1Es geschah nach vielen Tagen, im dritten Jahr geschah zu Elijahu SEINE Rede, ein Sprechen: Geh nun, laß bei Achab dich sehn, Regen will ich geben übers Antlitz der Scholle. 2Elijahu ging hin, sich bei Achab sehen zu lassen. Heftig war in Samaria die Hungersnot, 3Achab berief Obadjahu, der über dem Hauswesen war. Obadjahu aber war SEIN sehr fürchtig, 4es war geschehn, als Isabel SEINE Künder ausrotten ließ, da hatte Obadjahu hundert Künder genommen, hatte sie versteckt, je fünfzig Mann in einer Höhle, er versorgte sie mit Brot und Wasser. 5Achab nun sprach zu Obadjahu: Geh mit durchs Land, zu allen Wasserquellen und zu allen Bächen, ob wir etwas Gras finden, daß wir Pferd und Maultier am Leben erhalten und von dem Vieh nichts ausrotten müssen. 6Sie teilten sich in das Land, es zu durchwandern. Eines Wegs ging Achab für sich, und eines Wegs ging Obadjahu für sich. 7Als nun Obadjahu unterwegs war, da: Elijahu ihm entgegen! Wie jener ihn erkannte, fiel er auf sein Antlitz, er sprach: Bist du es, mein Herr Elijahu? 8Er sprach zu ihm: Ich bins, geh hin, sprich zu deinem Herrn: Da ist Elijahu. 9Er aber sprach: Was habe ich gesündigt, daß du deinen Diener in die Hand Achabs gibst, mich zu töten! 10Sowahr ER dein Gott lebt: hats einen Stamm, ein Königreich, wohin mein Herr nicht sandte, dich zu suchen, .....! und sprachen sie: Nirgends!, dann ließ das Königreich, den Stamm er schwören, daß er dich wirklich nicht finden würde, - 11du aber sprichst jetzt: Geh, sprich zu deinem Herrn: Da ist Elijahu! 12Geschehen möchte es, wie ich von dir gehe: von dannen trägt dich SEIN Geistbraus, ich weiß nicht wohin, ich aber käme, es Achab zu melden, - findet er dich nicht, bringt er mich um! und ist doch dein Diener SEIN fürchtig, von meiner Jugend auf - 13ists meinem Herrn nicht gemeldet, was ich tat, als Isabel SEINE Künder umbringen ließ, wie ich von SEINEN Kündern hundert Mann versteckte, fünfzig und fünfzig Mann je in einer Höhle, ich sie versorgte mit Brot und Wasser? 14und jetzt sprichst du: Geh, sprich zu deinem Herrn: Da ist Elijahu! - daß er mich umbringt! 15Elijahu sprach: Sowahr ER der Umscharte lebt, vor dessen Antlitz ich bestellt bin: ja, heute lasse ich mich von ihm sehen. 16Obadjahu ging Achab entgegen, er meldete es ihm, und Achab ging Elijahu entgegen. 17Kaum hatte Achab Elijahu gesehen, geschah, daß Achab zu ihm sprach: Bist du es, Zerrütter Jissraels! 18Er sprach: Ich habe Jissrael nicht zerrüttet, sondern du und das Haus deines Vaters, indem ihr SEINE Gebote verließet, den Baalen gingst du nach. 19Jetzt sende aus, hole mir alles Jissrael zuhauf heran, an den Berg Karmel, und die Künder des Baal, vierhundertundfünfzig, und die Künder der Pfahlfrau, vierhundert, die vom Tisch Isabels essen. 20Achab sandte überall bei den Söhnen Jissraels umher, er holte die Künder an den Berg Karmel zuhauf. 21Dann trat Elijahu zu allem Volk, er sprach: Bis wann noch wollt ihr auf den zwei Ästen hüpfen?! Ist ER der Gott, geht ihm nach, ists der Baal, geht ihm nach! Sie aber, das Volk, hatten nichts zur Antwort zu reden. 22Elijahu sprach zum Volk: Einzig ich bin als Künder IHM überblieben, und der Künder des Baal sind vierhundertundfünfzig Mann, 23so gebe man uns zwei Farren, sie mögen sich den einen Farren wählen, ihn zerstücken und auf die Holzscheite legen, aber Feuer nicht daran legen, ich aber, ich mache den andern Farren zurecht, gebe ihn auf die Holzscheite, lege aber Feuer nicht dran, 24dann ruft ihr an eures Gottes Namen, ich aber, ich rufe SEINEN Namen an, so soll es sein: der Gott, der mit Feuer antwortet, er ist der Gott. Alles Volk antwortete, sie sprachen: Gut ist die Rede. 25Dann sprach Elijahu zu den Baalskündern: Wählt euch den einen Farren und macht ihn erst zurecht, denn ihr seid die vielen, ruft den Namen eures Gottes an, aber Feuer sollt ihr nicht daran legen. 26Sie nahmen den Farren, den man ihnen übergab, sie machten ihn zurecht, dann riefen sie den Namen des Baal an vom Morgen bis zum Mittag, sprechend: Baal, antworte uns! Aber kein Stimmenschall, kein Antwortender! So hüpften sie um die Schlachtstatt, die sie gemacht hatten.. 