of Shaphat of gAbel-meholah3 shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.4
e 2 Ki.9.1,2,4.
f Lu.4.27, called Eliseus, ver.19-21.
g ch.4.12.
3 Abel-meholah was situated in the Jordan valley, south of Bethshean. The route of Elijah appears to have been up the Jordan valley, through Samaria, and then northward to Damascus.—P.
4 And who, accordingly, in 'his room,' fulfilled this commission in due time.—C.
17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth hthe sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the isword of Jehu shall kElisha slay.
18 Yetl I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not mkissed him.
19 So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and nhe with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his omantle upon him.5
n Am.7.14. Ps.78.70,71. Ex.3.1. Ju.6.11. Mat.4.18,21.
o 2 Ki.2.8,13. ver.13.
5 The transfer of the mantle was the 'sign and seal' of inauguration and succession to the prophetic office. A similar custom, most probably derived from this account, still prevails among the Soofees in Persia, where the older the mantle it is counted the more valuable and honourable.—C.
20 And he pleft the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee?6
p Mat.4.20; 9.9; 8.21,22; 19.27. Lu.9.61,62.
A.M. 3098. B.C. 906.
6 What have I done to hinder thee?—C.
Notes
[Ver. 15. 'The wilderness (i.e. the midbar, 'pastoral region' as distinguished from cultivated ground) of Damascus' lay to the south and south-east of the city. The plain of Damascus, so far as it can be irrigated by the waters of Abana and Pharpar, is cultivated and planted, and is one of the richest and most beautiful in the world. Outside the circuit of irrigation it is dry and parched, and in general can only be used for pasture. P.]
Ver. 18. [Have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. The heathen kissed several of their idols, either by touching them with the right hand (Plin. lib. xxviii. c. 2), or by actually saluting them with the lips (Cic. in Verrem). A similar practice has been transferred into those superstitious forms of Christianity where the images of saints have displaced the ancient idols and set up modern idolatry. C.]
Reflections.—The promoters of false worship desperately hate those who zealously oppose their designs. And no persecutor is more malicious or furious than a profane woman. How weak and spiritless are the greatest zealots for God when left to themselves! Elijah had just commanded both king and subjects: now he shrinks for fear of a dignified harlot. But it is mean to desire death as a refuge from distress; and to seek to die like a wandering sheep in the wilderness, while shunning the honourable death of a martyr for God at Jezreel. When men impatiently wish for death they are ordinarily in a frame very unfit for it, and would be ready to recall their wish if God were to grant it. We ought never to desert the path of duty though it lead us through the valley of the shadow of death. However dark providences appear we must never despair. We know not what further work God may have for us. To desire to be with Christ is laudable; but to be weary of our warfare is sinful. But God kindly overlooks the infirmities of his people; visits them when on the brink of despair; and lays meat before them when they shamefully desert his service. Such as are travelling to Horeb, to the mount of God in heaven, will find strength ministered to them for their journey, and angels to be their ministering spirits. To encourage their own peevish frowardness saints are apt to think matters in the church worse than they really are. But whom the Lord loves he will rebuke and chasten, he will direct and further employ. No place can exclude his gracious manifestations. It is the folly of human weakness to be discouraged for want of success in God's work. The sufficiency of the power is of God, not of ourselves. They that would be faithful for God in bad times must put their lives in their hands and be ready to die for him.—In the most terrible manner God often introduces his most mild and gracious intimations. God's saints are generally few; but they are often more numerous in times of general apostasy than good men think: and all of them are under the special knowledge and care of God. It bodes ill when God's children become intercessors against a people. We may expect quickly to see or hear of instruments of God's wrath raised up to destroy them, for in his due time God will reward his people, and that speedily. Never can he want agents for his work, whether of mercy or judgment. All should hear his blessed and heart-touching call: no earthly cares should detain them from his service.