Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 19:2

Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do [to me], and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.

2. Jezebel sent a messenger ] The queen could not restrain herself in her rage. She cannot make arrangements for seizing Elijah at once, but lets him know that she is resolved to do so. The LXX. has no word for ‘a messenger,’ but enlarges the sentence by the words ‘If thou art Elijah, and I Jezebel, so let God &c.’ The message intimates that if he can be found he will be put to death on the morrow.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

The prophet had not long to wait before learning the intentions of the queen. A priests daughter herself, she would avenge the slaughtered priests; a kings wife and a kings child, she would not quail before a subject. That very night a messenger declared her determination to compass the prophets death within the space of a day.

So let the gods … – A common oath about this time (marginal references). The Greek Version prefixes to this another clause, which makes the oath even more forcible, As surely as thou art Elijah and I am Jezebel, so let the gods, etc.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 2. So let the gods do] If I do not slay thee, let the gods slay me with the most ignominious death.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah; she gives him notice of it beforehand; partly, out of the height of her spirit, as scorning to kill him secretly and surreptitiously, and resolving to make him a public sacrifice; partly, out of her impatience, till she had breathed out her rage, which she could do speedily, when it required some time and preparation to seize him, who was now so much esteemed and favoured by all the people; partly, because she supposed that he who had the confidence to come thither, (where, it seems, she was at this time,) would still have the same confidence to stay there, and be obliged in honour to maintain his ground; and principally, from Gods all-disposing providence, that so he might have an opportunity of escaping.

So let the gods do to me, and more also: so far was she from being changed by that most evident miracle, that she persists in her former idolatry, and adds to it a mad and monstrous confidence, that in spite of God she would destroy his prophet.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah,…. In Jezreel, or near it, to frighten him away; not caring to seize him, and dispatch him, for fear of the people, in whom he had now a great interest; or otherwise it is not easy to account for it that she should give him notice of it; unless she scorned to do it privately, as some think, and was determined to make a public example of him; but being not as yet prepared for it, sends him word what he must expect, imagining that as he had the courage to appear, he would not flee; no doubt there was an hand of Providence in it, be it which it will, that he might have time to make his escape:

saying, so let the gods do to me, and more also; the gods she served, Baal and Ashtaroth, and by whom she swore:

if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time; as one of the prophets Elijah had slain; she swore by her gods, and wished the greatest evils might befall her, if she did not lodge him in the state of the dead where they were in the space of twenty four hours; though Abarbinel thinks it is not an oath, but that the words and meaning of them are, so the gods do; it is their usual way, and they will go on to do so for the future, because of the holiness of their name; and therefore do not boast of slaying the prophets, or make use of that as an argument of their falsehood, for they will do the same by thee by tomorrow this time.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

2. Jezebel sent a messenger Here was lack of shrewdness and forethought, if she really wished and designed to carry out her threat, for such announcement of her purpose gave Elijah full opportunity to escape her, or prepare to meet her opposition. But it is possible that her object was to terrify him and drive him away from her city, and that she feared to cope with him otherwise, lest her own fate should be like that of the false prophets.

So let the gods do “One of those tremendous vows which mark the history of the Semitic race, both within and without the Jewish pale the vow of Jephthah, the vow of Saul, the vow of Hannibal.” Stanley.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments