_AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER MANY DAYS, THAT THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME
TO ELIJAH IN THE THIRD YEAR, SAYING, GO, SHEW THYSELF UNTO AHAB; AND I
WILL SEND RAIN UPON THE EARTH._
The third year. In the New Testament it is said there was no rain "for
the space of three years and six months." The early rain... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND ELIJAH WENT TO SHEW HIMSELF UNTO AHAB. AND THERE WAS A SORE
FAMINE IN SAMARIA._
Elijah went - a marvelous proof of the natural intrepidity of this
prophet, of his moral conrage, and his unfaltering confidence in the
protecting care of God, that he ventured to approach the presence of
the ragin... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND AHAB CALLED OBADIAH, WHICH WAS THE GOVERNOR OF HIS HOUSE. (NOW
OBADIAH FEARED THE LORD GREATLY:_
Obadiah feared the Lord greatly. Although he did not follow the course
taken by the Levites and the majority of pious Israelites at that
time, of emigration into Judah (2 Chronicles 11:13), he was... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR IT WAS SO, WHEN JEZEBEL CUT OFF THE PROPHETS OF THE LORD, THAT
OBADIAH TOOK AN HUNDRED PROPHETS, AND HID THEM BY FIFTY IN A CAVE, AND
FED THEM WITH BREAD AND WATER.)_
An hundred prophets - not men endowed with the extraordinary gifts of
the prophetic office, but who were devoted to the service... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND AHAB SAID UNTO OBADIAH, GO INTO THE LAND, UNTO ALL FOUNTAINS OF
WATER, AND UNTO ALL BROOKS: PERADVENTURE WE MAY FIND GRASS TO SAVE THE
HORSES AND MULES ALIVE, THAT WE LOSE NOT ALL THE BEASTS._
No JFB commentary on these verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND AS OBADIAH WAS IN THE WAY, BEHOLD, ELIJAH MET HIM: AND HE KNEW
HIM, AND FELL ON HIS FACE, AND SAID, ART THOU THAT MY LORD ELIJAH?_
As Obadiah was in the way ... Elijah met him. Deeming it imprudent to
rush without previous intimation into Ahab's presence, the prophet
solicited Obadiah to annou... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND HE ANSWERED HIM, I AM: GO, TELL THY LORD, BEHOLD, ELIJAH IS
HERE._
No JFB commentary on these verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN AHAB SAW ELIJAH, THAT AHAB SAID UNTO HIM,
ART THOU HE THAT TROUBLETH ISRAEL?_
Art thou he that troubleth Israel? A violent altercation took place.
Ahab thought to awe him into submission; but the prophet boldly and
undisguisedly told the king that the national calamity wa... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND HE ANSWERED, I HAVE NOT TROUBLED ISRAEL; BUT THOU, AND THY
FATHER'S HOUSE, IN THAT YE HAVE FORSAKEN THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD,
AND THOU HAST FOLLOWED BAALIM._
No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_NOW THEREFORE SEND, AND GATHER TO ME ALL ISRAEL UNTO MOUNT CARMEL,
AND THE PROPHETS OF BAAL FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY, AND THE PROPHETS OF
THE GROVES FOUR HUNDRED, WHICH EAT AT JEZEBEL'S TABLE._
Gather ... the prophets of Baal ... the prophets of the groves. From
the sequel, it appears that the forme... [ Continue Reading ]
_SO AHAB SENT UNTO ALL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND GATHERED THE
PROPHETS TOGETHER UNTO MOUNT CARMEL._ SO AHAB SENT UNTO ALL THE
CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND GATHERED THE PROPHETS TOGETHER UNTO MOUNT
CARMEL.
