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After many days, the LORD’s word came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain on the earth.”
Verse 1. Year of his sojourning at Sarephta. As other six months elapsed before the drought was removed, it is probable that Elias had spent them at Carith. S. Jam. 5:17. Calmet.—Earth. God is pleased to withdraw his chastisement, though the guilty were not yet reclaimed. Salien.
Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria.
Verse 2. Samaria, and the vicinity. The people could procure corn from a distance. But Achab is solicitous to find grass, verse 5.
Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the LORD greatly;
Verse 3. Abdias. Some suppose that he was the fourth of the minor prophets, or the husband of the Sunamitess, (4 Kennicott. 4) or the third of the captains, who were ordered by Ochozias to seize Elias, 4 Kennicott. 1:13. Tirinus.—But this is uncertain. He took care of the persecuted prophets, (ver. 4. 13,) judging it better to obey God than man. Calmet.
for when Jezebel cut off the LORD’s prophets, Obadiah took one hundred prophets, and hid them fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water.)
Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land, to all the springs of water, and to all the brooks. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive, that we not lose all the animals.”
So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself.
Verse 6. Himself. So Providence ordered it, that the prophet might declare his sentiments to him freely. Bible.—Achab would go in person, another way, that he might not be imposed upon. He was more solicitous for his cattle than for his subjects. Menochius.
As Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him. He recognized him, and fell on his face, and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?”
Verse 7. Face, to shew him a religious veneration, due to the servant of God. Worthington.
He answered him, “It is I. Go, tell your lord, ‘Behold, Elijah is here!’”
He said, “How have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?
Verse 9. Kill me, as an impostor, or an accomplice of thy escape, if afterwards thou shouldst disappear, verse 12. Calmet.
As the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my lord has not sent to seek you. When they said, ‘He is not here,’ he took an oath of the kingdom and nation that they didn’t find you.
Verse 10. An oath of every kingdom, adjuring all his neighbours to tell if they knew any thing about Elias. Bible.—Achab wished to make him restore rain, or to punish him for the refusal. Calmet.—How stupid he must have been, not to perceive that God was punishing him! Bible.—Elias must have kept himself very retired, not to be discovered at Sarephta, which was so near, ( Calmet.) and where Jezabel’s father reigned. But God could render him invisible, even upon the high road, when he went thither. Bible.
Now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here.”’
It will happen, as soon as I leave you, that the LORD’s Spirit will carry you I don’t know where; and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he can’t find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared the LORD from my youth.
Verse 12. Spirit. Abdias supposed that the prophet had been transported to some unknown country, ( Calmet.) as he was afterwards to paradise. His disciples imagined, by a violent wind. 4 Kennicott. 2:16. Bible.—Thus the spirit of the Lord took away Philip, (Acts 8:39,) and conducted Jesus into the desert. Matthew 4:1. Mar. 1:12. Calmet.—Infancy. This he mentions, that the prophet might take pity on him. Menochius.
Wasn’t it told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the LORD’s prophets, how I hid one hundred men of the LORD’s prophets with fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water?
Verse 13. A hundred. Hence we may judge how numerous they were. These prophets were not perhaps all inspired: but they had such at their head; and spent their time in working and in the divine praises. They were the salt and light of the earth, the pillars of the true religion, against whom Jezabel bent all her fury, during the first years of the drought. Calmet.
Now you say, ‘Go, tell your lord, “Behold, Elijah is here”.’ He will kill me.”
Verse 14. Kill me. He had expressed this fear twice before. Elias perceiving how much he was agitated, confirmed him with an oath. Bible.
Elijah said, “As the LORD of Armies lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.”
So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
Verse 16. Meet Elias, out of respect, (Abulensis) or rather to upbraid him.
When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is that you, you troubler of Israel?”
Verse 17. Troublest Israel? Thus the wicked esteem those disturbers of the public repose, who will not suffer them to go on in their wickedness unmolested. Thus the Jews complain of Jesus Christ. Luke 23:5. Such a war is better than a false peace: and Achab, in fact, proclaims the praise of Elias, who strove by easy means to make the people open their eyes and return to their God. Calmet.
He answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house, in that you have forsaken the LORD’s commandments and you have followed the Baals.
Verse 18. House. Your impiety has brought on this scourge. I only denounced it. Salien.
Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, and four hundred fifty of the prophets of Baal, and four hundred of the prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
Verse 19. Fifty, attached to Baal, and fed by the king; while the prophets of the groves, or of Astarte, lived at the queen’s expense. They imitated the lives of the true prophets, to delude the people.—Carmel was long after famous fo the worship of Apollo, who was the same with Baal, or the sun. Joshua 19:26. Calmet.—No mention is made of rain: but it was understood that it would be given, when the people should assemble to hear God’s determination. Menochius.—Achab durst not therefore refuse to convoke them. Bible.
So Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together to Mount Carmel.
Elijah came near to all the people, and said, “How long will you waver between the two sides? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” The people didn’t say a word.
Verse 21. Sides: sometimes adoring God; at other times the devil. Calmet.—Such an expostulation ought to be made to those who are indifferent about religion. Worthington.—You cannot serve two masters. Calmet.—They wished to unite the service of both, foolishly supposing that there might be many gods; as some, at present assert that many religions may be pleasing to heaven. Bible.—A word, not knowing the drift of his proposal. But, as they might perhaps rely that they considered Baal also as a god, Elias puts this to the test of a miracle; being convinced that God would never suffer the devils to prevail on this occasion. Salien.—They might otherwise have brought down fire, as they will do in the days of Antichrist. Revelation 13:13. Menochius.
Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left as a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred fifty men.
Verse 22. I. Hebrew repeats “I,” to make the contrast more striking. Elias alone was present, in this assembly, as the prophet of the Lord. Bible.—He knew that Abdias had preserved 100: but they were concealed.—Men. The other 400 of Jezabel did not appear.
Let them therefore give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under; and I will dress the other bull, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under it.
You call on the name of your god, and I will call on the LORD’s name. The God who answers by fire, let him be God.” All the people answered, “What you say is good.”
Verse 24. Call ye. He does not order them to invoke idols; but challenges them to prove their divinity, if they can.—By fire. On such trying occasions, it is not tempting God to ask for a miracle. God had given this proof of fire repeatedly. Genesis 15:17. Leviticus 9:24. 2 Chronicles 7:1. He will restrain the devil’s power, to confirm the truth. Mark ult. Worthington.
Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves, and dress it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.”
They took the bull which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, “Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice, and nobody answered. They leaped about the altar which was made.
Verse 26. That they. Hebrew “which he (Achaz) had made;” ( Calmet.) or, “which was made.” Bible.—The altar of Elias was erected afterwards, verse 30. The prophets of Baal acted in a foolish manner, ( Calmet.) as if in jest, but really despairing of success. Bible.—The pagans were accustomed to dance around their altars:—Pingues spatiatur ad aras. Æneid iv.—and some would translate, “near the altar.” We might apply to these prophets, the verses of Horace:—
Dedit risusque jocosque,
Dum, flamma sine, thura liquescere limine sacro
Persuadere cupit: credat Judæus Apella
Non ego. Sat. 1:5.
At noon, Elijah mocked them, and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is deep in thought, or he has gone somewhere, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he sleeps and must be awakened.”
Verse 27. Talking to some of his prophets, ( Calmet.) or in deep contemplation. Mon.—An inn. Septuagint “giving oracles;” or, “he is pursuing.” Pagnin.
They cried aloud, and cut themselves in their way with knives and lances until the blood gushed out on them.
Verse 28. Blood. Strange infatuation! which has nevertheless prevailed in many pagan mysteries and countries. Thus were Bellona, Cybele, the Syrian goddess, and so forth honoured and appeased. Calmet.—God prohibits this fury. Deuteronomy 14:1. The devil always endeavours to destroy or to injure man. Menochius.
“Ipsa bipenne suos cædit violenta lacertos,
Sanguineque effuso spargit inepta deam.” Tibullus.
When midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the evening offering; but there was no voice, no answer, and nobody paid attention.
