| Back to Home Page | Back to Book Index
|
1 Kings Chapter
Eighteen
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 18
In
this chapter Elijah has an order from the Lord to show himself to Ahab
who
going first
and meeting with a servant of his
Obadiah
charges him to tell
his master where he was
that he might meet him
1 Kings 18:1
and
upon meeting him
desires that all Israel
and the prophets of Baal
might be
convened
which was accordingly done
1 Kings 18:17
when
he expostulated with the people of Israel for their idolatry
mocked and
confounded the prophets of Baal
and gave the strongest proofs
to the conviction
of the people
that Jehovah is the true God
1 Kings 18:21
on
which all the prophets of Baal were slain
1 Kings 18:40
and
rain in great abundance was given at the prayer of the prophet
1 Kings 18:41.
1 Kings 18:1 And
it came to pass after many days that the word of the Lord came to
Elijah
in the third year
saying
“Go
present yourself to Ahab
and I will
send rain on the earth.”
YLT
1And the days are many
and
the word of Jehovah hath been unto Elijah in the third year
saying
`Go
appear unto Ahab
and I give rain on the face of the ground;'
And it came to pass after many days
.... When two years and
more were gone from the time the drought and famine began; or rather from the
time of the prophets departure to the brook Cherith
which might be six months
after the famine began:
that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year; of his
absence from Ahab:
saying
go show thyself unto Ahab; whom he had not seen so
long
and who had been seeking for him
but to no purpose:
and I will send rain upon the earth; the term of three years
and six months being almost expired
see James 5:17.
1 Kings 18:2 2 So Elijah went to present
himself to Ahab; and there was a severe famine in Samaria.
YLT
2and Elijah goeth to appear
unto Ahab. And the famine is severe in Samaria
And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab
.... Which
showed his cheerful and ready obedience to the will of God
and his great
courage and magnanimity
to face a king enraged against him
and that sought
his life:
and there was a sore famine in Samaria; the
metropolis of the kingdom
where Ahab kept his court
and therefore must be sensible
of it
and bore the greater indignation against the prophet who had foretold
it.
1 Kings 18:3 3 And Ahab had called
Obadiah
who was in charge of his house. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly.
YLT
3and Ahab calleth unto
Obadiah
who [is] over the house -- and Obadiah hath been fearing Jehovah
greatly
And Ahab called Obadiah
which was the governor of his house
.... Perhaps
his steward: the JewsF13T. Bab. Sanhedrin
fol. 39. 2. take him to
be Obadiah the prophet
who wrote the small prophecy that goes by his name:
(now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly:) who
though he
did not go up to Jerusalem to worship
which ceremonial service was dispensed
with in him
yet he did not worship the calves
nor Baal
but served the Lord
in a spiritual manner.
1 Kings 18:4 4 For so it was
while
Jezebel massacred the prophets of the Lord
that Obadiah had taken
one hundred prophets and hidden them
fifty to a cave
and had fed them with
bread and water.)
YLT
4and it cometh to pass
in
Jezebel's cutting off the prophets of Jehovah
that Obadiah taketh a hundred
prophets
and hideth them
fifty men in a cave
and hath sustained them with
bread and water –
For it was so
when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord
.... Or slew
them
as the Targum; put them to death some way or another; such as were
brought up in the schools of the prophets
trained up in religious exercises
and instructed others therein:
that Obadiah took one hundred prophets
and hid them by fifty in a
cave; fifty in one cave and fifty in another; for there were large
caves in the land of Israel capable of holding such a number
and many more
see 1 Samuel 22:1 and
fed them with bread and water; which in this time of famine were very
acceptable; though these may be put for all the necessaries of life.
1 Kings 18:5 5 And Ahab had said to
Obadiah
“Go into the land to all the springs of water and to all the brooks;
perhaps we may find grass to keep the horses and mules alive
so that we will
not have to kill any livestock.”
YLT
5and Ahab saith unto
Obadiah
`Go through the land
unto all fountains of waters
and unto all the
brooks
if so be we find hay
and keep alive horse and mule
and do not cut off
any of the cattle.'
And Ahab said unto Obadiah
go into the land
unto all fountains
of water
and unto all brooks
.... To observe in what condition they were
and the places adjoining to them
the meadows and valleys:
peradventure we may find grass to save the horses and mules alive; particularly
those which belonged to the king's stables
to find provisions for which it was
found difficult:
that we lose not all the beasts; many of them
doubtless
were lost through the drought already
and there was great danger of the rest
and so
in time
of there being none to procreate and preserve their species
and to prevent which Ahab proposed to take this method.
1 Kings 18:6 6 So they divided the land
between them to explore it; Ahab went one way by himself
and Obadiah went
another way by himself.
YLT
6And they apportion to
themselves the land
to pass over into it; Ahab hath gone in one way by
himself
and Obadiah hath gone in another way by himself;
So they divided the land between them
to pass through it
.... And one
took one part
and the other the other part:
Ahab went one way by himself
and Obadiah went another way by
himself; Ahab not caring to trust any but Obadiah
who he knew was a
faithful man
lest they should be bribed by those that had grass not to
discover it.
1 Kings 18:7 7 Now as Obadiah was on his
way
suddenly Elijah met him; and he recognized him
and fell on his face
and
said
“Is that you
my lord Elijah?”
YLT
7and Obadiah [is] in the
way
and lo
Elijah -- to meet him; and he discerneth him
and falleth on his
face
and saith
`Art thou he -- my lord Elijah?'
