Early Ephraimite Elijah Stories lous pro of food 8Then the word of Jehovah came to him, saying, 9Arise, go to Zarephath, Miracuwhich belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for thee. 10So he arose and went to Zarephath. And vision when he came to the gate of the city a widow was there gathering sticks; at Zaand calling to her, he said, Bring me, I pray, a little water in a vessel, that rephath I may drink. 11And as she was going to bring it, he called after her, Bring also, I pray, a bit of bread with you. 12And she replied, As Jehovah your God liveth, I have nothing but a handful of meal in the jar and a little oil in the cruse; and now I am gathering a fewk sticks, that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and then die. 13But Elijah said to her, Fear not; go and do as you have said, but first make me from it a little cake, and then make for yourself and your son. 14 For thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, 'The jar of meal shall not be used up, neither shall the cruse of oil become empty, until the day that Jehovah sendeth rain upon the earth.' 15And she went and did as Elijah directed. So she and he and her household had food to eat.1 16 From that day the jar of meal was not used up, neither did the cruse of oil become empty, just as Jehovah had said by Elijah. of the widow 17 Now after this the son of the mistress of the house fell sick; and his sick- Reness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. 18Then she said to the son storing Elijah, What have I to do with you,m O man of God? You have come to me to remind me of my sin by slaying my son! 19And he said to her, Give me your son. And he took him out of her bosom and carried him up into the upper chamber, where he was staying, and laid him upon his own bed. 20 And he cried to Jehovah, and said, O Jehovah, my God, hast thou also brought evil upon this widow, whose guest I am, by slaying her son? 21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried to Jehovah and said, O Jehovah, my God, I pray thee, let this child's life come back to him again. 22 And Jehovah hearkened to the voice of Elijah; and the life of the child came back to him again, so that he revived. 23Then Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper chamber into the house and gave him to his mother. And Elijah said, See, your son lives! 24 And the woman said to Elijah, Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of Jehovah in your mouth is truth. $70. Jehovah's Vindication on Mount Carmel, I Kgs. 18 Early Ephraimite Elijah Stories jah's I Kgs. 18 1Now a long time after this the word of Jehovah came to EliElijah, in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself to Ahab; and I will send call to rain upon the earth. 2So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. 1712 So Syr. and Targ., supported by the context. The Heb. has a very unusual word possibly meaning, cake. Gk., baked in the ashes. 1712 Heb., two, the concrete equivalent of a few. 11715 So Symmachus, Theodotion, and Gk.A. 'Heb., some days, joining it to the preceding sentence. 1718 I.e., What have you to do with my affairs? Cf. 313, Mt. 829. $70 This is the direct continuation of the preceding section. The explanatory notes in 3b, 4 are probably from the editor and are based on 13. Otherwise the section as a whole was apparently quoted without alteration from the original prophetic source. action Severity of the Elijah's interview with Obadiah Early Ephraimite Elijah Stories And And the famine was severe in Samaria. 3And Ahab had called Obadiah, the prefect of the palace. Now Obadiah revered Jehovah greatly. For when Jeze famine bel tried to exterminate the prophets of Jehovah Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave and fed them continually with bread and water. 5And Ahab had said to Obadiah, Up! let us go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the brooks; perhaps we may find grass so that we can save the horses and mules alive and not lose all the beasts." 6So they divided the land between them to pass through it: Ahab went in one direction by himself and Obadiah went in another direction by himself, 7And while Obadiah was on the way, Elijah met him suddenly. When he knew him, he fell on his face and said, Is it you, my lord Elijah? he answered him, It is I; go, tell your lord, 'Elijah is here.' And he said, Wherein have I sinned, that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab, to slay me? 10As Jehovah your God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord has not sent to seek you; and when they said 'He is not here,' he took an oath of the kingdom and nation, that no one had found you. 11 And now you say, 'Go, tell your lord, "Elijah is here."' 12 And as soon as I am gone from you the spirit of Jehovah will carry you to a place unknown to me, and so when I come and tell Ahab, and he cannot find you, he will put me to death, although I, your servant, have feared Jehovah from my youth. 13Was it not told my lord what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of Jehovah, how I hid a hundred of Jehovah's prophets by fifty in a cave and fed them continually with bread and water? 14 And now you say, 'Go, tell your lord, Elijah is here,' that he may put me to death! 15 But Elijah said, As Jehovah of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him to-day. His com mand to Ahab Elijah's to the 16So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 And as soon as Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, Is it you, you who have brought misfortune to Israel? 18 And he answered, I have not brought misfortune to Israel, but you and your father's house, in that you have forsaken the commands of Jehovah and have run after the Baals. 