The people - i:e., the representatives of the people stood before the
mountain, on the plain of Es... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND ELIJAH CAME UNTO ALL THE PEOPLE, AND SAID, HOW LONG HALT YE
BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS? IF THE LORD BE GOD, FOLLOW HIM: BUT IF BAAL,
THEN FOLLOW HIM. AND THE PEOPLE ANSWERED HIM NOT A WORD._
Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye? They had
long been attempting to conjoin the ser... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEN SAID ELIJAH UNTO THE PEOPLE, I, EVEN I ONLY, REMAIN A PROPHET OF
THE LORD; BUT BAAL'S PROPHETS ARE FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY MEN._
No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_LET THEM THEREFORE GIVE US TWO BULLOCKS; AND LET THEM CHOOSE ONE
BULLOCK FOR THEMSELVES, AND CUT IT IN PIECES, AND LAY IT ON WOOD, AND
PUT NO FIRE UNDER: AND I WILL DRESS THE OTHER BULLOCK, AND LAY IT ON
WOOD, AND PUT NO FIRE UNDER:_
Let them ... give us two bullocks ... The preparations as descri... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND CALL YE ON THE NAME OF YOUR GODS, AND I WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF
THE LORD: AND THE GOD THAT ANSWERETH BY FIRE, LET HIM BE GOD. AND ALL
THE PEOPLE ANSWERED AND SAID, IT IS WELL SPOKEN._
All the people answered and said, It is well spoken. The proposal
appearing every way reasonable, was receive... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND ELIJAH SAID UNTO THE PROPHETS OF BAAL, CHOOSE YOU ONE BULLOCK FOR
YOURSELVES, AND DRESS IT FIRST; FOR YE_ _ AND ELIJAH SAID UNTO THE
PROPHETS OF BAAL, CHOOSE YOU ONE BULLOCK FOR YOURSELVES, AND DRESS IT
FIRST; FOR YE ARE MANY; AND CALL ON THE NAME OF YOUR GODS, BUT PUT NO
FIRE UNDER._
Elijah s... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THEY TOOK THE BULLOCK WHICH WAS GIVEN THEM, AND THEY DRESSED IT,
AND CALLED ON THE NAME OF BAAL FROM MORNING EVEN UNTIL NOON, SAYING, O
BAAL, HEAR US. BUT THERE WAS NO VOICE, NOR ANY THAT ANSWERED. AND THEY
LEAPED UPON THE ALTAR WHICH WAS MADE._
No JFB commentary on these verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THEY CRIED ALOUD, AND CUT THEMSELVES AFTER THEIR MANNER WITH
KNIVES AND LANCETS, TILL THE BLOOD GUSHED OUT UPON THEM._
Cut themselves ... with knives and lancets - (see Grotius.) [The
scenes of Carmel are transacted daily before the eyes of our
missionaries. An account is given ('Missionary He... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN MIDDAY WAS PAST, AND THEY PROPHESIED UNTIL
THE TIME OF THE OFFERING OF THE EVENING SACRIFICE, THAT THERE WAS
NEITHER VOICE, NOR ANY TO ANSWER, NOR ANY THAT REGARDED._
They prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening
sacrifice, х_ WAYITNAB'UW_ (H5012)] - they... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND ELIJAH SAID UNTO ALL THE PEOPLE, COME NEAR UNTO ME. AND ALL THE
PEOPLE CAME NEAR UNTO HIM. AND HE REPAIRED THE ALTAR OF THE LORD THAT
WAS BROKEN DOWN._
Elijah said unto all the people, Come near. Since the day was far
advanced, Elijah commenced his operations. Inviting the people to
approach a... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND ELIJAH TOOK TWELVE STONES, ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF THE TRIBES
OF THE SONS OF JACOB, UNTO WHOM THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME, SAYING,
ISRAEL SHALL BE THY NAME:_
No JFB commentary on these verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
_SO AHAB WENT UP TO EAT AND TO DRINK. AND ELIJAH WENT UP TO THE TOP OF
CARMEL; AND HE CAST HIMSELF DOWN UPON THE EARTH, AND PUT HIS FACE
BETWEEN HIS KNEES,_
Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Ahab, kept in painful excitement by
the agonizing scene, had eaten nothing all the day. He was recommended
t... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND SAID TO HIS SERVANT, GO UP NOW, LOOK TOWARD THE SEA. AND HE WENT
UP, AND LOOKED, AND SAID, THERE IS NOTHING. AND HE SAID, GO AGAIN
SEVEN TIMES._
Go up now, look toward the sea. From the place of worship there is a
small eminence, which, on the west and northwest side, intercepts the
view of th... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THE SEVENTH TIME, THAT HE SAID, BEHOLD, THERE
ARISETH A LITTLE CLOUD OUT OF THE SEA, LIKE A MAN'S HAND. AND HE SAID,
GO UP, SAY UNTO AHAB, PREPARE THY CHARIOT, AND GET THEE DOWN, THAT THE
RAIN STOP THEE NOT._
A little cloud ... like a man's hand. The clearness of the sky ren... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THE MEAN WHILE, THAT THE HEAVEN WAS BLACK WITH
CLOUDS AND WIND, AND THERE WAS A GREAT RAIN. AND AHAB RODE, AND WENT
TO JEZREEL._
Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel - now Zerin, a distance of about ten
miles. This race was performed in the midst of a tempest of rain. But
all rejo... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS ON ELIJAH; AND HE GIRDED UP HIS LOINS,
AND RAN BEFORE AHAB TO THE ENTRANCE OF JEZREEL._
Elijah ... girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab. It was
anciently, and still is, in some countries of the East, customary for
kings and nobles to have runners before their chari... [ Continue Reading ]