Elijah's controversy with B. C. 906. CHAPTER XVIII. the prophets of Baal. B. C. 906. A. M. 398. is a god: either 11he is talking, or he || past, and they prophesied until the A. M. 3098. 12 is pursuing, or he is in a journey, time of the offering of the evening 14 or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any awaked. to answer, nor any 15 that regarded. 29 And it came to pass, when mid-day was the LORD that was broken down. Or, he meditateth-12 Heb. hath a pursuit.— - Lev. xix. 28; mocked them-He derided them and their god, that he might awaken them out of their stupidity, and expose them to all the bystanders as deceivers of the people, in leading them to worship such senseless and contemptible things. Cry aloud, for he is a god -As you suppose: but what a god, who cannot be made to hear without all this clamour! Either he is talking-Or meditating, as the Hebrew is, thinking of something else, and not minding his own important concerns, when not only your credit, but all his honour lies at stake, and his interest in Israel. Or he is pursuing-His enemies, or hunting and pursuing the prey. He is employed about some other business, and is not at leisure to mind you. For, being a god of a small and narrow understanding, he cannot mind two things at once; and you are unreasonable to expect it from him. Or he is in a journey, &c.—The worship of idols being a most ridiculous thing, it is perfectly just to represent it so, and expose it to scorn. And "nothing can be imagined more cutting and sarcastic than these words of the prophet, in which he ridicules, in the finest manner possible, their wretched, false, and derogatory ideas of the Deity. The two last notions of being asleep and not at home, how absurd soever they may be, when applied to the Deity, were certainly such as several idolaters conceived of their gods, as appears from various passages in Homer; m one of which, (Iliad i. verse 423,) he tells us, that Thetis could not meet with Jupiter, because he was gone abroad, and would not return in less than twelve days; and at the conclusion of that book he gives us an account of the manner in which the gods went to sleep. How debasing ideas these compared with that awful intelligence which revelation gives s of the true God, who neither slumbereth nor deepeth; but who, everywhere present, is, at all times, conscious even of the secrets of the heart; at all times ready to hear, and able to grant the petitions of his people!"-Dodd. ing by experience, that nothing was more acceptable to their Baal (who was indeed the devil) than human blood; and hoping thereby to move their god to help them. And this indeed was the practice of divers heathen in the worship of their false gods, Plutarch, in his book De Superstitione, tells us that the priests of Bellona, when they sacrificed to that goddess, were wont to besmear the victim with their own blood. The Persian magi, according to Herodotus, used to appease tempests and allay the winds by making incisions in their flesh. They who carried about the Syrian goddess, as Apuleius relates, among other mad pranks, were every now and then cutting and slashing themselves with knives, till the blood gushed out; and even to this very day, we are informed, in Turkey, Persia, and in several parts of the Indies, there are a kind of fanatics who think they do a very meritorious service, and highly acceptable to the deity, by cutting and mangling their own flesh."-Calmet, and Picart's Religious Ceremonies. Verse 29. They prophesied, &c.-That is, prayed to, or sung hymns in honour of their god, falling into strange contortions, as if they were excited and actuated by some divine power. Until the time of the evening sacrifice-Here termed the sacrifice by way of eminence, (for in the Hebrew there is nothing for evening,) because it was more solemn and public, and more frequented than the morning sacrifice; of which divers reasons may be given. See Exod. xii. 6; Psa. cxli. 2; Acts iii. 1. Nor any that regarded-Hebrew, ps, ein kasheb, there was no attention; either of their god, who was so far from answering that he did not mind any of their words or actions; or of the people, who were now tired out with so long attention and expectation; and therefore, more readily deserted them, and drew near to Elijah and his altar at his call. Verse 30. Elijah said, Come near unto me— Come away from these impudent deceivers to me, Verse 28. They cried aloud-They were so far and expect from me the satisfaction of your desire. from being convinced and put to shame by the just He repaired the altar of the Lord-An altar which reproach which Elijah cast upon them, that it made probably had remained from the time of the judges; them the more earnest and violent in their proceed at least, it had been built by some of their ancestors, ings, and induced them to act more ridiculously. A for the offering of sacrifices to the God of Israel, deceived heart having turned them aside, they could which was frequently done in high places, of which, not deliver their souls by inquiring, Is there not a it is probable, Carmel was once one of the most lie in our right hand? And cut themselves after eminent in the whole kingdom. This altar Elijah their manner, &c.