27Als es Mittag war, närrte sie Elijahu, er sprach: Ruft doch mit gewaltigem Schall! er ist doch wohl ein Gott! er ist wohl in Gedanken? ist wohl beiseitgegangen? ist wohl unterwegs? etwa gar eingeschlafen? so soll er erwachen! 28Sie riefen mit gewaltigem Schall, sie zerfurchten sich nach ihrem Brauch mit den Schwertern und mit den Spießen, bis Blut an ihnen herabströmte. 29So geschahs noch, als der Mittag vorüber war: sie kündeten einher, bis da man die Hinleitspende darhöht, - aber kein Stimmenschall, kein Antwortender, kein Aufmerken! 30Elijahu sprach zu allem Volk: Tretet her zu mir! Sie traten zu ihm, alles Volk. Dann heilte er SEINE zerscherbte Schlachtstatt. 31Elijahu nahm nämlich zwölf Steine, nach der Stabzahl der Söhne Jaakobs zu dem SEINE Rede geschehen war im Spruch: Jissrael soll dein Name sein, 32und baute aus den Steinen eine Schlachtstatt mit SEINEM Namen.. Er machte rings um die Schlachtstatt eine Rinne in der Weite eines Saatkorn-Doppelsesters. 33Dann schichtete er die Holzscheite, zerstückte den Farren und legte ihn auf die Holzscheite. 34Er sprach: Füllt vier Eimer mit Wasser und gießt sie über die Darhöhung und über die Holzscheite. Wieder sprach er: Tuts zum zweitenmal. Sie tatens zum zweitenmal. Wieder sprach er: Tuts zum drittenmal. Sie tatens zum drittenmal. 35Das Wasser ging rings um die Schlachtstatt, auch noch die Rinne ließ er mit Wasser füllen. 36Es geschah, da man die Hinleitspende darhöht: Elijahu der Künder trat herzu, er sprach: DU, Gott Abrahams, Jizchaks und Jissraels, heute werde erkannt, daß du Gott in Jissrael bist und ich dein Knecht bin und aus deiner Rede all dieses tat, - 37antworte mir, DU, antworte mir, sie sollen erkennen, dieses Volk, daß DU der Gott bist und du selber ihr Herz zurückgewandt hast.. 38SEIN Feuer fiel herab, es fraß die Darhöhung, die Holzscheite, die Steine, den Lehm, noch das Wasser, das in der Rinne war, leckte es auf. 39Alles Volk sahs, sie fielen auf ihr Antlitz, sie sprachen: ER ist der Gott, ER ist der Gott! 40Elijahu sprach zu ihnen: Ergreift die Baalskünder, nimmer soll ein Mann von ihnen entschlüpfen! Sie ergriffen sie, Elijahu ließ sie an den Bach Kischon hinabführen und dort niedermetzeln. 41Dann sprach Elijahu zu Achab: Steig mit hinauf, iß und trink, denn ein Schall ist von Rauschen des Ergusses. 42Achab stieg mit hinauf, zu essen und zu trinken. Aber höher stieg Elijahu, zu einem Haupt des Karmel, er hockte zur Erde nieder und legte sein Antlitz zwischen seine Kniee. 43Dann sprach er zu seinem Knaben: Steig höher hinauf doch, blick aus, des Wegs zum Meer. Er stieg höher, er blickte aus und sprach: Nirgends etwas. Er aber sprach: Wiederum! So siebenmal. 44Beim siebenten geschahs, er sprach: Da! eine Dunstwolke, klein wie eine Mannsfaust, steigt vom Meer auf. Er sprach: Auf, sprich zu Achab: Spann an, hinab, daß dich der Guß nicht aufhalte! 45Doch bis da, bis da wars schon geschehn, von Wolkendunst und Sturmbraus dunkelte der Himmel, ein gewaltiger Erguß geschah. Achab fuhr davon, ging nach Jesreel. 46Über Elijahu her aber war SEINE Hand, er umschürzte seine Lenden und lief vor Achab her, bis wo man nach Jesreel kommt.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 ELIJAH MEETS OBADIAH. (1Ki. 18:1-16)
the third year--In the New Testament, it is said there was no rain "for the space of three years and six months" [
Jas 5:17]. The early rain fell in our March, the latter rain in our October. Though Ahab might have at first ridiculed Elijah's announcement, yet when neither of these rains fell in their season, he was incensed against the prophet as the cause of the national judgment, and compelled him, with God's direction, to consult his safety in flight. This was six months after the king was told there would be neither dew nor rain, and from this period the three years in this passage are computed.
Go, show thyself unto Ahab--The king had remained obdurate and impenitent. Another opportunity was to be given him of repentance, and Elijah was sent in order to declare to him the cause of the national judgment, and to promise him, on condition of his removing it, the immediate blessing of rain.
2 Elijah went--a marvellous proof of the natural intrepidity of this prophet, of his moral courage, and his unfaltering confidence in the protecting care of God, that he ventured to approach the presence of the raging lion.
there was a sore famine in Samaria--Elijah found that the famine was pressing with intense severity in the capital. Corn must have been obtained for the people from Egypt or the adjoining countries, else life could not have been sustained for three years; but Ahab, with the chamberlain of his royal household, is represented as giving a personal search for pasture to his cattle. On the banks of the rivulets, grass, tender shoots of grass, might naturally be expected; but the water being dried up, the verdure would disappear. In the pastoral districts of the East it would be reckoned a most suitable occupation still for a king or chief to go at the head of such an expedition. Ranging over a large tract of country, Ahab had gone through one district, Obadiah through another.
3 Obadiah feared the Lord greatly--Although he did not follow the course taken by the Levites and the majority of pious Israelites at that time of emigration into Judah (
2Chr 11:13-16), he was a secret and sincere worshipper. He probably considered the violent character of the government, and his power of doing some good to the persecuted people of God as a sufficient excuse for his not going to worship in Jerusalem.
4 an hundred prophets--not men endowed with the extraordinary gifts of the prophetic office, but who were devoted to the service of God, preaching, praying, praising, &c. (
1Sam 10:10-12).
fed them with bread and water--These articles are often used to include sustenance of any kind. As this succor must have been given them at the hazard, not only of his place, but his life, it was a strong proof of his attachment to the true religion.
7 Obadiah was in the way . . . Elijah met him--Deeming it imprudent to rush without previous intimation into Ahab's presence, the prophet solicited Obadiah to announce his return to Ahab. The commission, with a delicate allusion to the perils he had already encountered in securing others of God's servants, was, in very touching terms, declined, as unkind and peculiarly hazardous. But Elijah having dispelled all the apprehensions entertained about the Spirit's carrying him away, Obadiah undertook to convey the prophet's message to Ahab and solicit an interview. But Ahab, bent on revenge, or impatient for the appearance of rain, went himself to meet Elijah.
17 Art thou he that troubleth Israel--A violent altercation took place. Ahab thought to awe him into submission, but the prophet boldly and undisguisedly told the king that the national calamity was traceable chiefly to his own and his family's patronage and practice of idolatry. But, while rebuking the sins, Elijah paid all due respect to the high rank of the offender. He urged the king to convene, by virtue of his royal mandate, a public assembly, in whose presence it might be solemnly decided which was the troubler of Israel. The appeal could not well be resisted, and Ahab, from whatever motives, consented to the proposal. God directed and overruled the issue.
19 gather . . . the prophets of Baal . . . the prophets of the groves--From the sequel it appears that the former only came. The latter, anticipating some evil, evaded the king's command.
which eat at Jezebel's table--that is, not at the royal table where she herself dined, but they were maintained from her kitchen establishment (see on
1Sam 20:25 and
1Kgs 4:22). They were the priests of Astarte, the Zidonian goddess.
20 mount Carmel--is a bold, bluff promontory, which extends from the western coast of Palestine, at the bay of Acre, for many miles eastward, to the central hills of Samaria. It is a long range, presenting many summits, and intersected by a number of small ravines. The spot where the contest took place is situated at the eastern extremity, which is also the highest point of the whole ridge. It is called El-Mohhraka, "the Burning," or "the Burnt Place." No spot could have been better adapted for the thousands of Israel to have stood drawn up on those gentle slopes. The rock shoots up in an almost perpendicular wall of more than two hundred feet in height, on the side of the vale of Esdraelon. This wall made it visible over the whole plain, and from all the surrounding heights, where gazing multitudes would be stationed.
