1 KINGS CHAPTER 18 Elijah in the extremity of famine is sent to Ahab; meeteth good Obadiah, 1 KINGS 18:1; chargeth him to certify the king of his coming: he bringeth Ahab to him, 1 KINGS 18:8. He reproveth Ahab and the congregation: by fire from heaven convinceth Baal's prophets: they are slain, 1 K... [ Continue Reading ]
ELIJAH WENT TO SHOW HIMSELF UNTO AHAB; wherein he shows a strong faith, and resolute obedience, and invincible courage, that he durst at God's command run into the mouth of this raging lion; which was a degree of martyrdom.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH WAS THE GOVERNOR OF HIS HOUSE; being valued by Ahab for his great prudence and fidelity, and therefore indulged as to the worship of the calves and Baal. OBADIAH FEARED THE LORD GREATLY. QUEST. How could he and some other Israelites be said to fear the Lord, when they did not go up to Jerusale... [ Continue Reading ]
PROPHETS: this name is not only given to such as are endowed with an extraordinary spirit of prophecy, but to such ministers as devoted themselves to the service of God in preaching, praying, praising God, and the like, as 1 SAMUEL 10:10; and in this place compared with 1 KINGS 18:22, where Elijah s... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO ALL FOUNTAINS OF WATER, AND UNTO ALL BROOKS; about which grass was most probably to be found in that great drought.... [ Continue Reading ]
AHAB WENT ONE WAY BY HIMSELF; not daring to trust any other, Obadiah excepted, lest being bribed by such as had grass for their own use, they should not give him a true account.... [ Continue Reading ]
By this profound reverence showing his great respect and love to him.... [ Continue Reading ]
TELL THY LORD, Ahab; whom, though a very wicked man, he owns for Obadiah's lord and king; thereby instructing him that he did well in owning him as such, and that the wickedness of kings doth not exempt their subjects from obedience to their lawful commands.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT HAVE I SINNED? wherein have I so offended God and thee, that thou shouldst inflict this punishment upon me, and expose me to certain ruin by this means?... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE IS NO NATION OR KINGDOM, to wit, near to his own, where he could in reason think that Elijah had hid himself. Nothing is more frequent than to understand general expressions with such limitations. HE TOOK AN OATH OF THE KINGDOM AND NATION, THAT THEY FOUND THEE NOT; not that he could force othe... [ Continue Reading ]
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THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD; the Holy Ghost, to whom the inspiration and conduct of the prophets is commonly ascribed in Holy Scripture, as ISAIAH 48:16, ISAIAH 61:1 MATTHEW 4:1 ACTS 16:6,7, who might do this either immediately by his own power, or by an angel, or by a strong wind. SHALL CARRY THEE WHITH... [ Continue Reading ]
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No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
AS THE LORD OF HOSTS LIVETH; the Lord of all the creatures, which are called God's hosts, GENESIS 2:1 DEUTERONOMY 4:19 PSALMS 103:21 PSALMS 148:2, and are all subject to his command. He mentions this title as his shield, under the protection whereof he did and durst venture to come into Ahab's prese... [ Continue Reading ]
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Have I at last met with thee, O thou great disturber of my kingdom, the author of this famine, and of all our disquiets and calamities?... [ Continue Reading ]
These calamities are not to be imputed to my passions, but thine and thy father's wickedness, which God punisheth by this means. He answered him thus boldly, because he spoke and acted in God's name, and for his honour and service, whose vassal Ahab was.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE SEND, to wit, messengers, that this controversy between thee and me may be decided, the true cause of these heavy judgments discovered and removed, that so this plague may be removed. GATHER TO ME ALL ISRAEL, by their deputies, or heads, or representatives, that they may be witnesses o... [ Continue Reading ]
He complied with Elijah's motion; partly, because it was so fair and reasonable, that he could not refuse it with honour, nor without the discontent of all his people, this being proposed in order to their deliverance from this terrible famine; partly, because the urgency of the present distress mad... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW LONG HALT YE BETWEEN TWO OPINIONS? why do you not make straight paths with your feet? as the phrase is, HEBREWS 12:13; why do you walk so lamely and unevenly, being so unsteady in your opinions and practices, and doubting whether it is better to worship God or Baal? IF THE LORD BE GOD; whom you... [ Continue Reading ]
I ONLY REMAIN, to wit, here present, publicly to own and plead the cause of God; for he opposeth himself only to Baal's four hundred and fifty prophets, because they only were present; the prophets of the groves being, it seems, not permitted by Jezebel (through her pride, or obstinacy, or care and... [ Continue Reading ]
He attempts the decision of this controversy, not by God's word, which was either rejected, or despised, or grossly neglected by the generality of that people; but by a miracle, to which all that had common sense must needs submit. LET THEM CHOOSE ONE BULLOCK FOR THEMSELVES, which they judge best an... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT ANSWERETH BY FIRE, i.e. that shall consume the sacrifice by fire sent from heaven; which the people knew the true God used to do, as GENESIS 4:4 JUDGES 6:21, JUDGES 13:20. ALL THE PEOPLE; even the Baalites themselves; partly because they could not without great reproach to themselves and Baal r... [ Continue Reading ]