-Observe their zeal! They min- now repaired, because it had been broken down, gled their own blood with their sacrifices; as know-doubtless, by some of the Baalites out of their en Elijah's controversy with I. KINGS. the prophets of Baal. A. M. 3098. 31 And Elijah took twelve stones, || it the third time. And they did it A. M. 3098. according to the number of the tribes the third time. B. C. 906. mity to the true God, whose temple they could not reach, and therefore showed their malignity in destroying his altars. "Both Tacitus and Suetonius speak of the God of Carmel, whom Vespasian went to consult when he was in Judea; but they tell us, that there was neither temple nor statue upon the mountain, except one altar only, plain, but venerable for its antiquity. The altar of Carmel seems to have had its original from this altar of the true God, which the ancient Hebrews first erected, and Elijah afterward repaired; and which even the heathen held in such veneration, that when they came to be masters of the country, they would not so much as place an image by it."-Dodd. Verse 31. Elijah took twelve stones-This he did, with a view to renew the covenant between God and all the tribes, as Moses did, Exod. xxiv. 4; to show, that he prayed and acted in the name and for the service of the God of all the patriarchs, and of all the tribes of Israel, and for their good: and to teach the people, that though the tribes were divided as to their civil government, they ought all to be united in the worship of the same God, and in the same religion. Israel shall be thy name-Jacob was graciously answered by God when he prayed to him, and was honoured with the glorious title of Israel, which noted his prevalency with God and men. And I, calling upon the same God, doubt not of a gracious answer; and if ever you mean to have your prayers granted, you must seek to the God of Jacob. And if you would recover the honour which was once conferred on Jacob, and continued a long time to his posterity, you must return to that God from whom you are revolted. Verses 32, 33. With the stones he built an altarWith the assistance of the people, who now readily yielded their helping hands. In the name of the Lord-By the authority of God and for his worship. He made a trench as great as would contain two measures of seed-As capacious, say some, as a sack || B. C. 906. C 36 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 word. 37 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. that would contain that quantity, namely, two third parts of an ephah. Others understand the words as meaning a trench of sufficient breadth and circuit to sow therein that quantity of seed, or about twenty pounds' weight of barley: which must have been very large indeed. Fill four barrels with waterThis they could quickly fetch, either from the river Kishon; or, if that was dried up, from the sea; both were at the foot of the mountain. This he did to make the miracle more glorious, and more unquestionable; to show that there was no fallacy in it, no fire concealed in or about the altar; but that the lightning which was to consume the sacrifice came from heaven, and came at Elijah's invocation; and Josephus tells us, that Elijah invited the people to draw near, that they might search and spy everywhere, if they could find any fire secretly conveyed under the altar. Antiq. lib. 8. cap. 7. Verses 36, 37. At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice-This time he chose, that he might unite his prayers with the prayers of the godly Jews at Jerusalem, who at that time assembled together to pray. Lord God of Abraham, &c.-Hereby he shows his faith in God's ancient covenant, and also reminds the people of their relation both to God and to the patriarchs. I have done these things-Brought this famine, gathered the people hither, and done what I have done, or am doing here, not in compliance with my own passions, but in obedience to thy command: for his shutting up heaven by his prayers, and afterward killing the priests of Baal, would of necessity expose him to great envy and reproach, which made this public vindication of his conduct necessary, as it was also effectual, being witnessed from heaven. That thou hast turned their heart back again-Let them feel so powerful a change in their hearts, that they may know it is thy work, and may show that they are brought back again to thee, the only living and true God, from whom they have revolted. Elijah's controversy with B. C. 906. CHAPTER XVIII. AM. 3098 38 Then the fire of the LORD 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell 17 Lev. ix. 