21 Elijah said unto all the people, How long halt ye?--They had long been attempting to conjoin the service of God with that of Baal. It was an impracticable union and the people were so struck with a sense of their own folly, or dread of the king's displeasure, that they "answered not a word." Elijah proposed to decide for them the controversy between God and Baal by an appeal, not to the authority of the law, for that would have no weight, but by a visible token from Heaven. As fire was the element over which Baal was supposed to preside, Elijah proposed that two bullocks should be slain and placed on separate altars of wood, the one for Baal, and the other for God. On whichever the fire should descend to consume it, the event should determine the true God, whom it was their duty to serve. The proposal, appearing every way reasonable, was received by the people with unanimous approval. The priests of Baal commenced the ceremony by calling on their god. In vain did they continue invoking their senseless deity from morning till noon, and from noon till evening, uttering the most piercing cries, using the most frantic gesticulations, and mingling their blood with the sacrifice. No response was heard. No fire descended. Elijah exposed their folly and imposture with the severest irony and, as the day was far advanced, commenced his operations. Inviting the people to approach and see the entire proceeding, he first repaired an old altar of God, which Jezebel had demolished. Then, having arranged the cut pieces of the bullock, he caused four barrels or jars of water to be dashed all over the altar and round in the trench. Once, twice, a third time this precaution was taken, and then, when he had offered an earnest prayer, the miraculous fire descended (
Lev 9:24;
Judg 6:21;
Judg 13:20;
1Chr 21:26;
2Chr 7:1), and consumed not only the sacrifice, but the very stones of the altar. The impression on the minds of the people was that of admiration mingled with awe; and with one voice they acknowledged the supremacy of Jehovah as the true God. Taking advantage of their excited feelings, Elijah called on them to seize the priestly impostors, and by their blood fill the channel of the river (Kishon), which, in consequence of their idolatries, the drought had dried up--a direction, which, severe and relentless as it seems, it was his duty as God's minister to give (
Deut 15:5;
Deut 18:20). The natural features of the mount exactly correspond with the details of this narrative. The conspicuous summit, 1635 feet above the sea, on which the altars were placed, presents an esplanade spacious enough for the king and the priests of Baal to stand on the one side, and Elijah on the other. It is a rocky soil, on which there is abundance of loose stones, to furnish the twelve stones of which the altar was built--a bed of thick earth, in which a trench could be dug; and yet the earth not so loose that the water poured into it would be absorbed; two hundred fifty feet beneath the altar plateau, there is a perennial fountain, which, being close to the altar of the Lord, might not have been accessible to the people; and whence, therefore, even in that season of severe drought, Elijah could procure those copious supplies of water which he poured over the altar. The distance between this spring and the site of the altar is so short, as to make it perfectly possible to go thrice thither and back again, whereas it would have been impossible once in an afternoon to fetch water from the sea [VAN DE VELDE]. The summit is one thousand feet above the Kishon, which nowhere runs from the sea so close to the base of the mount as just beneath El-Mohhraka; so that the priests of Baal could, in a few minutes, be taken down to the brook (torrent), and slain there.
42 ELIJAH, BY PRAYER, OBTAINS RAIN. (
1Kgs 18:41-46)
Ahab went up to eat and to drink--Ahab, kept in painful excitement by the agonizing scene, had eaten nothing all the day. He was recommended to refresh himself without a moment's delay; and, while the king was thus occupied, the prophet, far from taking rest, was absorbed in prayer for the fulfilment of the promise (
1Kgs 18:1).
put his face between his knees--a posture of earnest supplication still used.
43 Go up now, look toward the sea--From the place of worship there is a small eminence, which, on the west and northwest side, intercepts the view of the sea [STANLEY; VAN DE VELDE]. It can be ascended in a few minutes, and presents a wide prospect of the Mediterranean. Six times the servant went up, but the sky was clear--the sea tranquil. On the seventh he described the sign of approaching rain [
1Kgs 18:44].
44 Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand--The clearness of the sky renders the smallest speck distinctly visible; and this is in Palestine the uniform precursor of rain. It rises higher and higher, and becomes larger and larger with astonishing celerity, till the whole heaven is black, and the cloud bursts in a deluge of rain.
Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not--either by the river Kishon being suddenly so swollen as to be impassable, or from the deep layer of dust in the arid plain being turned into thick mud, so as to impede the wheels.
45 Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel--now Zerin, a distance of about ten miles. This race was performed in the midst of a tempest of rain. But all rejoiced at it, as diffusing a sudden refreshment over all the land of Jezreel.
46 Elijah . . . girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab--It was anciently, and still is in some countries of the East, customary for kings and nobles to have runners before their chariots, who are tightly girt for the purpose. The prophet, like the Bedouins of his native Gilead, had been trained to run; and, as the Lord was with him, he continued with unabated agility and strength. It was, in the circumstances, a most proper service for Elijah to render. It tended to strengthen the favorable impression made on the heart of Ahab and furnished an answer to the cavils of Jezebel for it showed that he who was so zealous in the service of God, was, at the same time, devotedly loyal to his king. The result of this solemn and decisive contest was a heavy blow and great discouragement to the cause of idolatry. But subsequent events seem to prove that the impressions, though deep, were but partial and temporary.
