_A.M. 3098. B.C. 906._ Elijah sends notice to Ahab of his coming, 1 Kings 18:1. His interview with Ahab, 1 Kings 18:17. His interview with all Israel upon mount Carmel, 1 Kings 18:21. He slays the prophets of Baal, 1 Kings 18:40. Obtains rain, and runs before Ahab to Jezreel, 1 Kings 18:41.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year_ Our Lord and St. James say, the drought continued three years and six months, (Luke 4:25; James 5:17;) nor do they contradict what is here asserted: for, we must remember, that as Egypt had usually no rain, but was watered by the river Nile, so... [ Continue Reading ]
_Elijah went_ In this he showed strong faith, resolute obedience, and invincible courage, in that he durst, at God's command, run into the mouth of this raging lion. _There was a sore famine in Samaria_ Which made it the more dangerous for him to appear in Ahab's presence; lest, being so sorely affl... [ Continue Reading ]
_Obadiah, who was governor of his house_ Intrusted with the management of the affairs of his family, and highly valued by him on account of his singular prudence and fidelity. _Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly_ Was a truly pious man, and worshipped Jehovah alone, with sincere and fervent affectio... [ Continue Reading ]
_When Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord_ The name of prophets was not only given to such as were endowed with an extraordinary spirit of prophecy, but to such ministers of religion as devoted themselves to the service of God, in preaching, praying, and praising him. There were schools of thes... [ Continue Reading ]
_Go unto all fountains of water, and unto all brooks_ About which grass was most probably to be found in that great drought; _that we lose not all the beasts_ Many, it appears, were already dead for want of grass, which he hoped they might find in such moist places, sufficient to preserve, at least,... [ Continue Reading ]
_He knew him, and fell on his face_ Showing his great respect and love to him, by this profound reverence. _Art thou that my lord Elijah?_ As Obadiah had showed the tenderness of a father to the sons of the prophets, so he showed the reverence of a son to this father of the prophets; and by this he... [ Continue Reading ]
_What have I sinned_, &c. Wherein have I so offended God, and thee his prophet, that thou shouldest inflict this punishment upon me, and thus expose me to certain ruin? For that he concluded would be the effect of such a message delivered by him to Ahab, as he shows by what follows. _There is no nat... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Spirit of the Lord shall carry thee whither I know not_ Shall snatch thee away from hence, so that thou shalt not be found; instances of such sudden transportations of the prophets, by an invisible power, to places far distant from those where they were, having undoubtedly occurred before this... [ Continue Reading ]
_As the Lord of hosts liveth_ Who commands all creatures in heaven and earth. He mentions this title as his shield, under the protection of which he durst venture to come, and did come, into Ahab's presence; _before whom I stand_ Whom I serve as one of his ministers; _I will surely show myself to hi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Art thou he that troubleth Israel?_ Have I at last met with thee, O thou disturber of my kingdom, the author of this famine, and of all our calamities? _He answered, I have not troubled Israel_ These calamities are not to be imputed to me, but to thine and thy father's wickedness. They trouble a na... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now therefore_ That this great controversy between thee and me may be decided; that it may be determined who is the true God, and therefore the proper object of the people's worship; that the true cause of these heavy judgments may be discovered and removed, and so the plague may cease; _send messe... [ Continue Reading ]
_So Ahab sent_, &c. He complied with Elijah's motion, because the urgency of the present distress made him willing to try all means to remove it; from a curiosity of seeing some extraordinary events; and, principally, because God inclined his heart.... [ Continue Reading ]
_How long halt ye between two opinions?_ Hebrew, סעפים, _segnipim_, thoughts or considerations. Why do ye walk so lamely and unevenly, being so unsteady in your opinions and practices, as doubtful which to choose, Jehovah or Baal; sometimes serving one, and sometimes the other, and sometimes joining... [ Continue Reading ]
_I only remain a prophet of the Lord_ Namely, here present, publicly to own and plead the cause of God. As for the other prophets of the Lord, mentioned 1 Kings 18:13, we can hardly imagine that they, in general, were men actually inspired and invested with the prophetic character; but such only as... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let them therefore give us two bullocks_ He proposes to decide the controversy, not by God's word, because that was either despised and rejected, or grossly neglected, and therefore unknown and of no authority with the king or people; but by a miracle, to the evidence of which all that had common s... [ Continue Reading ]
_The God that answereth by fire_ That sendeth down fire to consume the sacrifice presented to him: this the people knew the true God used to do. It was a great condescension in God, that he would permit Baal to be a competitor with him; but thus God would have every mouth to be stopped, and all fles... [ Continue Reading ]
_Choose ye one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first_ I give you the precedence, because I am single, and _you are many._ It was wise in Elijah to put them upon sacrificing first; because, if he had offered first and God had answered by fire, Baal's priests would have desisted from making the t... [ Continue Reading ]
_They took the bullock which was given them_ Which, being chosen by them, was now put into their hands by those who had the beasts in their custody till they were taken away for sacrifice; _and dressed it_ Cut it in pieces, and laid the parts upon the wood. _From morning_ From the time of the mornin... [ Continue Reading ]
_And it came to pass at noon_ When they had long tried all means in vain. _Elijah 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... [ Continue Reading ]
_They cried aloud_ They were so far from being convinced and put to shame by the just reproach which Elijah cast upon them, that it made them the more earnest and violent in their proceedings, and induced them to act more ridiculously. _A deceived heart having turned them aside, they could not deliv... [ Continue Reading ]
_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... [ Continue Reading ]
_Elijah said, Come near unto me_ Come away from these impudent deceivers to me, and expect from me the satisfaction of your desire. _He repaired the altar of the Lord_ An altar which probably had remained from the time of the judges; at least, it had been built by some of their ancestors, for the of... [ Continue Reading ]
_Elijah took twelve stones_ This he did, with a view to renew the covenant between God and all the tribes, as Moses did, Exodus 24:4; 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 teac... [ Continue Reading ]
_With the stones he built an altar_ With 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 that would c... [ Continue Reading ]
_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 th... [ Continue Reading ]
_The fire of the Lord fell_ And not only, as at other times, (see the margin,) consumed the sacrifice and the wood, in token of God's acceptance of the offering, but _licked up all the water that was in the trench_, exhaling and drawing it up as a vapour, to descend (with other water, to be raised f... [ Continue Reading ]
_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 abundant satisfaction, and assurance of the truth of t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Elijah said, Take the prophets of Baal_ He takes the opportunity of ordering the execution of these idolaters, while the people's hearts wore 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 comm... [ Continue Reading ]
_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 th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Elijah went up to the top of Carmel_ Where he might pour out his prayers unto God; and whence he might look toward the sea. He had a large prospect of the sea from hence: the sailors at this day call it Cape Carmel. _Between his knees_ That is, bowed his head so low, that it touched his knees; thus... [ Continue Reading ]
_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... [ Continue Reading ]
_There ariseth a little cloud like a man's hand_ Which presently overspread the heavens, and watered the earth. Great blessings often rise from small beginnings, and showers of plenty from a cloud of a span long: let us therefore never _despise the day of small things_, but hope and wait for greater... [ Continue Reading ]
_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 befor... [ Continue Reading ]