And as Obadiah was in the way
.... In his district
making his observations:
behold
Elijah met him: where is not said; but
he was
no doubt
upon the road from Zarephath to Samaria:
and he knew him that is
Obadiah knew Elijah
having seen
him at Ahab's court before he absconded:
and fell on his face
and said
art thou that my lord Elijah? thus doing him
honour and reverence both by words and gesture
as being an extraordinary
prophet of the Lord.
1 Kings 18:8 8 And he answered him
“It
is I. Go
tell your master
‘Elijah is here.’”
YLT
8And he saith to him
`I
[am]; go
say to thy lord
Lo
Elijah.'
And he answered him
I am
.... He did not desire to
be concealed
his orders were to show and make himself known to Ahab
and
Obadiah was one of his domestic servants:
go tell thy lord
behold
Elijah is here; in such a
place
ready to face him at any time. Elijah
by calling Ahab the lord of
Obadiah
as he tacitly reproves him for calling him lord
shows reverence to
Ahab as a king
and yet that he was fearless of him
as he was the prophet and
ambassador of the Lord of hosts to him.
1 Kings 18:9 9 So he said
“How have I
sinned
that you are delivering your servant into the hand of Ahab
to kill me?
YLT
9And he saith
`What have I
sinned
that thou art giving thy servant into the hand of Ahab -- to put me to
death?
And he said
what have I sinned
.... Or in what have I
offended God or his prophet
that revenge should be taken on me in this way:
that thou wouldest deliver thy servant into the hand of Ahab to
slay me? for that he supposed would be the consequence of it
as he
argues and more plainly expresses his sense in the following words.
1 Kings 18:10 10 As
the Lord
your God lives
there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent
someone to hunt for you; and when they said
‘He is not here
’ he
took an oath from the kingdom or nation that they could not find you.
YLT
10Jehovah thy God liveth
if
there is a nation and kingdom whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee; and
they said
He is not
then he caused the kingdom and the nation to swear
that
it doth not find thee;
As the Lord thy God liveth
.... Which is the form of
an oath he thought fit to make
to ascertain the truth of what he was about to
say:
there is no nation or kingdom
whither my lord hath not sent to
seek thee; which is either an hyperbolical expression
signifying he had
sought for him in many places
and in every place he could think of; or it must
be understood either of the ten tribes
which were as so many nations and
kingdoms as they had been; or were more in the times of the Canaanites; or of
the nations round about
that were in alliance with or tributary to the king of
Israel:
and when they said
he is not there
he took an oath of the
kingdom and nation that they found thee not; which he might exact of
his own subjects
but could not of other nations
unless they were free to it
of themselves; or he might take it of their ambassadors or merchants that came
into his land
of whom he inquired
and adjured them to tell him the truth.
1 Kings 18:11 11 And now you say
‘Go
tell
your master
“Elijah is here”’!
YLT
11and now
thou art saying
Go
say to thy lord
Lo
Elijah;
And now thou sayest
go tell thy lord
behold
Elijah is here. Which
if I
should not be able to make good
would be of fatal consequence to me; and that
it is plain he feared
by what he next says.
1 Kings 18:12 12 And it shall come to pass
as soon as I am gone from you
that the Spirit of the Lord will carry you
to a place I do not know; so when I go and tell Ahab
and he cannot find you
he will kill me. But I your servant have feared the Lord from my youth.
YLT
12and it hath been
I go from
thee
and the Spirit of Jehovah doth lift thee up
whither I know not
and I
have come to declare to Ahab
and he doth not find thee
and he hath slain me;
and thy servant is fearing Jehovah from my youth.
And it shall come to pass
as soon as I am gone from thee
that
the Spirit of the Lord shall carry thee whither I know not
.... This he
supposed might possibly
and very probably
be the case
since small raptures
might have been already
and known to Obadiah
as there were afterwards
see 2 Kings 2:16
and
then he should not know where he was
nor be able to direct his master where to
find him:
and so when I come and tell Ahab
and he cannot find thee
he
shall slay me; for telling him a lie
and deceiving and mocking him; or for not
seizing on Elijah
and bringing him
when he knew he was so desirous of getting
him into his hands:
but I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth; and therefore
did not deserve to be treated after this manner
having been an early and
conscientious worshipper of the true God.
1 Kings 18:13 13 Was it not reported to my
lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord
how I hid one
hundred men of the Lord’s
prophets
fifty to a cave
and fed them with bread and water?
YLT
13`Hath it not been declared
to my lord that which I have done in Jezebel's slaying the prophets of Jehovah
that I hide of the prophets of Jehovah a hundred men
fifty by fifty in a cave
and sustained them with bread and water?
Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets
of the Lord? how I hid one hundred men of the Lord's prophets by fifty in a
cave
and fed them with bread and water? See Gill on 1 Kings 18:4
this
he said not in a way of ostentation
but to show that it would be very
ungenerous and ungrateful
as well as impolitic
to sacrifice such a friend at
court to the Lord's prophets as he had been
and might still continue to be.
1 Kings 18:14 14 And now you say
‘Go
tell
your master
“Elijah is here.”’ He will kill me!”
YLT
14and now thou art saying
Go
say to my lord
Lo
Elijah -- and he hath slain me!'
And now thou sayest
go tell my lord
behold
Elijah is here:
and he shall slay me. That is
should he carry such a message to him
and Elijah should
be removed elsewhere
and not to be found.
1 Kings 18:15 15 Then Elijah said
“As
the Lord
of hosts lives
before whom I stand
I will surely present myself to him
today.”
