CHAPTER XVI.

The message of Elijah

I. KINGS.

to Ahab, predicting the drought.

nocent or safe, because the judgment threatened || he finished it. So that he found by his own sad exagainst them by Ahijah was not yet executed. The perience the truth of God's word, the sentence Beth-elite-Who lived in Beth-el, the seat and sink which Joshua pronounced against the builder of this of idolatry, wherewith he was thoroughly leavened. city being literally and exactly executed. (See He laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his first- || Joshua, chapter vi. verse 26.) A remarkable inborn-Whom God took away in the beginning of stance this of the certainty of the accomplishment of his building, and others of his children successively God's threatenings, and that he never forgets what in the progress of the work, and the youngest when he has spoken!

CHAPTER XVII.

Elijah foretels the drought, 1. Is fed by ravens, 2-7. By a widow, whose meal and oil are multiplied, 8-16. He raises her dead son, 17-24.

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Henry, "whence men are, but what they are: if it be a good thing, no matter though it come out of Nazareth." Elijah seems to have been naturally of a rough spirit, and certainly he was called to rough services. But, as his name signifies, My God Jehovah is he; he that sends me, and will own me, and bear me out; so his faith and confidence in God supported and carried him through all his arduous labours, and the violent persecutions to which he was exposed.

him;

NOTES ON CHAPTER XVII. small number of the Lord's prophets and people Verse 1. And Elijah the Tishbite, &c.-So bad who yet remained in Israel. And the obscurity of was the character, both of the Israelites and their his parentage and birth was no prejudice to his emiprinces, as represented in the foregoing chapter,nent usefulness. "We need not inquire," says that one would have expected God should have cast off a people that had so cast him off; but as an evidence to the contrary, never was Israel so blessed with a good prophet as when it was so plagued with a bad king. Never was a king so bold to sin as Ahab, never was a prophet so bold to reprove and threaten as Elijah, whose story begins in this chapter, and is full of wonders. Scarce any part of the Old Testament history shines brighter than this, concerning the spirit and power of Elias; he only, of all the prophets, had the honour of Enoch, the He said unto Ahab-Having doubtless admonishfirst prophet, to be translated that he should noted him of his sin and danger before, he now, upon see death; and the honour of Moses, the great pro- his obstinacy in his wicked courses, proceeds to dephet, to attend our Saviour in his transfiguration. clare and execute the judgment of God upon Other prophets prophesied and wrote, he prophesied As the Lord God of Israel liveth, &c.—I swear by and acted, but wrote nothing; and his actings cast the God of Israel, who is the only true and living more lustre on his name than their writings on God; whereas the gods whom thou hast joined with theirs. him, or preferred before him, are dead and senseless Now this most eminent of the prophets under the idols; before whom I stand-Whose minister I Old Testament dispensation, is here brought in like am, not only in general, but especially in this threatMelchisedec, the most eminent of the priests, with- ||ening, which I now deliver in his name and authoriout any mention of his father or mother, or the be-ty; There shall not be dew nor rain-This was a ginning of his days, like a man dropped down from the clouds. All that we learn concerning his origin or country is that he was a Tishbite, and of the inhabitants of Gilead. Probably he had dwelt at Thishbe or Thesbeh, a town or region on the other side Jordan, either of the tribe of Gad, or that half tribe of Manasseh which inhabited Gilead, but whether he was a native of either of those tribes is uncertain. He was doubtless raised up by God's special providence, to be a witness for him in this most degenerate time and state of things, that by his zeal, and courage, and miracles, he might give some check to their various and abominable idolatries, and some encouragement and reviving to that

prediction, but was seconded with his prayer that God would verify it, James v. 17. And this prayer was truly charitable; that by this sharp affliction, God's honour, and the truth of his word, (which was now so horribly and universally contemned,) might be vindicated; and the Israelites (whom impunity had hardened in their idolatry) might be awakened to see their own wickedness, and the necessity of returning to the true religion. These years-That is, these following years, which were three and a half; Luke iv. 25; James v. 17. My word-Until I shall declare that this judgment shall cease, and shall pray to God for the removal of it.

