1 Kings 19
DOYLY— Beer-sheba, which belongeth to Judah.] As Beer-sheba was situated in the kingdom of Judah, the power of Jezebel did not extend to it, and the Prophet was safe there. Bp. Patrick.
— cast his mantle upon him.] The mantle was a proper habit of Prophets, (2 Kings ii. 8,) and therefore Elijah’s casting his mantle on Elisha seems to be the ceremony here used for his inauguration. Stackhouse. It appears by what follows that Elisha, by Divine suggestion, understood the sign.
1 Kings 19:3
- And when he saw that, he arose, &c.] If, in the last chapter, the character of Obediah was a contrast to
1 Kings 19:4
- — for I am not better than my fathers.] To whose age he had probably now lived. Bp. Patrick. His meaning seems to be, either that he could pretend to no virtues which should entail a longer life on him than his predecessors had enjoyed, or that he could do no more good upon the impenitent Israelites, than other Prophets before him had done. Pyle. On this occasion, Elijah’s firmness and confidence in the Divine protection seem to have forsaken him; justifying the Apostle’s observation, suggested probably thereby, “Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are,” James v. 17. Dr. Hales. What is this we hear? Elijah fainting and giving up; that heroical spirit dejected and prostrate? He who durst say to Ahab’s face, “It is thou and thy father’s house that troubled Israel;” he that could raise the dead, open and shut the heavens, fetch down both fire and water, with his prayers; he that durst chide and contest with all Israel, that durst kill the four hundred and fifty Baalites with the sword —does he shrink at the frowns and threats of a woman? Does he wish to be rid of his life, because he feared to lose it? Who can expect an undaunted constancy from flesh and blood, when Elijah fails? The strongest and holiest saint upon earth is subject to some qualms of fear and infirmity. To be always and unchangeably good, belongs only to the glorious spirits in heaven. Bp. Hall.
1 Kings 19:5
- — an angel touched him, &c.] To strengthen his faith and to reward his sufferings in the cause of the God of Israel, whose honour he had so zealously vindicated, Elijah was encouraged by the angel of the Lord to undertake “a great journey” to the mount of God,
1 Kings 19:6
- — baken on the coals.] The words should rather be translated, “baken upon hot stones.” Bockart.
1 Kings 19:7
- — Mark, I pray you, and see] On this occasion, Ahab appears to have displayed some sparks of publick virtue; for when Ben-hadad required all that he had at his disposal, that is, all his private goods, he consented to it; but when all the people and the publick good
1 Kings 19:8
- — unto Horeb the mount of God.] The direct distance from Beer-sheba to Horeb is not above 150 miles, which might be travelled by a person of ordinary strength in five or six days: as therefore he spent forty days on the journey, he must have travelled by a circuitous route. Dr. Hales. In the very same mount where Moses first saw God, does Elijah see Him. One and the same cave, as is very probable, was the receptacle to both. It could not but be a great confirmation of Elijah, to renew the sight of those sensible monuments of God’s favour and protection to his faithful predecessor. Bp. Hall.
1 Kings 19:9
- — What doest thou here, Elijah?] This question of God seems to carry in it a gentle reproof for his too hasty flight and fears. It was a weakness to be terrified at the threats of Jezebel, to place his safety in flight; and much more, to wish for death. Yet God indulges His servant’s infirmity, and fortifies him with miraculous food for his journey: nevertheless He taxes him with a defect of faith, and with desertion of his proper station. We see herein the gentleness and mercy of the Divine nature, and the frailty and frowardness of our own. Wogan.
1 Kings 19:10
- — I have been very jealous &c.] He professes that he had not wanted zeal for the service of the Lord, but had been moved with great indignation against idolatry. Bp. Patrick.