24; Judges vi. 21; 1 Chron. xxi. 26; 2 Chron. vii. 1. the prophets of Baal. Verse 38. The fire of the Lord fell-And not command, and executed the sentence he pronounced. only, as at other times, (see the margin,) consumed And Ahab could make no opposition, being himself the sacrifice and the wood, in token of God's accept- also, it is likely, astonished at the stupendous miraance of the offering, but licked up all the water that cle. And Elijah brought them down to the brook was in the trench, exhaling and drawing it up as a Kishon-That their blood might be poured into that vapour, to descend (with other water, to be raised river, and thence conveyed into the sea, and might from the adjoining sea) in the intended rain, which not defile the holy land. And slew them there—Or, was to be the fruit of this sacrifice and prayer, more ordered them to be slain by the people. As these than the product of natural causes. And this was idolatrous priests were manifestly under a sentence not all. To complete the miracle, the fire consumed of death, passed upon such by the sovereign Lord the stones of the altar, and the very dust, to show of life and death, so Elijah had authority to execute that it was no ordinary fire, and perhaps to intimate it, being a prophet, and an extraordinary minister of that though God accepted this occasional sacrifice God's vengeance. The four hundred prophets of from this altar, yet for the future they ought to de- the groves, it seems, did not attend, and so escaped, molish all the altars on their high places, and for which perhaps Ahab rejoiced in: but it proved, they their constant sacrifices make use of that at Jerusa- were reserved to be the instruments of his delem only. Moses's altar and Solomon's were construction, by encouraging him to go up to Ramothsecrated by fire from heaven; but this was destroyed, Gilead. because it was to be used no more. We may well imagine, what a terror this fire struck on guilty Ahab, and all the worshippers of Baal, and how they fled from it as far and as fast as they could, saying, in their hearts, Lest it consume us also, Num. xvi. 34. Verse 41. Get thee up-From the river, (where he had been present at the execution of Baal's priests,) to thy tent; which probably was pitched on the side of Carmel. Eat, &c.-Take comfort, and refresh thyself: for neither the king nor any of the people could have leisure to eat, being wholly intent upon the decision of the great controversy. there is a sound of abundance of rain-The rain is as certainly and speedily coming, as if you did actually see it, or hear the noise which it makes. For Verse 39. When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces-In acknowledgment and adoration of the true God; and all, as one man, cried out, Jehovah, he is the God-He alone; and Baal is a senseless idol. And they repeated the words to signify their Verse 42. Elijah went up to the top of Carmelabundant satisfaction, and assurance of the truth of Where he might pour out his prayers unto God; their assertion. And some, we may hope, had their and whence he might look toward the sea. He had hearts so turned back as to be determined that he a large prospect of the sea from hence: the sailors should be their God, and that they would serve him at this day call it Cape Carmel. Between his knees only, Josh. xxiv. 24. But it is certain the generality-That is, bowed his head so low, that it touched his of them were convinced only, not converted; they knees; thus abasing himself in the sense of his own yielded to the truth of God, that he is the God, but meanness, now God had thus honoured him. consented not to his covenant that he should be their God. Blessed are they, who have not seen what they saw, and yet have believed, and been influenced more than they that saw it. Verse 40. Elijah said, Take the prophets of Baal He takes the opportunity of ordering the execution of these idolaters, while the people's hearts were warm with the fresh sense of this great miracle. And they took them-For the people, in that fit of zeal wherein they now were, readily obeyed Elijah's Verse 43. Go up now, &c.-While I continue praying. Look toward the sea- -Whence clouds and vapours usually arise. Elijah desired to have timely notice of the first appearance of rain, not out of vanity, but that Ahab and the people might know that it was obtained from Jehovah by his prayers, and thereby be confirmed in the true religion. He looked and said, There is nothing-We must not be dejected for some disappointments; but, though the answer of our fervent supplications do not come presently, yet we must continue instant in prayer, waiting on God, and not faint or grow weary, for at the end the vision shall speak and not lie. life of Elijah. B. C. 906. 45 And it came to pass in the mean A. M. 3098. while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. 46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab 20 to the entrance of Jezreel. 