YLT
15And Elijah saith
`Jehovah
of Hosts liveth
before whom I have stood
surely to-day I appear unto him.'
And Elijah said
as the Lord of hosts liveth
before whom I stand
.... In whose
presence he was
and whose prophet and minister he was; he takes this oath
to
assure Obadiah that he would certainly be upon the spot
or to be found
and
not expose him to any danger:
I will surely show myself unto him today; he was
determined at all events to present himself to him that day.
1 Kings 18:16 16 So Obadiah went to meet
Ahab
and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.
YLT
16And Obadiah goeth to meet
Ahab
and declareth [it] to him
and Ahab goeth to meet Elijah
So Obadiah went to meet Ahab
and told him
.... That
Elijah was in such a place
and had desired him to inform him of it
and was
ready to appear before him that day wherever he pleased; for upon the prophet's
oath Obadiah was entirely satisfied
and was in no fear of delivering the
message:
and Ahab went to meet Elijah; though perhaps the bold
message of the prophet might make him fear he had something to say to him not
very agreeable.
1 Kings 18:17 17 Then it happened
when
Ahab saw Elijah
that Ahab said to him
“Is that you
O troubler of
Israel?”
YLT
17and it cometh to pass at
Ahab's seeing Elijah
that Ahab saith unto him
`Art thou he -- the troubler of
Israel?'
And it came to pass when Ahab saw Elijah
.... As soon
as he came up to him
and knew who he was; Abarbinel thinks
because his hair
was grown so long that Ahab did not know him certainly
and therefore put the
following question:
that Ahab said unto him
art thou he that troubleth Israel? by opposing
the religion of Baal
which prevailed among them; but chiefly rain being
withheld from them according to his word
and at his prayer.
1 Kings 18:18 18 And he answered
“I have
not troubled Israel
but you and your father’s house have
in that you
have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the
Baals.
YLT
18And he saith
`I have not
troubled Israel
but thou and the house of thy father
in your forsaking the
commands of Jehovah
and thou goest after the Baalim;
And he answered
.... That is
Elijah
with great boldness and
undaunted courage
not fearing the face of the king
being sent to show himself
to him in the name of the King of kings:
I have not troubled Israel
but thou and thy father's house; they
by
their sins
were the cause of all the troubles
those sore evil and sad
calamities that were upon them:
in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord: to have no
other gods before him
and not to make images
and worship them
which they had
done:
and thou hast followed Baalim; the several Baals
the
Sun
moon
and stars
the whole host of heaven
worshipped under this name; or
not content with the Phoenician Baal
or Baal of the Zidonians
followed
others
see Judges 2:11.
1 Kings 18:19 19 Now therefore
send and
gather all Israel to me on Mount Carmel
the four hundred and fifty prophets of
Baal
and the four hundred prophets of Asherah
[a] who eat at
Jezebel’s table.”
YLT
19and now
send
gather unto
me all Israel
unto the mount of Carmel
and the prophets of Baal four hundred
and fifty
and the prophets of the shrine
four hundred -- eating at the table
of Jezebel.'
Now therefore send
and gather to me all Israel unto Mount Carmel..... No doubt
but more discourse passed between Ahab and Elijah
though not recorded
before
he made this motion to him; it is very probable
that after some dispute
between them
who was the true God
and about idolatry
as the cause of want of
rain
Elijah proposed to the king what he afterwards did to the people
to
which he could not object; and being desirous of gratifying his curiosity
and
especially of having rain
which the prophet might promise him in the issue of
this affair
he agreed unto it; and therefore Elijah desired that all Israel
might be convened
that it might be openly and publicly done
and to the
conviction and reformation of them
which was what was chiefly designed; and he
chose Carmel
a mountain in the tribe of Issachar
well situated for the people
that came from all parts; and the rather this than Samaria
that he might meet
with no obstruction from Jezebel
and from whence: he might be able to see the
rain when coming
as he did. Of this mountain; see Gill on Jeremiah 46:18
to
which may be added
the description of it by Mr. SandysF14Travels
l. 3. p. 158. Ed. 5. .
"Mount
Carmel stretcheth from east to west
and hath its uttermost basis washed with
the sea; steepest towards the north
and of an indifferent altitude; rich in
vines and olives when farmed
and abounding with several sorts of fruits and
herbs
both medicinal and fragrant
though now much overgrown with woods and
shrubs of sweet savour.'
From
the following solemn transaction at it
it seems in later times
to have become
sacred
and was very venerable with the Heathens; from this mountain
a deity
with them had the name of Carmel
and was worshipped here
without an image or
a temple
only had an altar erected for it
in imitation of the God of Israel
worshipped here in like manner; here Vespasian sacrificed to this deity
assisted by the priest of it
Basilides
as TacitusF15Hist. l. 2. c.
78. relates; SuetoniusF16Vit. Vespasian. c. 5. also makes mention of
this deity
and of Vespasian's consulting its oracle
which gave him hopes of
obtaining the empire; and from hence
in Popish times
there were an order of
friars called Carmelites
instituted in the year 1180
pretending to be the
successors of the children of the prophets Elijah left there:
and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty; who are
supposed to be dispersed in the various parts of the kingdom
to teach and
practise the worship of Baal
and encourage and spread it in the nation:
and the prophets of the groves four hundred
which eat at
Jezebel's table; for it seems there were now more groves than that one Ahab first
made
1 Kings 16:33
for
which such numbers were appointed to attend
and which
perhaps
were near
Samaria
since they ate at Jezebel's table
and were a sort of domestic
chaplains of her's. "Asheroth"
we render "groves"
the
learned SeldenF17De Dis Syris Syntagm. 2. c. 2. p. 232
&c.
takes to be Ashtoreth
or Ashtareth
or Astarte
the goddess of the Zidonians
for whom
and so for these prophets
Jezebel might have a peculiar respect
see
1 Kings 11:5.
1 Kings 18:20 20 So Ahab sent for all the
children of Israel
and gathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel.
