46<\/strong>. the hand of the Lord was on Elijah<\/em> ] A divine impulse which directed and supported him in what he was to do. If there was still hope of a change in Ahab, neither God nor His prophet would be wanting to help him in the struggle after better courses. The running was a sign of Bedouin endurance, the halting outside the city, at the entrance of Jezreel, was a piece of Bedouin wariness.<\/p>\n Divinely directed, and divinely upheld, Elijah, instead of resting, ran in advance of the kings chariot the entire distance of at least 16 miles to the entrance of Jezreel. He thus showed himself ready to countenance and uphold the irresolute monarch, if he would turn from his evil courses, and proceed to carry out the religious reformation which the events of the day had inaugurated.<\/P> The entrance of Jezreel – <\/B>Modern Zerin. Ahab had not removed the capital from Samaria 1Ki 22:10<\/span>, 1Ki 22:37<\/span>; but he had built himself a palace at Jezreel 1Ki 21:1<\/span>, and appears to have resided there ordinarily. A contemporary Assyrian inscription speaks of him as Ahab of Jezreel.<\/P> Elijahs caution in accompanying Ahab only to the entrance is like that of the modern Arabs, who can seldom be induced to trust themselves within walls. He rested on the outskirts of the town, waiting to learn what Jezebel would say or do, knowing that it was she, and not Ahab, who really governed the country.<\/P><\/p>\n Verse 46<\/span>. Ran before Ahab<\/B><\/I>] Many think that Elijah ran before the king in order to do him honour<\/I>; and much learned labour has been spent on this passage in order to show that Elijah had put himself at the head of a company of chanters who ran before the king reciting his praises, or the praises of God; a custom which still exists in Arabian countries! I believe all these entirely mistake the writer’s meaning: Ahab yoked his chariot, and made all speed to Jezreel. The hand of the Lord, or, as the Targum<\/I> says, the spirit of strength<\/I>, came upon Elijah, and he girded up his loins, that is, tucked up his long garments in his girdle, and ran; and notwithstanding the advantage the king had by means of his chariot, the prophet reached Jezreel before him. There is no intimation here that he ran before the horses’ heads. All this was intended to show that he was under the peculiar influence and inspiration of the Almighty, that the king might respect and fear him, and not do or permit to be done to him any kind of outrage.<\/P> <\/p>\n The hand of the Lord was on Elijah:<\/B> God gave him more than natural and ordinary strength, whereby he was enabled to outrun Ahabs chariot, and that for so many miles together. <\/P> He girded up his loins, <\/B>that his garments, which were then long, might not hinder him. See 2Ki 4:29<\/span> 9<\/span>:1. <\/P> Ran before Ahab; <\/B>partly, to show how ready he was to honour and serve the king, if he did not exalt himself above or against God; partly, that by this humble and selfdenying carriage it might appear that what he had done was not from envy, or ambition, or human passion, but only from a just zeal for Gods glory; partly, that by his presence with the king, and his courtiers who attended upon him, he might animate and oblige them to proceed in the well-begun reformation of religion; and partly, to demonstrate that he was neither ashamed of, nor afraid for, what he had done, though he knew how Jezebel would resent it, but durst venture himself in the midst of his enemies, as being confident of the Divine power and protection. <\/P> <\/p>\n 46. Elijah . . . girded up hisloins, and ran before Ahab<\/B>It was anciently, and still is insome countries of the East, customary for kings and nobles to haverunners before their chariots, who are tightly girt for the purpose.The prophet, like the Bedouins of his native Gilead, had been trainedto run; and, as the Lord was with him, he continued with unabatedagility and strength. It was, in the circumstances, a most properservice for Elijah to render. It tended to strengthen the favorableimpression made on the heart of Ahab and furnished an answer to thecavils of Jezebel for it showed that he who was so zealous in theservice of God, was, at the same time, devotedly loyal to his king.The result of this solemn and decisive contest was a heavy blow andgreat discouragement to the cause of idolatry. But subsequent eventsseem to prove that the impressions, though deep, were but partial andtemporary.<\/P><\/p>\n And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah<\/strong>,…. 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:<\/p>\n and he girded up his loins<\/strong>; gathered up his long loose garment, and girt it about him, that he might be more fit for travelling:<\/p>\n and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel<\/strong>; reckoned about sixteen miles from Carmel l; 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.<\/p>\n l Bunting’s Travels, &c. p. 204.