20 Heb. till thou come to Jezreel. self-denying carriage, it might appear, what he had done was not from envy or passion, but only from a just zeal for God's glory; that by his presence with Verse 44. There ariseth a little cloud like a the king and his courtiers, he might animate and man's hand-Which presently overspread the hea- oblige them to proceed in the reformation of relivens, and watered the earth. Great blessings often gion; and, to demonstrate, that he was neither rise from small beginnings, and showers of plenty ashamed of, nor afraid for what he had done, but from a cloud of a span long: let us therefore never durst venture himself in the midst of his enemies. despise the day of small things, but hope and wait| But surely, if Ahab had paid the respect to Elijah for greater things from it. Verse 46. The hand of the Lord was on Elijah -God gave him more than natural strength, whereby he was enabled to outrun Ahab's chariot for so many miles together. And he girded up his loins-That his garments, which were long and loose, like those in use in that country, might not hinder him. And ran before Ahab-To show how ready he was to honour and serve the king; that by this humble and that he deserved, he would have taken him into his chariot, as the eunuch did Philip, that he might honour him before the elders of Israel, and confer with him further about the reformation of the kingdom: but his pride and ambition, and other corrupt dispositions, got the better of his conviction; and he was glad to get quit of him, as Felix of Paul, when he dismissed him, and adjourned his conference with || him to a more convenient season. CHAPTER XIX. Elijah, threatened by Jezebel, flees to Beer-sheba, 1-3. In the wilderness, being weary of his life, he is fed and comforted by an angel, 4-8. At Horeb the Lord appears to him, and orders him to anoint Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha, 9–18. He meets with and calls Elisha, who leaves his friends and follows him, 19–21. A. M. 3098. B. C. 906. AN ND Ahab told Jezebel all that || saying, "So let the gods do to me, A. M. 3098. Elijah had done, and withal how and more also, if I make not thy life he had a slain all the prophets with the sword. as the life of one of them by to-morrow about 2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, this time. a NOTES ON CHAPTER XIX. Verse 1. Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done-Not to convince her that Jehovah was the true God, and Baal a mere imaginary being, or a senseless idol, but to exasperate her against both Jehovah and his prophet. His conscience, it seems, would not let him persecute Elijah himself, having in him some remains of the spirit of an Israelite, which tied his hands; but he wished to excite her to do it. Hence it is not said he told her what God had done, but what Elijah had done, as if he, by some spell or charm, had brought fire from heaven, and the hand of the Lord had not been in it. How he had slain all the prophets-This he especially represented to her, as that which he knew would make her quite outrageous against him. The pro Ruth i. 17; Chap. xx. 10; 2 Kings vi. 31. phets of Baal he calls the prophets, as if they only were worthy of the name: and he aggravates the slaying of them as Elijah's crime, without taking any notice that their lives were justly forfeited to the law of God. Those who, when they cannot for shame or fear do mischief themselves, yet stir up others to do it, will have it laid to their charge as if they had themselves done it. Verse 2. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah-She gives him notice of her designs beforehand; partly from her high and haughty spirit, as scorning to kill him secretly; partly out of impatience till she had given vent to her rage; and partly from God's gracious and overruling providence, that hereby Elijah might have an opportunity of escaping. This shows the great folly of outrageous Elijah flees from Jezebel into B. C. 906. down under a juniper tree: and he B. C. 906. A. M. 3099 3 And when he saw that, he arose, || the wilderness, and came and sat A. M. 3098. and went for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. 1 requested for himself that he might die and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away 4¶ But he himself went a day's journey into my life; for I am not better than my fathers. Num. xi. 15; Jonah iv. 3, 8. anger; which transported her unthinkingly, but effectually, to counteract and obstruct her own designs. So let the gods do to me, and more also, &c. -This imperious and haughty woman, it appears, managed the king and kingdom according to her own will, and did whatever she pleased; and so far was she from being changed by the evident miracle which had been wrought, that she persists in her former idolatry, and adds to it a monstrous confidence, that in spite of God she would destroy his prophet. 