YLT
20And Ahab sendeth among all
the sons of Israel
and gathereth the prophets unto the mount of Carmel;
So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel
.... By
messengers
requiring their attendance at Mount Carmel at such a time
at least
their chief and principal men:
and gathered the prophets together unto Mount Carmel; the four
hundred and fifty prophets of Baal
but not the four hundred prophets of the
groves; for of them we have no account afterwards
only of the former; it may
be they were not at the command of Ahab
only of Jezebel
at whose table they
ate
who would not suffer them to go.
1 Kings 18:21 21 And Elijah came to all the
people
and said
“How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God
follow Him; but if Baal
follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.
YLT
21and Elijah cometh nigh unto
all the people
and saith
`Till when are ye leaping on the two branches? -- if
Jehovah [is] God
go after Him; and if Baal
go after him;' and the people have
not answered him a word.
And Elijah came unto all the people
.... Assembled at Mount
Carmel:
and said
how long halt ye between two opinions? sometimes
inclining to the one
and sometimes to the other: as a lame man in walking
his
body moves sometimes to one side
and sometimes to another; or "leap ye
upon two branches"F18פסחים על שתי הסעפים
"transilietis super duos ramoe
Malvenda; vos transilientes super ambos
ramos"
Piscator.
like a bird that leaps or hops from one branch to
another
and never settles long; or rather it denotes the confusion of their
thoughts
being like branches of trees twisted and implicated; thus upbraiding
them with their inconstancy and fickleness; what their two opinions were
may
be learnt from the next clause:
if the Lord be God
follow him: but if Baal
then follow him; for there is
but one God
one infinite
immense
and incomprehensible being; one that is
omnipotent
all sufficient
good
and perfect; there cannot be more
and
therefore but one to be followed
served
and worshipped:
and the people answered him not a word: through
conviction and confusion
his reasoning being unanswerable; or not knowing
which to choose at present; or fearing they should be drawn into a snare
should they name any; either incur the displeasure of the king
who was for
Baal
or of the prophet
who was for the Lord
at whose word rain was withheld
and might be given
which they were desirous of.
1 Kings 18:22 22 Then Elijah said to the
people
“I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are
four hundred and fifty men.
YLT
22And Elijah saith unto the
people
`I -- I have been left a prophet of Jehovah -- by myself; and the
prophets of Baal [are] four hundred and fifty men;
Then said Elijah unto the people
I
even I only remain a prophet
of the Lord
.... At least as he thought
all the rest being slain
as he
supposed; however there were none present but himself:
but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men; which were
very great odds he had to contend with.
1 Kings 18:23 23 Therefore let them give us
two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves
cut it in pieces
and
lay it on the wood
but put no fire under it; and I will prepare
the other bull
and lay it on the wood
but put no fire under it.
YLT
23and let them give to us two
bullocks
and they choose for themselves the one bullock
and cut it in pieces
and place [it] on the wood
and place no fire; and I -- I prepare the other
bullock
and have put [it] on the wood
and fire I do not place; --
Let them therefore give us two bullocks
.... Who
being so many
were better able to be at the expense of them
and having the
king on their party too; though perhaps no more is meant than that two bullocks
should be brought thither
and presented before them:
and let them choose one bullock for themselves; which of the
two they would
if they thought one was any ways preferable to the other
it
was at their option to take it:
and cut it in pieces
and lay it on wood; as sacrifices
usually were:
and put no fire under; which was wont to be
done for burnt offerings
as this was designed to be:
and I will dress the other bullock; by slaying and cutting
it in pieces;
and lay it on wood: as for a burnt offering:
and put no fire under; to consume it.
1 Kings 18:24 24 Then you call on the name
of your gods
and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God
who answers by fire
He is God.” So all the people answered and said
“It is
well spoken.”
YLT
24and ye have called in the
name of your god
and I -- I call in the name of Jehovah
and it hath been
the
god who answereth by fire -- He [is] the God.' And all the people answer and
say
`Good [is] the word.'
And call ye on the name of your gods
.... The
Baalim
the many lords and gods they served:
and I will call on the name of the Lord; the one true
Jehovah and God of Israel
whom I serve:
and the God that answereth by fire; by causing fire to come
down upon the sacrifice
and consume it:
let him be God; accounted
owned
and acknowledged as the
true God
and so afterwards worshipped as such:
and all the people answered and said
it is well spoken; they thought
it a very reasonable proposal
a very good method to determine the controversy
and come at the truth
and know who was the true God
and who not.
1 Kings 18:25 25 Now Elijah said to the
prophets of Baal
“Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first
for you are many; and call on the name of your god
but put no fire under
it.”
YLT
25And Elijah saith to the
prophets of Baal
`Choose for you the one bullock
and prepare first
for ye
[are] the multitude
and call ye in the name of your god
and place no fire.'