YE ARE MANY, and I am willing to give you the precedency. This he did, partly because if he had first offered, and God had answered by fire, as he knew that he would do, Baal's priests would have been discouraged, and upon some excuse (which would easily be accepted in regard of the king's authority... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY TOOK THE BULLOCK WHICH WAS GIVEN THEM; which being chosen by them, 1 KINGS 18:25, was now put into their hands by those who had the beasts in their custody, till they were taken away for sacrifice. THEY DRESSED IT; cut it in pieces, and laid the parts in or upon the wood. FROM MORNING; from the... [ Continue Reading ]
AT NOON; when they had long tried all means in vain. ELIJAH MOCKED THEM; derided them and their gods, which were indeed, and had now proved themselves to be, ridiculous and contemptible things. By this example we see that all jesting is not unlawful, but only that which intrencheth upon piety and go... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY CRIED ALOUD; as if Elijah had spoken the truth, and their god needed rousing. CUT THEMSELVES; mingling their own blood with their sacrifices; as knowing by experience, that nothing was more acceptable to their Baal (which was indeed the devil) than human blood, and hoping hereby to move their g... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY PROPHESIED, i. e. praised, and prayed unto, and worshipped their god; for so the word _prophesying_ is used, 1 SAMUEL 10:10, 1 SAMUEL 19:20 1 CHRONICLES 25:2,3 MT 7:22 1 CORINTHIANS 11:4, 1 CORINTHIANS 14:5,6, &c. OF THE EVENING SACRIFICE, Heb. _of the sacrifice_; which being here opposed to th... [ Continue Reading ]
COME NEAR UNTO ME; come away from these impudent deceivers to me, and expect from me what satisfaction you desire. HE REPAIRED THE ALTAR, which by the people's help was quickly done; the materials being all ready, and very slightly put together, only for the present occasion. THE ALTAR OF THE LORD;... [ Continue Reading ]
This he did, partly, to renew the covenant between God and all the tribes, as Moses did, EXODUS 24:4; partly, 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 partly, to teach the people, that... [ Continue Reading ]
With the assistance of the people, who readily yielded their helping hand, HE BUILT AN ALTAR; which, though generally forbidden, he might do, because he did it by the command and suggestion of God, who can dispense with his own laws, and upon apparent and urgent necessity, and for a work of great me... [ Continue Reading ]
FILL FOUR BARRELS WITH WATER; which they could quickly fetch, either from the river Kishon; or if that was dried up, from the sea; both which were at the foot of the mountain. See JEREMIAH 46:18. POUR IT ON THE BURNT-SACRIFICE, and on the wood: this he did, to make the miracle more glorious, and mor... [ Continue Reading ]
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No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
AT THE TIME OF THE OFFERING OF THE EVENING SACRIFICE; which 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, ACTS 3:1. THAT I HAVE DONE ALL THESE THINGS; brought this famine, gathered the people hither, and d... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THOU HAST TURNED THEIR HEART; that they may feel so powerful and sudden a change in their hearts, that they may know it is thy work, and the effect of thy grace to them, and in them. Or, _when thou hast turned_, &c., or, _because thou_, &c. So the particle _vau_ is oft used; and the sense is, T... [ Continue Reading ]
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THEY FELL ON THEIR FACES, in way of acknowledgment and adoration of the true God. HE IS THE GOD; he alone; and Baal is a dull and senseless idol. And they double the words, to note their abundant satisfaction and assurance of the truth of their assertion.... [ Continue Reading ]
ELIJAH SAID UNTO THEM; he takes the opportunity, whilst the people's hearts were warm with the fresh sense of this great miracle. ELIJAH BROUGHT THEM DOWN TO THE BROOK KISHON, that their blood might be poured into that river, and thence conveyed into the sea, and might not defile the holy land. SLEW... [ Continue Reading ]
GET THEE UP FROM THE RIVER, where the king and he had been present at the slaughter of Baal's priests, to thy tent; which probably was pitched on the side of Carmel. EAT AND DRINK; take comfort, and refresh thyself; for neither the king nor any of the people could have any leisure to eat, being whol... [ Continue Reading ]
ELIJAH WENT UP TO THE TOP OF CARMEL; where he might secretly and ardently pour out his prayers unto God; and whence he might look towards the sea, and discern when the rain was coming. PUT HIS FACE BETWEEN HIS KNEES; he either sat, or rather kneeled upon his knees, and then cast down his face to the... [ Continue Reading ]
GO UP NOW, whilst I continue praying. LOOK TOWARD THE SEA; whence clouds and vapours usually arise. Elijah desired to have timely notice of the very first appearance and signification of rain, not out of vanity or ambition, but that Ahab and the people might know that it was obtained from Jehovah by... [ Continue Reading ]
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Not that in Judah, JOSHUA 15:56, but another city in the border of Issachar and Manasseh, JOSHUA 19:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS ON ELIJAH: God gave him more than natural and ordinary strength, whereby he was enabled to outrun Ahab's chariot, and that for so many miles together. HE GIRDED UP HIS LOINS, that his garments, which were then long, might not hinder him. See 2 KINGS 4:29, 2 KINGS 9:1. RAN BE... [ Continue Reading ]