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A. M. 3094. 2 And the word of the LORD came || in the evening; and he drank of the A. M. 3094. unto him, saying,

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3 Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

5 So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh

Heb. at the end of days.

brook.

Verses 3, 4. Hide thyself by the brook Cherith upon his service. To suppose, as some have donc, A brook, no doubt, well known to Elijah: both it that the ravens, being unclean birds, (Lev. xi. 15,) and the valley through which it runs, are near the would defile and render unclean the food they brought, river Jordan; but whether on the east or west side, is to mistake the meaning of the law in that case. is not so well agreed. By sending him to this re- The flesh of unclean animals was not to be eaten mote and retired place, where he was to lie conceal-by the Israelites; but their touch, while living, comed, so that neither friends nor foes might know municated no ceremonial uncleanness either to food where he was, God rescued him from the fury of or any thing else: for asses and camels were also Ahab and Jezebel, who, he knew, would seek to de- unclean, and yet the Jews constantly used them stroy him. That Ahab did not seize him immedi- for carrying provisions, as well as for other purately upon hearing the forementioned prediction poses. and warning, must be ascribed to God's overruling providence. I have commanded the ravens to feed thee-Or, I shall command; that is, effectually move them by instincts, which shall be as forcible with them, as a law or command is to men. God is said to command both brute creatures and senseless things, when he causeth them to do what he intends to effect by them. The ravens being birds of prey, and very voracious, were more likely to rob the prophet than to bring him food; but God's command suspended their natural instinct, and made them act contrary to it. They are said to be unnatural to, and to neglect their young ones; yet, when God pleaseth, they shall feed his prophet. God could have sent angels to minister to him; but he chose winged messengers of another kind, to show that he can serve his own purposes as effectually by the meanest as by the mightiest creatures; and to give Elijah such a proof of his power and care in providing for him, as should effectually teach him to trust in God in those many and great dificulties to which he was to be exposed: and the more unfit instruments the ravens seemed to be, the more was his almighty power magnified, who controlled their natural inclinations while he employed and the greater encouragement was given to his prophet to rely on that power, thus engaged for him in his greatest straits and dangers. This, however, may be said for the choice of ravens for this work; that, as they are solitary birds, and delight to live about brooks of water, so are they accustomed to seek out for provisions, and to carry them to the places of their abode; on which account they were not improper creatures for God to employ

Verse 6. The ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, &c.-"We need not inquire where they procured the bread and flesh, or how the food was prepared; he who commanded them to feed his servant had ten thousand ways of enabling them to fulfil his word: thus Elijah was sufficiently provided for, when numbers were starving; and the consolations of the Lord would render him contented with his solitude and sustenance.”—Scott.

them;

Verse 7. After a while-Hebrew, at the end of the days; that is, of a year, as that phrase is often used. The brook dried up-For want of rain, and God so ordering it for the punishment of those Israelites who lived near it, and had hitherto been refreshed by it; and for the exercise of Elijah's faith, and to teach him still to depend on God alone, and not on any natural means for support and preservation.

Verse 9. Arise, get thee to Zarephath-A city between Tyre and Sidon, called Sarepta by St. Luke, chap. iv. 26, and others. Which belongeth to Zidon

To the jurisdiction of that city, which was inhabited by Gentiles. And God's providing for his prophet, first, by an unclean bird, and then by a Gentile, whom the Jews esteemed unclean, was a presage of the calling of the Gentiles, and rejection of the Jews. So Elijah was the first prophet of the Gentiles. Commanded a widow woman—That is, appointed or provided; for that she had as yet received no revelation or command of God about it, appears from verse 12.

was

Verses 10-12. Behold, the widow woman gathering sticks-He knew, by some secret divine intimation, that this was the woman that was to

Elijah entertained by a widow of

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A. M. 3094. the widow woman was there gather- a little cake first, and bring it unto A. M. 3094. ing of sticks: and he called to her, me, and after make for thee and for and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water thy son. in a vessel, that I may drink.

11 And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thy hand.

12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but a handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruise: and behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

13 And Elijah said unto her, Fear not go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof

Heb. giveth. Or, a full year.

3

14 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruise of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth. 15 And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

16 And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruise of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah. 17 ¶ And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the 5 Heb. by the hand of.

sustain him. Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water with interest. "Those that can venture upon the -Water, in consequence of the long drought, was promise of God," says Henry, "will make no diffidoubtless scarce there as well as in the land of Is-culty of exposing and emptying themselves in his rael; yet, being a pious woman, and therefore ready service, and giving him his dues out of a little, and to succour a stranger in distress, she readily goes to giving him his part first. They that deal with God, fetch it. He called and said, Bring me, I pray must deal on trust; seek first the kingdom of God, thee, a morsel of bread in thy hand-This he and then other things shall be added. Surely," adds probably said chiefly to try her, and to make way he, "the increase of this widow's faith to such a defor what follows. She said, As the Lord thy God gree as to enable her thus to deny herself, and to liveth-By this she discovers, that though she was depend upon the divine promise, was as great a mia Gentile, yet she owned the God of Israel as the racle in the kingdom of grace, as the increase of her true God. I am gathering two sticks-A few sticks, oil was in the kingdom of providence. Happy they that number being often used indefinitely for any that can thus, against hope, believe and obey in small number. That we may eat it and die-For hope." She and her house did eat many days—A having no more provision, we must needs perish with long time, even above two years before the followhunger. Although the famine was chiefly in the ing event about her son happened, and the rest of land of Israel, yet the effects of it were felt in Tyre the time of the famine. See how the reward anand Sidon, which were supported by the corn of swered the service! She generously made one that land. But what a poor supporter was this cake for the prophet, and was repaid with many for widow likely to be! who had no fuel, but what she || herself and son! What is laid out in charity, is set gathered in the streets, and nothing to live upon out to the best interest, upon the best security. One herself, but a handful of meal and a little oil! To poor meal's meat this poor widow gave the prophet, her Elijah is sent, that he might live upon Provi- and in recompense of it she and her son did eat dence, as much as he had done when the ravens fed many days, and probably some of her kindred too, him. here included in the term her house, an expression which would hardly have been used of her one son.

Verses 13, 14. Make me thereof a little cake first -This he requires as a trial of her faith, charity, and obedience, which he knew God would graciously and plentifully reward; and so this would be a great example to encourage others to the practice of the same graces. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel-In whom I perceive thou trustest. The barrel of meal-The meal of the barrel. So, the cruise of oil is put for the oil of the cruise.

Verse 16. The barrel of meal wasted not, &c.— But as much as they took out for their daily use, was immediately supplied by the almighty power of God. "Never did corn or olive so increase in growing," says Bishop Hall, "as these did in using." They multiplied, observe, not in the hoarding, but in the spending. For there is that scattereth, and yet increaseth. When God blesseth a little, it will go a great way, even beyond expectation; as on the contrary, though there be abundance, if he blow upon it, it comes to little, Hag. i. 9, and ii. 19.

Verse 15. She did according to the saying of Elijah-Giving glory to the God of Israel, by believing his prophet. O woman, great was thy faith! One has not found the like, no not in Is- Verse 17. There was no breath left in him-No rael. All things considered, it exceeded that of the soul or life, as the Hebrew word here used properly widow, who, when she had but two mites, cast them signifies. For, says Buxtorf, "The Hebrews by into the treasury. She took the prophet's word that, neshama, understand the rational and immorshe should not lose by it, but it should be repaid tal soul, whence they are wont to swear by it: and

he quotes Aben Ezra as an authority for rendering the word, anima, sed humana tantum ; the soul, but only the human. The expression, however, here only means that he died, as is manifest from the following verses. This was a terrible and unexpected stroke to this widow, and, no doubt, was sent for the further trial of her faith and patience. She had received a great prophet into her house, was employed to sustain him, and had reason to think that surely the Lord would do her good; yet now she loses her son. We must not think it strange if we meet with very sharp afflictions, even when we are in the way of duty, and of eminent service to God: nay, and when we have the clearest manifestations of God's favour and good-will toward us, even then we should prepare for the rebukes of his providence; our mountain never stands so strong but it may be moved, and therefore, in this world, we ought always to rejoice with trembling.