And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal
.... Who
agreed to this proposal
though not expressed; or they signified it by their
silence. Ben Gersom thinks they agreed to it
because that
according to their
belief
Baal was Mars
and in the sign of Aries
one of the fiery planets
and
therefore fancied he could send down fire on their sacrifice; but Abarbinel is
of opinion that it was the sun they worshipped
under the name of Baal
the
great luminary which presides over the element of fire
and therefore had power
to cause it to descend; and if not
they agreed to it
he thinks
for three
reasons; one was necessity
they could not refuse
after the people had
approved of it
lest they should rise upon them
and stone them; and another
was
that Elijah proposed to offer without the temple
contrary to the law of
his God
and therefore concluded he would not answer him by fire
and so they
should be upon a par with him; and the third was
that they thought they should
offer their bullocks together
so that
if fire descended
it would come upon
them both
and then the dispute would be
whether his God
or their god
sent
it; and so no proof could be made who was God
nor the matter in controversy decided:
choose you one bullock for yourselves
and dress it first; for ye
are many; therefore in civility to them gave the choice of the bullock and
the altar first
he being one and they many:
and call on the name of your gods
but put no fire under; under the
wood on which was the sacrifice cut in pieces; and when they had so done
then
they were to call on their gods to cause fire to descend upon it.
1 Kings 18:26 26 So they took the bull
which was given them
and they prepared it
and called on the name of
Baal from morning even till noon
saying
“O Baal
hear us!” But there was
no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had
made.
YLT
26And they take the bullock
that [one] gave to them
and prepare
and call in the name of Baal from the
morning even till the noon
saying
`O Baal
answer us!' and there is no voice
and there is none answering; and they leap on the altar that one had made.
And they took the bullock which was given them
.... By such
of them as made the choice:
and they dressed it; slew it
and cut it in
pieces
and laid it on the wood
but put no fire under it:
and called on the name of Baal
from morning even until noon
saying
O Baal
hear us; and send fire down on the sacrifice; and if the sun was their
Baal
they might hope
as the heat he gradually diffused was at its height at
noon
that some flashes of fire would proceed from it to consume their
sacrifice; but after
their hope was turned into despair
they became and acted
like madmen:
but there was no voice
nor any that answered; by word
or
by sending down fire as they desired:
and they leapt upon the altar which was made; not by
Elijah
but by themselves
either now or heretofore
and where they had
formerly sacrificed; and they danced about it
and leaped on it
either
according to a custom used by them; such as the Salii
the priests of Mars
used
so called from their leaping
because they did their sacred things
leaping
and went about their altars capering and leapingF19Servius
in Virgil. Aeneid. l. 8. "tum Salii ad cantus"
&c. Vid.
Gutberleth. de Salii
c. 2. p. 9. ; or rather they were mad on it
as the
Targum renders it
and acted like madmen
as if they were agitated by a
prophetic fury and frenzy.
1 Kings 18:27 27 And so it was
at noon
that Elijah mocked them and said
“Cry aloud
for he is a god; either he
is meditating
or he is busy
or he is on a journey
or perhaps he is
sleeping and must be awakened.”
YLT
27And it cometh to pass
at
noon
that Elijah playeth on them
and saith
`Call with a loud voice
for he
[is] a god
for he is meditating
or pursuing
or on a journey; it may be he is
asleep
an doth awake.'
And it came to pass at noon
.... When they had been
from the time of the morning sacrifice until now invoking their deity to no
purpose:
that Elijah mocked them; he jeered and bantered
them:
and said
cry aloud; your god does not hear
you; perhaps
if you raise your voice higher
he may;
for he is a god; according to your esteem of him
and
if
so
he surely may hear you: unless
either he is talking; with others about
matters of moment and importance
who are waiting on him with their
applications to him; or he is in meditation; in a deep study upon some things
difficult to be resolved:
or he is pursuing; his studies
or his pleasures
or his
enemies
to overtake them; or he is employed on businessF20David de
Pomis Lexic. fol. 211. 1. :
or he is in a journey; gone to visit his
friends
or some parts of his dominions; so HomerF21Iliad. ver. 1.
423. represents Jupiter gone to pay a visit to the Ethiopians
and as yesterday
gone to a feast
and all the gods following him
from whence he would not
return until twelve days; and in like manner LucianF23Jupiter
Tragoedus. speaks of the gods
mocking at them:
or
peradventure he sleepeth
and must be awaked; with a loud
crying to him: it being now noon
Abarbinel thinks this refers to a custom of
sleeping after dinner; HomerF24Ut supra
(Iliad. ver. 1. 423.) in
fine
& Iliad. 2. ver. 1
2. also speaks of the sleep of the gods
and
which used to be at noon; and therefore the worshippers of Baal ceased then to
call upon him; and it is saidF25Meurs. Auctuar. Philol. c. 6. apud
Quistorp. in loc.
the Heathens feared to go into the temples of their gods at
noon
lest they should disturb them; but such is not the true God
the God of
Israel
he neither slumbers nor sleeps
Psalm 121:4.
1 Kings 18:28 28 So they cried aloud
and
cut themselves
as was their custom
with knives and lances
until the blood
gushed out on them.
YLT
28And they call with a loud
voice
and cut themselves
according to their ordinance
with swords and with
spears
till a flowing of blood [is] on them;
And they cried aloud
.... Trying to make him
hear
if possible:
and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets
till the blood gushed out upon them; so the priests of
Heathen deities used to slash themselves on their shoulders
arms
and thighs
in their devotions to them
as many writers observeF26Vid. Kipping.
Antiqu. Roman. l. 1. c. 10. p. 202.
fancying their gods were delighted with
human blood; particularly the priests of BellonaF1Tertul Apolog. c.
9. Lactant. Institut. l. 1. c. 21.
and the worshippers of the Syrian goddessF2Apulei
Metamorph. l. 8.
and of the Egyptian IsisF3Herodot. Euterpe
c.