1 Heb. for his life. reason in the world to depend upon God's protection while he was doing God's work; yet he flees. In his former danger God had bid him hide himself, (chap. xvii. 3,) therefore he supposed he might do it now." The truth is, as St. James observes, He was a man subject to like passions as we are; and probably it was with a view to this part of his behaviour, that the apostle made that reflection. Elijah knew Jezebel, that she was fierce, cruel, vindictive, and implacable; that in slaying the priests of Baal he had incurred her displeasure; and that to revenge herself she had all the power of the kingdom under her command. These notions made such an impression upon his spirits, as deprived him of that manly resolution, otherwise so remarkable: nor was there wanting a wise design of Providence, in suffering this timidity to fall upon his servant; it was to show him his natural imbecility, and the necessity he had at all times of the divine assistance, which alone could fortify him with a spirit of intrepidity. It was to suppress all the little sentiments of pride and arrogance which might possibly arise in his breast upon the contemplation of the gifts and graces bestowed on him, and the many great miracles which were wrought by his hands; that if he did glory he might glory in the Lord, and not dare to take any part of his honour to himself. See 2 Cor. xii. 7."-Calmet and Dodd. And came to Beer-sheeba and left his servant there-Because he would not expose him to those perils and hardships which he expected; and because he desired solitude, that he might more freely converse with God. Verse 3. And when he saw that, he arose and tent for his life-That is, to save his life: whereby may be intimated, that he did not flee from Jezreel by the hand or direction of the Lord, by which he had come thither; but because of his own fear and apprehension of danger. One would have expected, after such a public and sensible manifestation of the glory of God, and such a clear decision of the controversy depending between him and Baal, to the honour of Elijah, the confusion of Baal's prophets, and the universal satisfaction of the people; after they had seen both fire and water come from heaven at the prayer of Elijah, and both in mercy to them; the one, as it signified the acceptance of their offering; the other as it refreshed their inheritance which was weary; that now they should all, as one man, have returned to the worship of the God of Israel, and taken Elijah for their guide and oracle; that he should from thenceforward have been prime minister of state, and his directions laws both to the king and kingdom: but it is quite otherwise; he is neglected whom God honoured; no respect is paid to him; no care taken of him; but on the contrary, Verse 4. He went a day's journey into the wilderthe land of Israel, to which he had been and mightness-The vast wilderness of Arabia, wherein the have been so great a blessing, is soon made too hot Israelites wandered forty years. He durst not stay for him. As we do not read of any command from in Judah, though good Jehoshaphat reigned there, God to Elijah to flee on this occasion, some have because he was allied to Ahab, and was a man of an been of opinion that it was a great fault in him to do easy temper, whom Ahab might circumvent, and so; and that he ought, by all means, to have ven- either by force or art seize upon Elijah. He retured all consequences, trusting in the divine pro-quested for himself-Hebrew, for his life, or his tection, and to have pushed the advantage he had soul, that it might be taken away from his body. gained by his miracle, by endeavouring to lead the Or, with his soul, as it is Isa. xxvi. 9, that is, he depeople entirely to destroy the worship of Baal, and sired it heartily or fervently; which he did, not to restore that of Jehovah. "Shall we praise him only for his own sake, that he might be freed from for this?" (namely, fleeing for his life,) says Henry; his great fears and troubles; but especially from his "We praise him not. Where was the courage zeal for God's glory, which he saw was and would wherewith he had confronted Ahab and all the pro- be dreadfully eclipsed by the relapse of the Israelphets of Baal? nay, which kept him by his sacrifice, ites into idolatry, and by his death, if it should be when the fire of God fell upon it? He that stood procured by the hands of Jezebel, or of the worundaunted in the midst of the terrors both of heaven shippers of Baal; and therefore he wished to die in and earth, trembles at the impotent menaces of a peace, and by the hand of God. And said, It is proud, passionate woman. Lord, what is man? enough, now, O Lord-I have lived long enough for He could not but know that he might be very ser- thy cause, and am not likely to do thee any more viceable to Israel at this juncture; and had all the service; neither my words nor works are likely to |