1 Kings 19:4

a day's journey into the wilderness The wilderness here spoken of is the desert of Paran, through which the Israelites had of old wandered from Egypt toward the promised land.

under a juniper tree The LXX. merely represents the Hebrew name רֹתֶם by a transliteration ὑποκάτω Ραθμέν. The plant is one of the broom kind. It was stout enough to be used for fuel (Psalms 120:4), and in time of famine its roots could be eaten (Job 30:3-4). The last quoted passage marks it as a tree growing in the wilderness. The Hebrew says literally - onejuniper tree," and thus depicts for us the desolate country just on the borders of the wilderness.

that he might die The prophet had probably had some hope that Ahab would disown the idolatrous worship after the scene on Carmel and the destruction of the priests. Now he sees that the influence of Jezebel is as strong as ever, and the result is deep despondency and a longing to be removed from the struggle.

Iam not better than my fathers Elijah had probably reached a ripe age, and thinking his labours all fruitless, prays for removal. While there was work to be done, and as he thought, hope of success, he was a willing servant. It is only in the dark moment of seeming failure that his natural feeling of having wrought no reform, such as he longed for, wrings from him the cry in the text. We must not deem Elijah to blame for this feeling. The way in which God sent him comfort and sustenance shews us that the prophet's conduct was not such as to merit rebuke. See a noble sermon on -Elijah" by the late F. W. Robertson. Sermon VI. Second Series.