— thrown down thine altars.] When Elijah thus complains that the children of Israel had thrown down God’s altars, and slain His Prophets, we must not imagine that the altar at Jerusalem, and the Prophets of Judah, were destroyed by them; for they were in a
at Horeb, and sendeth him to anoint Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha. Before CHRIST about 906. a Rom. 11. 3. with the sword; and a I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
1 Kings 19:11
- — And, behold, the Lord passed by, &c.] The first harbinger of the Divine presence, “who maketh the winds his messengers, and flaming fire his ministers,” Psalm civ. 4, controlling all the elements of nature, was “a great and strong wind, which rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks; but the Lord was not in the wind.” This was succeeded by “an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake.” And this again by “a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire.” At the last came “a still small voice, (and the Lord was there;) and when Elijah heard it, (the same, probably, in which the oracle had before accosted him, and which therefore he knew,) he wrapped his face in his mantle, (in token of awe and reverence,) and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave.” Dr. Hales. Elijah being now come to the same place where God had delivered the Law to His servant Moses, God was minded to communicate the like favour to His servant the Prophet; namely, to unveil His Majesty to him, and give him some signal of His immediate presence. Various are the speculations which this appearance of the Divine Majesty has suggested to interpreters. The generality of them have looked upon this as a figure of the Gospel dispensation, which came, not in such a terrible manner, as the Law did, with storms, thunders, lightnings, and earthquakes, Exod. xix. 16; but with great lenity and sweetness, wherein God speaks to us by His Son, who makes use of no other but gentle arguments and soft persuasions. But if we take this to be a symbolical admonition to Elijah, according to the circum-
1 Kings 19:14
- — I have been very jealous &c.] The prophet does not give a direct answer to the demand of God: his guilliness would not let him speak out all. He would rather say, “I have been very jealous for the Lord God,” than “I was fearful of Jezebel.” We are all willing to make the best of our own case. Bp. Hall.
1 Kings 19:15
- — anoint Hazael to be king &c.] It may perhaps be doubted, whether Hazael was ever actually anointed king; for the word “anoint” may signify no more than “appoint” him king: the kings in Israel were appointed by the ceremony of anointing; and hence the word became applied to signify generally the preferment of great men to dignities. Neither did Elijah himself immediately anoint Jehu, but he ordered it to be done by his successor Elisha. Bp. Patrick. Anointing in this passage perhaps signifies no more than designing or recording in the Prophet’s own mind by the order of God: he is commanded in this manner to record him, in a prophetic view, as a person who, according to God’s foreknowledge or decree, was to be king over Syria. Dr. Waterland.
1 Kings 19:17
- — him that escapeth the sword &c.] This is not to be understood, as if the sword of Hazael should do execution before the sword of Jehu, and the sword of Jehu before that of Elisha; but only that God in His providence had appointed three persons to punish the Israelites according to their deserts. Bp. Patrick. — shall Elisha slay.] We do not read in Scripture that Elisha actually slew any persons, except the children of Beth-el, 2 Kings ii. 24. Perhaps it is best to understand the expression in this manner: “If the vengeance which Hazael shall take of these wicked people shall not be sufficiently great, Jehu shall supply it; and if Before CHRIST about 906. b Luke 4. 27. called Elians. c 2 Kings 9. 1. 3. Ecclus. 48. 8. Elisha followeth Elijah. Ben-hadad besiegth Samaria. Before CHRIST about 900. d Rom. 11. 4. Or, I will leave. return.
1 Kings 19:18
- Yet I have left me seven thousand &c.] This appears to be a correction of Elijah’s mistake, in imagining that he himself was the only worshipper of the true God remaining in Israel, ver. 10: or perhaps it refers to what had just gone before, respecting the general destruction of the Israelites: for as God had a great number left (seven thousand being put indefinitely for many thousand) of pious people in Israel, who had never worshipped Baal, these would not be hurt by Hazael, or any one else. Bp. Patrick. Or it may have been the intention of God to correct, by a gentle rebuke, the assertion of Elijah, ver. 10, as shewing something of pride and censoriousness. The meaning then may be, “You imagine yourself to be the only good man, the only true servant I have in Israel; but you are mistaken; I have left to Me 7000, as faithful as yourself: you judge too rashly of others, too favourably of yourself.” Wogan.
— every mouth which hath not kissed him.] It was usual with idolaters to kiss their idols among other acts of religious worship. See Hos. xiii. 2. Dr. Pocock.
1 Kings 19:19
- — plowing with twelve yoke of oxen] This circumstance was so far from being any argument of Elisha’s poverty, that in reality it was a token of his wealth; for it was the custom among the Hebrews, as well as among
AND Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots: and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it.
1 Kings 19:20
- — for what have I done to thee?] Have I obliged thee to follow me? It is for thee to consider what thou shouldst do, and what God requires of thee. Calmet.
Chap. XX. ver. 1. — Ben-hadad the king of Syria] Ben-hadad means, “the son of Hadad.” He was probably descended from that Hadad, who escaped into Egypt when David slew all the males in Edom, chap. xi. 15, &c. The father of this king had taken several cities from the Israelites, (ver. 34; chap. xv. 20,) and perhaps had made them tributaries to the Syrians. Bp. Patrick.