19 Now therefore send and gather to me all Israel to Mount Carmel, together with the four hundred and fifty prophets of the Baal and the four hundred prophets of the Asherah," who eat at Jezebel's table. 20So Ahab sent to all the Israelites and gathered the prophets together address to Mount Carmel. 21Then Elijah came near to all the people and said, people How long are you going to limp between the two sides ? If Jehovah be God, follow him, but if the Baal, then follow him. But the people gave 185 So Gk. and the implication of succeeding context. Heb., go through. him no P 1819 This appears to be a later insertion, for the expression, prophets of the Asherah, is late, and in the subsequent context, 20, 40, only the prophets of Baal are mentioned. As in II Kgs. 234, Asherah probably stands for, Ashtarte. a 1821 The word occurs only here. It comes from a root meaning to divide, and the phrase may be translated lit., on two divisions, i.e., on two legs or opinions, as unequal as faith in Jehovah and faith in Baal. Gk. and Luc., knee-cavities. Slightly emending the text the passage may also be read leap over two thresholds. In the light of Zeph. 19 and the common Semitic idioms this would be equivalent to worship in two sanctuaries, i.e., of Jehovah and Baal. This meaning would perfectly fit the context. The saying was evidently a popular proverb current in Elijah's day. Early Ephraimite Elijah Stories answer. 22Then Elijah said to the people, I, even I only, am left as a prophet of Jehovah, but the Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 23Let them therefore give us two bullocks, and let them choose one bullock for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood without putting on any fire, and I will dress the other bullock and lay it on wood without putting on any fire. 24Then you call on your god and I will call on Jehovah; and the God who answers by fire, he is the God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. of the Baal ets 25 And Elijah said to the prophets of the Baal, Choose one of the bullocks for Failure yourselves and dress it first, for you are many, and call on your god, without putting on any fire. 26So they took the bullock he gave them and dressed it, prophand called on the Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. to meet But there was no voice nor answer. And they limped about the altar which the test they had erected. 27 But when it was noon, Elijah mocked them, saying, Cry aloud; for he is a god; either he is musing, or he has gone aside, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened! 28Then they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with swords and lances until the blood gushed out upon them. 29 And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening oblation; but there was neither voice nor answer nor heed paid to their cry. 30Then Elijah said to all the people, Come near to me. And all the people Elijah's came near to him. And he repaired the altar of Jehovah which had been prepa thrown down. And Elijah took twelve stones corresponding to the number of for the tribes of the sons of Jacob to whom the word of Jehovah came, saying, Israel shall be test thy name. 32 And with the stones he built an altar in the name of Jehovah. Then he made a trench about the altar of about the capacity of two seahst of seed. 33 And he laid the pieces of wood in order, cut up the bullock, and laid it on pieces of the wood. And he said, Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt-offering and on the pieces of wood. 34And he said, Do it the second time; and they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time; and they did it also the third time,u 35so that the water ran round the altar; and he also filled the trench with water. rations sign heaven con 36 But when it was time to offer the evening oblation, Elijah the prophet The came near and said, O Jehovah, God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of from Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy command. 37 Hear firming me, O Jehovah, hear me, that this people may know that thou, Jehovah, words art God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. 38Then the fire of Jehovah fell and consumed the burnt-offering and the wood, the Elijah's 1828 So Gk.. Luc., Syr., and Lat. Heb., was erected. 1831, 32 Vs. 32b is the natural sequel of 30. The Gk. translators also recognized that 31, 32 were awkward after 30a, and so put 30 last. The reference to twelve tribes, when only the northern tribes were represented, and the language of 1b, which reflects the priestly passage, Gen. 3510, confirm the conclusion that these verses are from a late priestly editor. 1822 About five gallons. The ground which would be sown with one and one-fourth bushels of seed, is perhaps intended. ☐ 1834 So Gk. The last clause is lacking in the Heb. 1838 Gk. and Luc., fire from God. Com ing of Early Ephraimite Elijah Stories stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces, and cried, Jehovah, he is God; Jehovah, he is God. 40But Elijah commanded them, Take the prophets of the Baal; let not one of them escape! So they took them down to the Brook Kishon and slew them there. 41 Then Elijah said to Ahab, Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound the rain of a heavy downpour of rain. 42So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, and crouched down upon the earth, with his face between his knees. 43And he said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked and said, There is nothing. And he said, Now go again seven times. So the servant went back seven times. 44But the seventh time he said, There is a cloud arising out of the sea as small as a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Make ready your chariot, go down, that the rain may not stop you.' 45And the next instant the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode toward Jezreel. 46 And the hand of Jehovah was on Elijah, so that he girded up his loins and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. Elijah's flight to § 71. Revelation to Elijah at Horeb, I Kgs. 191-18 Early Ephraimite Elijah Stories I Kgs. 19 1Now when Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and Horeb all the details of his slaying the prophets with the sword, 2Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, As surely as you are Elijah and I am Jezebel, a may the gods do to me what they will, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by to-morrow about this time. 3Then he was afraid and arose and went for his life. And he came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah; and there he left his servant. 4But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree,b and he asked that he might die, saying, It is enough; now, O Jehovah, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers ! 5Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. Thereupon a divine Messenger touched him and said to him, Rise, eat! And when he looked, he saw there at his head a cake, baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay 1843 Slightly reconstructing the text in harmony with a suggestion in the Gk. $71 The passage 9b-lla appears to be a later expansion of the story. Vs. 10 anticipates 14 and is almost word for word the same. The entire account of the revelation in 9b-lla also anticipates and weakens the impressiveness of the vision recorded in 11b-14. Not until in 13 is Elijah represented as coming forth from the cave. Otherwise the graphic narrative is the immediate sequel of the preceding story. The Assyrian inscriptions record a victory over Hazael of Damascus in 842 B.C. This was probably soon after the revolution whereby Hazael attained to the Aramean throne. The inscriptions also state that in the same year Jehu paid tribute, probably to establish himself on the throne of Israel. Cf. Appendix V. 192 Gk. and Luc. have preserved the characteristic opening words of Jezebel. b 194 The Retama roetam, a shrub growing from eight to twelve feet high and possessing a dense foliage. 194 I.e., since I must some time die, let it be now. Early Ephraimite Elijah Stories down again. But the Messenger of Jehovah came again the second time and touched him and said, Rise, eat, or else the journey will be too long for you. So he arose and ate and drank and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the Mount of God. And there he came to a cave and lodged therein. Thereupon the word of Jehovah came to him. And he said to him, What doest thou His here, Elijah? 10 And he said, I have been very jealous for Jehovah, the God of hosts; comfor the Israelites have forsaken thee, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets plaint with the sword; and I only am left, and they seek to take my life from me. 11Then he said, Go forth and stand on the mount before Jehovah. lation true ter Thereupon Jehovah passed by, and a great and violent wind rent the Revemountain and broke in pieces the rocks before Jehovah; but Jehovah was not of Jein the wind. And after the wind an earthquake; but Jehovah was not in hovah's the earthquake. 12And after the earthquake a fire; but Jehovah was not characin the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low, softe whisper.f 13 And as soon as Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And then there came a voice to him and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? 14And he said, I have been very jealous for Jehovah, the God of hosts, for the Israelites have forsaken thee, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword, and I only am left, and they seek to take away my life from me. tions throw 15 Then Jehovah said to him, Go, return on thy way to the Wilderness of DirecDamascus, and when thou comest anoint Hazael to be king over Aram. for the 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel. And overElisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet of Baalin thy place. 17 And it shall be that whoever escapes the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall slay; and whoever escapes the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall slay. 18 Yet will I spare seven thousand in Israel—all the knees which have not bowed to Baal and every mouth which hath not kissed him. § 72. Call of Elisha, I Kgs. 1919-21 Early Ephraimite Elijah Stories ism tion of succes I Kgs. 19 19Now when he had departed from there he found Elisha Selecthe son of Shaphat, as he was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he was a disciwith the twelfth. And Elijah went over to him and cast his mantle upon him. ple and 20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, Let me, I pray you, sor kiss my father and my mother and then I will follow you. And he said to him, Go back again, for what have I done to you? 21So he turned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and slew them and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen and gave to the people to eat. Then he arose and went after Elijah and entered into his service. d1910 So Gk. and Luc. Here and in 14 a scribe has added, covenant, in the Heb. 1912 Lit., thin, fine. 11912 Cf. Ps. 10729, Job 416, a gentle breeze or a low murmur. 72 Originally 18 was probably followed by an account of the anointing of Hazael, as commanded in 15, for Abel-meholah is not on the highway from Horeb to Damascus and the anointing of Hazael was to precede that of Elisha. The omission appears to be due to the fact that it is recounted at length and attributed to Elisha in the later narratives. Cf. II Kgs. 87-15. 1921 Flesh, which is omitted in Gk. and Luc., may be a scribal addition to the Heb. |