61. Manetho. Apotelesm. l. 1. ver. 243
244. Seneca de vita beata
c. 27. .
1 Kings 18:29 29 And when midday was past
they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening
sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered
no one paid
attention.
YLT
29and it cometh to pass
at
the passing by of the noon
that they feign themselves prophets till the going
up of the present
and there is no voice
and there is none answering
and
there is none attending.
And it came to pass when midday was past
.... And
nothing done
no fire descended:
and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening
sacrifice; continued praying to Baal
and singing his praises
but all to
no purpose; or they behaved like madmen
as the Targum; thus they went on until
it was time to offer the evening sacrifice; so that they had no interruption in
their service
and had all the time they could desire to have to importune
their god to do the favour for them they requested:
that there was neither voice
nor any to answer
nor any that
regarded; no voice was heard that returned them any answer; nor was any
answer made by fire
nor any regard shown to their mad gestures
and barbarous
actions; and very likely the people also
by this time
paid no regard unto
them
perceiving they were not able
by all their cries and methods they took
to obtain an answer.
1 Kings 18:30 30 Then Elijah said to all
the people
“Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he
repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken
down.
YLT
30And Elijah saith to all the
people
`Come nigh unto me;' and all the people come nigh unto him
and he
repaireth the altar of Jehovah that is broken down;
And Elijah said unto all the people
come near unto me
.... And
observe what I do
and what will be done at my request:
and all the people came near unto him; left the
prophets of Baal to themselves
and took no more notice of them
but attended
to what the prophet should say and do:
and he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down; which had
been set up when high places and altars were allowed of
while the tabernacle
was unsettled
and the temple not built; this is supposed to have been erected
in the times of the judges; though
according to a tradition of the JewsF4Jarchi
& Kimchi in loc.
it was built by Saul
see 1 Samuel 15:12 but
had been thrown down by the idolatrous Israelites
who demolished such as were
erected to the name of the Lord everywhere
and built new ones for their idols
1 Kings 19:10.
Benjamin of TudelaF5ltinerar. p. 37. says
that on the top of Mount
Carmel is now to be seen the place of the altar Elijah repaired
which is four
cubits round.
1 Kings 18:31 31 And Elijah took twelve
stones
according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob
to whom the
word of the Lord
had come
saying
“Israel shall be your name.”[b]
YLT
31and Elijah taketh twelve
stones
according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob
unto whom
the word of Jehovah was
saying
`Israel is thy name;'
And Elijah took twelve stones
according to the number of the
tribes of the sons of Jacob
.... Which he might very easily come at from
the mountain:
unto whom the word of the Lord came
saying
Israel shall be thy
name
which signifies one that has power with God
as Jacob had
when
the word came to him to make a change in his name at Penuel
Genesis 32:28
and
as Elijah hoped and believed he should have at this time
being a prophet
and
a worshipper of Israel's God.
1 Kings 18:32 32 Then with the stones he
built an altar in the name of the Lord; and he made a trench
around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed.
YLT
32and he buildeth with the
stones an altar
in the name of Jehovah
and maketh a trench
as about the
space of two measures of seed
round about the altar.
And with the stones he built an altar in the same of the Lord
.... Whom the
twelve tribes had formerly worshipped; and though now divided in their civil
state
yet ought to be united in the worship of God:
and he made a trench about the altar
as great as would contain
two measures of seed; or two seahs
one of which was the third part of an ephah
and
two of them were more than half a bushel; and this trench or ditch round the
altar was as broad as such a measure of seed would sow.
1 Kings 18:33 33 And he put the wood in
order
cut the bull in pieces
and laid it on the wood
and said
“Fill
four waterpots with water
and pour it on the burnt sacrifice and on the
wood.”
YLT
33And he arrangeth the wood
and cutteth in pieces the bullock
and placeth [it] on the wood
and saith
`Fill ye four pitchers of water
and pour on the burnt-offering
and on the
wood;
And he put the wood in order
and cut the bullock in pieces
and
laid him on the wood
.... Just in such manner as sacrifices usually were:
and said
fill four barrels with water; either from
the brook Kishon
or
if that was dried up
from the sea; for both were near
this mountain
and so to be had
though a time of drought:
and pour it on the burnt sacrifice; that which was intended
to be one:
and upon the wood: wherewith it was to be burnt
and so made
unfit for it; and which would make the miracle appear the greater
when fire
came down and consumed it.
1 Kings 18:34 34 Then he said
“Do it
a second time
” and they did it a second time; and he said
“Do it
a third time
” and they did it a third time.
YLT
34and he saith
`Do [it] a
second time;' and they do [it] a second time; and he saith
`Do [it] a third
time;' and they do [it] a third time;
And he said
do it the second time
and they did it the second
time
.... That is
poured four barrels of water more upon the wood:
and he said
do it the third time
and they did it the third time; so that there
were in all twelve barrels of water poured on the wood
agreeably to the number
of the twelve stones the altar was built with
and may have respect to the same
as they.
1 Kings 18:35 35 So the water ran all
around the altar; and he also filled the trench with water.
YLT
35and the water goeth round
about the altar
and also
the trench he hath filled with water.
And the water ran round about the altar
.... There
being such a large effusion of it on it;
and he filled the trench also with water; which
surrounded the altar
so that it seemed impracticable that any fire should
kindle upon it; and this gave full proof and demonstration there could be no
collusion in this matter.