Elijah prays for his restoration.

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| And he took him out of her bosom, A. M. 3094.
and carried him up into a loft, where
he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.
20 And he cried unto the LORD, and said,
O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil
upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slay-
ing her son?

21 And he stretched himself upon the child

he was but a little child. And carried him up into a loft-A private place, where he might more freely and fully pour out his soul to God, and use such gestures and methods as his heart inclined him to use, without any offence or observation. And laid him upon his own bed-So that it was the room where he lodged, though near the top of the house. And he cried unto the Lord-And, in his prayer, humbly reasons with God concerning the death of the child, using most powerful arguments. Thou art the Lord, that canst revive the child; and my God, and therefore wilt not deny me. She is a widow, add not affliction to the afflicted; deprive her not of the support and staff of her age: she hath given me kind entertainment: let her not fare the worse for her kindness to a prophet, whereby wicked men will take occasion to reproach both her and religion.

Verse 21. He stretched himself upon the child Verse 18. She said, What have I to do with thee, three times-Not as if he thought this could contriO thou man of God?-Wherein have I injured or bute any warmth or life to the child; but partly to offended thee, or been wanting in my duty? Or, express, and withal to increase, his grief for the why didst thou come to sojourn in my house, if this child's death, and his desire of its reviving; that be the fruit of it? They are the words of a troubled thereby his prayers might be more fervent, and conmind. How unconcernedly had she spoken of her sequently more prevalent with God: and partly to own and her son's death, when she expected to die give a sign of what God would do by his power, for want, (verse 12,) That we may eat it and die; and what he doth by his grace in the raising of souls yet now her son dies, and not so miserably as by dead in sin to a spiritual life: the Holy Ghost comes famine, and she is extremely disturbed at it. We upon them, and the power of the Highest overshadows may speak slightly of an affliction at a distance, but them, and puts life into them. Let this child's soul when it toucheth us, we are troubled, Job iv. 5. Art come into him again-By this way of speaking, thou come to call my sin to remembrance?—That Elijah expressed his certainty that the child's soul thou mightest severely observe my sins, and by thy had left his body, and that he was properly dead. prayers bring down God's just judgment upon me And he asks, not that he might be recovered from a for them, as thou hast, for the like cause, brought fainting fit, swoon, or trance; but reanimated by down this famine upon the nation? She may mean, the departed soul, and raised from the dead. This either, 1st, Her own remembrance; that she should certainly was a great and most extraordinary reby this dreadful judgment be brought to the know-quest, and such as there is every reason to think ledge and remembrance of her sins which had pro- had never been asked of God before by any human eured it: or, rather, 2d, God's remembrance; for creature. Certainly he had no precedent to plead God is often said in Scripture to remember sins for requesting such a thing, much less did he know when he punishes them, and to forget them when of an instance of any mortal's resurrection having spares the sinner, 2 Sam. xvi. 10. Has God taken place in answer to any one's prayers or othertaken occasion from thy abiding in my house, and wise. Nevertheless, he was encouraged and induced my not making the improvement I ought to have to make this request, partly by his zeal for God's made by thee, to punish this and my former sins by honour, which he judged was concerned in it, and suddenly cutting off my son? And have I, instead would be eclipsed, if the child of this widow remainof the comfort and blessing I expected, met with a ed in death; partly by the experience which he had severe chastisement and curse? of his prevailing power with God in prayer; and partly by a divine influence, moving him to desire the child's restoration to life.

he

Verses 19, 20. Give me thy son-Into my arms. He took him out of her bosom-By which it appears