Verse 29. Prophesying, “acting like fools;” (Chal.) performing their superstitious rites, and singing the praises of their god, and so forth Calmet.—Sacrifice, by Elias, who had assigned all the morning to Baal’s prophets. Perhaps he waited till the time of the evening sacrifice. Exodus 29:38. Menochius.
Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me!”; and all the people came near to him. He repaired the LORD’s altar that had been thrown down.
Verse 30. Down, by the false prophets, whose fury the people now repressed. Tirinus.—The altar might have been erected, under the judges, lawfully. Calmet.
Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the LORD’s word came, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”
Verse 31. Twelve stones, (as Exodus 24. and so forth) intimating that he acted in the name of all; ( Menochius.) and in order that all Israel might return with one heart to the service of God. Bible.—The prophet did not follow his own spirit in erecting this altar. Calmet.
With the stones he built an altar in the LORD’s name. He made a trench around the altar large enough to contain two seahs of seed.
Verse 32. Furrows. Hebrew “of two (sathayim) measures of seed.” These furrows Elias filled with water, to impede the natural activity of fire, and to shew the miracle in a more striking light; ( Bible.) as also to convince all that there was no deceit. An author quoted, under the name of S. Chrysostom, says that the pagans had sometimes subterraneous passages, by which they kindled the wood on the altar, as if by miracle, ita ut multi decepti ignem illum cœlestem esse existiment. ap. Surium iv.
1 seah is about 7 liters or 1.9 gallons or 0.8 pecks
He put the wood in order, and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. He said, “Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.”
He said, “Do it a second time;” and they did it the second time. He said, “Do it a third time;” and they did it the third time.
Verse 34. Time. So that the wood was less disposed to catch fire. Menochius.
The water ran around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water.
At the time of the evening offering, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “LORD, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word.
Hear me, LORD, hear me, that this people may know that you, LORD, are God, and that you have turned their heart back again.”
Verse 37. Again. This effect he hoped for from the miracle.
Then the LORD’s fire fell and consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust; and it licked up the water that was in the trench.
Verse 38. Trench, as if it had been of an inflammable nature. Julian himself was forced to acknowledge this miracle. “This, says he, once happened under Moses, and, a long while after, again under Elias, the Thesbite.”
When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces. They said, “The LORD, he is God! The LORD, he is God!”
Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let one of them escape!” They seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and killed them there.
Verse 40. Cison, at the foot of Carmel. Adrichomius.—Achab durst not protect his prophets, being confounded by the evidence of the miracle, ( Menochius.) and the unanimity of the people’s cry. Bible.—Killed them, by God’s inspiration, ( Calmet.) as impostors, who had deluded the people, and were worthy of death.
Elijah said to Ahab, “Get up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.”
Verse 41. Sound. It will as surely come, as if you heard it falling. Bible.
So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he bowed himself down on the earth, and put his face between his knees.
Verse 42. Knees, in fervent and humble prayer. God made his servant wait some time before he granted his request, that he might not give way to vanity. The people were not present, so that there was no danger of their being scandalized. Menochius.
He said to his servant, “Go up now and look toward the sea.” He went up and looked, then said, “There is nothing.” He said, “Go again” seven times.
On the seventh time, he said, “Behold, a small cloud, like a man’s hand, is rising out of the sea.” He said, “Go up, tell Ahab, ‘Get ready and go down, so that the rain doesn’t stop you.’”
Verse 44. Sea, the Mediterranean, which could be seen from Carmel. Bible.—Hence the rain commonly came in that country. Luke 12:54.
In a little while, the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.
Verse 45. Jezrahel, where Achab had a palace. Calmet. 21:1. Calmet.—He stopped for shelter, as he had not time to reach Samaria. Menochius.
The LORD’s hand was on Elijah; and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.
Verse 46. Before Achab, notwithstanding the king was drawn by horses, ( Calmet.) and Elias was advanced in years. Calmet. 19:4. Menochius.—The invigorating spirit gave him such strength and agility, ( Bible.) as Jezrahel was 12 or 15 leagues, ( Calmet.) or about 36 miles, from Carmel. In the Levant, impostors still run very swiftly before the chariots of princes, to imitate Elias. Calmet.