1 Kings 18:36 36 And it came to pass
at the
time of the offering of the evening sacrifice
that Elijah the
prophet came near and said
“Lord God of Abraham
Isaac
and Israel
let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am
Your servant
and that I have done all these things at Your word.
YLT
36And it cometh to pass
at
the going up of the [evening-]present
that Elijah the prophet cometh nigh and
saith
`Jehovah
God of Abraham
Isaac
and Israel
to-day let it be known that
Thou [art] God in Israel
and I Thy servant
that by Thy word I have done the
whole of these things;
And it came to pass
at the time of the offering of the evening
sacrifice
.... Which the people of God at Jerusalem were now attending to:
that Elijah the prophet came near; to the altar he had
built
and on which he had laid the sacrifice:
and said; in prayer to God:
Lord God of Abraham
Isaac
and Jacob; the covenant
God of the ancestors of his people
though they had now so fully departed from
him:
let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel; and that
there is no other:
and that I am thy servant; a true worshipper of
him
and his faithful prophet and minister:
and that I have done all these things at thy word; restrained
rain from the earth for some years past
and now had convened Israel
and the
false prophets
together
that by a visible sign from heaven it might be known
who was the true God; all which he did not of himself
but by the impulse
direction
and
commandment of the Lord.
1 Kings 18:37 37 Hear me
O Lord
hear me
that
this people may know that You are the Lord God
and that
You have turned their hearts back to You again.”
YLT
37answer me
O Jehovah
answer me
and this people doth know that Thou [art] Jehovah God; and Thou hast
turned their heart backward.'
Hear me
O Lord
hear me;.... Which repetition is
made to express his importunity
and the vehement earnest desire of his soul to
be heard in such a case
which so much concerned the glory of God; the Targum
is
"receive
my prayer
O Lord
concerning the fire
receive my prayer concerning the rain;'
as
if the one respected the sending down the fire on the sacrifice
and the other
sending rain on the earth; and which sense is followed by other Jewish writers:
that this people may know that thou art the Lord God; and not Baal
or any other idol:
and that thou hast turned their heart back again; from
idolatry
to the worship of the true God; though some understand this of God's
giving them up to a spirit of error
and suffering them to fall into idolatry
and hardening their hearts
as he did Pharaoh's; but the former sense is best.
1 Kings 18:38 38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and
consumed the burnt sacrifice
and the wood and the stones and the dust
and it
licked up the water that was in the trench.
YLT
38And there falleth a fire of
Jehovah
and consumeth the burnt-offering
and the wood
and the stones
and
the dust
and the water that [is] in the trench it hath licked up.
Then the fire of the Lord fell
.... An extraordinary
fire from God out of heaven
as the effects of it show:
and consumed the burnt sacrifice; as it had done in former
instances
Leviticus 9:24
and
besides this
which is still more extraordinary
and the wood
and the stones
and the dust; of the altar
thereby signifying that even such were not to be used any more:
and licked up the water that was in the trench; around the
altar
see 1 Kings 18:32.
1 Kings 18:39 39 Now when all the people
saw it
they fell on their faces; and they said
“The Lord
He is
God! The Lord
He is God!”
YLT
39And all the people see
and
fall on their faces
and say
`Jehovah
He [is] the God
Jehovah
He [is] the
God.'
And when all the people saw it
they fell on their faces
.... In
reverence of God
astonished at the miracle wrought
ashamed of themselves and
their sins
particularly their idolatry
that they should turn their backs on
the true God
and follow idols:
and they said
the Lord
he is the God
the Lord
he is the God; which
acknowledgment of God
as the true God
in opposition to Baal
is repeated
to
show their firm belief and strong assurance of it.
1 Kings 18:40 40 And Elijah said to them
“Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!” So they seized
them; and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon and executed them there.
YLT
40And Elijah saith to them
`Catch ye the prophets of Baal; let not a man escape of them;' and they catch
them
and Elijah bringeth them down unto the stream Kishon
and doth slaughter
them there.
And Elijah said unto them
take the prophets of Baal
.... The four
hundred and fifty that were upon the spot; for the number of the people of
Israel
now gathered together
were equal to it; nor was it in Ahab's power to
hinder it
and he might himself be so far surprised and convicted as not in the
least to object to it:
let not one of them escape: that there might be none
of them left to seduce the people any more:
and they took them; laid hold on them
everyone of them:
and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon; which ran by
the side
and at the bottom of Mount Carmel
into the sea; See Gill on Judges 4:7
Judges 5:21.
and slew them there; intimating
that it was
owing to the idolatry they led the people into that rain had been withheld
and
the brooks were dried up
as this might be; or
as Ben Gersom thinks
that the
land might not be defiled with their blood
but be carried down the river after
it: these he slew not with his own hand
but by others he gave orders to do it;
and this not as a private person
but as an extraordinary minister of God
to
execute justice according to his law
Deuteronomy 13:1 by
which law such false prophets were to die; and the rather he was raised up and
spirited for this service
as the supreme magistrate was addicted to idolatry
himself.
1 Kings 18:41 41 Then Elijah said to Ahab
“Go up
eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.”
YLT
41And Elijah saith to Ahab
`Go up
eat and drink
because of the sound of the noise of the shower.'
And Elijah said unto Ahab
get thee up
.... From the
brook and valley where the execution of the prophets had been made; either up
to his chariot
or to the tent or pavilion erected on the side of the mount
where the whole scene of things was transacted;
eat and drink; which he had no leisure for all the day
from the time of the morning sacrifice to the evening sacrifice
which was
taken up in attending to the issue of the several sacrifices; but now he is bid
to eat and refresh himself
and that in token of joy and gladness
as became
him
both for the honour of the true God
which had been abundantly confirmed
and for the near approach of rain
of which he assures him:
for there is a sound of abundance of rain; the wind
perhaps began to rise
and blow pretty briskly
which was a sign of itF6"Fit
fragor
hinc densi----nimbi"
Ovid. Metamorph. l. 1. Fab. 8. v. 269. ;
besides
according to the Tyrian annalsF7Apud Joseph
Antiqu. l. 8.
c. 13. sect. 2.
there were loud claps of thunder at this time
at least when
the heavens became very black
as in 1 Kings 18:45.
1 Kings 18:42 42 So Ahab went up to eat and
drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the
ground
and put his face between his knees
YLT
42And Ahab goeth up to eat
and to drink
and Elijah hath gone up unto the top of Carmel
and he stretcheth
himself out on the earth
and he placeth his face between his knees
So Ahab went up to eat and to drink
.... Up to his chariot
as some think
or rather to some place higher than that in which he now was:
and Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; higher still
where he both might be alone
and have the opportunity of observing the clouds
gathering
and the rain coming:
and he cast himself down upon the earth
and put his face between
his knees; expressive of his humility
and of his earnestness
and vehement
desire
and continued importunity
that rain might fall; for this was a posture
of prayer he put himself into
and continued in; and it is certain that it was
through his prayer that rain came
James 5:18 and from
hence came the fable of the Grecians concerning Aeacus praying for rain in a
time of drought
when it cameF8Pausan. Attica
sive
l. 1. prope
finem. Isocrat. Evagoras
p. 373. . So the Chinese writersF9Martin.
Sinic. Hist. l. 3. p. 60. report that at the prayers of their emperor Tangus
after a seven years' drought
great rains fell.
1 Kings 18:43 43 and said to his servant
“Go up now
look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked
and said
“There
is nothing.” And seven times he said
“Go again.”
YLT
43and saith unto his young
man
`Go up
I pray thee
look attentively the way of the sea;' and he goeth up
and looketh attentively
and saith
`There is nothing;' and he saith
`Turn
back
' seven times.
And said to his servant
.... Whom some take to be
the son of the widow of Sarepta
but he must be too young to be employed in
such service as this was:
go up now; still higher on Mount Carmel; than where he was
even to the
highest point of it:
look towards the sea: or the west
as the
Targum
the Mediterranean sea
which lay to the west of the land of Israel:
and he went up and looked
and he said
there is nothing; there was
nothing in the sky
or arising out of the sea
that looked like or foreboded
rain:
and he said
go again seven times; till he should see
something.
1 Kings 18:44 44 Then it came to pass the
seventh time
that he said
“There is a cloud
as small as a man’s hand
rising out of the sea!” So he said
“Go up
say to Ahab
‘Prepare your
chariot
and go down before the rain stops you.’”
YLT
44And it cometh to pass
at
the seventh
that he saith
`Lo
a little thickness as the palm of a man is
coming up out of the sea.' And he saith
`Go up
say unto Ahab
`Bind -- and go
down
and the shower doth not restrain thee.'
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
.... Either
about the size or in the form of it; rain water comes out of the sea
and
being strained through the clouds and air
becomes fresh:
and he said
go up: the meaning seems to be
that he should
first go down from the mount
and then go up to that part of it where Ahab was:
say unto Ahab
prepare thy chariot; bind or fasten the
horses to it
as the phrase seems to signify:
and get thee down; from the mountain where he was
to go to
Jezreel
which lay low in a valley:
that the rain stop thee not; on the road
that might
be made impassable by it
signifying that such abundance should fall as would
make it so.
1 Kings 18:45 45 Now it happened in the
meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind
and there was a heavy
rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel.
YLT
45And it cometh to pass
in
the meantime
that the heavens have become black -- thick clouds and wind --
and the shower is great; and Ahab rideth
and goeth to Jezreel
And it came to pass in the mean while
.... That the
servant was gone with the message to Ahab
and Ahab was getting ready his
chariot:
that the heaven was black with clouds and wind
and there was a
great rain; which all sprung from the cloud like a man's hand; and so we are
toldF11Scheuchzer. Physic. Sacra
vol. 3. p. 591.
that sometimes a
little cloud called the ox's eye is seen on a mount of the Cape of Good Hope
called Tafesbery
when the sky is most serene
and the sea quiet; which is at
first scarce so big as a barley corn
and then as a walnut; and presently it
extends itself over the whole surface of the mountain:
and Ahab rode
and went to Jezreel; as fast as he could.
1 Kings 18:46 46 Then the hand of the Lord came upon
Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of
Jezreel.
YLT
46and the hand of Jehovah
hath been on Elijah
and he girdeth up his loins
and runneth before Ahab
till
thine entering Jezreel.
And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah
.... Giving
him more than common strength of body
as well as courage and fortitude of
mind; so the Targum
the spirit of strength from the Lord was with him:
and he girded up his loins; gathered up his long
loose garment
and girt it about him
that he might be more fit for travelling:
and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel; reckoned
about sixteen miles from CarmelF12Bunting's Travels
&c. p. 204.
; this showed his humility
that he was not elated with the wonderful things
God had done by him
and that he bore no ill will to Ahab
but was ready to
show him all honour and respect due to him as a king; and that it were his sins
and not his person
he had an aversion to; and that he was not afraid of
Jezebel
and her prophets
but entered into the city where she was
to instruct
the people
and warn them against her idolatries; though some think he went no
further than the gate of the city
prudently avoiding falling into her hands.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)