<\/p>\n (46) The hand of the Lord was on Elijah<\/strong>in a striking reaction of enthusiastic thankfulness after the stern calmness of his whole attitude throughout the great controversy, and his silent earnestness of prayer. At the head of the people he brings the king, conquered, if not repentant, home in triumph. To our conception of a prophet this frenzied excitement seems strange. Nor could it have belonged to a Samuel, an Elisha, or an Isaiah. In the simple and enthusiastic warrior of God it is natural enough.<\/p>\n 46<\/strong>. <\/strong> Hand of the Lord was on Elijah <\/strong> He was in the Spirit, and he and all around him were conscious that the mighty power of God was with him. <\/p>\n Girded up his loins <\/strong> Twisted the leather garment which he wore (2Ki 1:8<\/span>) tightly about him, that he might run more freely. <\/p>\n Ran before Ahab <\/strong> “As the Bedouins of his native Gilead would still run, with inexhaustible strength.” “The mode of doing honour to Ahab by running before his chariot was in accordance with the customs of the East, even to this day. I was reminded of this incident when Mohammed Ali, with a large army, came to Jaffa to quell the rebellion of Palestine. The officers were constantly going or coming, preceded by runners, who always kept just in advance of the horses, however furiously they were ridden; and in order to run with greater ease, they not only girded their loins very tightly, but also tucked up their loose garments under the girdle, lest they should be incommoded by them. Thus, no doubt, did Elijah. The distance from the base of Carmel across the plain to Jezreel is not less than twelve miles, and the race was probably accomplished in two hours in the face of a tremendous storm of rain and wind.” Thomson. <\/em> This “running” was a humble and servant-like act on the part of Elijah, and was probably done to convince Ahab that the stern and fiery-spirited prophet, whom he had so much hated, was a faithful and obedient subject, having no desire to injure the king or his people, but zealous to defend the honour and worship of the God of their fathers.<\/p>\n 1Ki 18:46<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>And he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab<\/em><\/strong><\/strong> In this country long and loose garments were in use, and therefore when people were inclined to run, or make any great expedition, their custom was to gird them round their waist. The eastern princes used frequently to be preceded by running footmen, chanters, &c. Hanway tells us, that when the famous Kouli Khan removed his camp, he was preceded by his running footmen, and by his chanters, who were nine hundred in number, and frequently chanted moral sentences and encomiums upon him, occasionally proclaiming his victories also. We are willing to suppose, that Elijah’s running before Ahab’s chariot to the gates of Jezreel, was not unworthy of his prophetic character. <\/em>Bishop Patrick supposes he ran before Ahab like one of his footmen, <\/em>in which he shewed his “readiness to do the king all imaginable honour;” and that he was “far from being his enemy.” But, if Ahab had chanters <\/em>running before him, like Kouli Khan, it does not appear at all contrary to the rules of decorum, for one brought up to celebrate the divine praises, to put himself at the head of them, to direct them in singing, praise to him who was then giving them rain, and to intermingle due encomiums on the prince who had permitted the extermination of the priests of Baal: or if he <\/em>had none such, yet, if it had been practised in those times, and was thought graceful, and becoming a prince, nothing forbad Elijah’s doing it alone; and perhaps what is said concerning the singers of the contemporary king of Judah, 2Ch 20:21-22<\/span> may enable us to guess whether it was a practice totally unknown at that time. The expression of the divine historian, that the hand of the Lord was upon him, <\/em>perfectly agrees with this thought; for it appears from 2Ki 3:15<\/span> that it signifies the enabling a prophet to prophesy: and therefore we may understand these words of God’s stirring him up to the composing and singing of some proper hymns on this occasion, as well as enabling him to run with greater swiftness than his age <\/em>would otherwise have permitted him to do. See 1Sa 18:6-7<\/span>. <\/p>\n REFLECTIONS.<\/strong>How great does Elijah appear, alone supporting the cause of God against an idolatrous king, a wicked people, and a multitude of false prophets! <\/p>\n 1. With zeal he reproves their inconstancy and infidelity. As there can be but one self-existent, infinite, eternal Being, their halting between God and Baal proved their wavering minds; and the attempt to reconcile their incompatible services evinced their folly. Note; <\/em>(1.) Unsettled notions in religion have a direct tendency to lead us to unsound practices. (2.) There is no reconciling Christ and Belial, the love of God and the love of the world: the very attempt is a proof of an apostate heart. <\/p>\n 2. As conviction sealed up their lips, he condescends (being authorised from God so to do) to make them a fair proposal to try the merits of the cause. Though multitudes and authority, king, priests, and people, were against him, alone he offers to enter the lists on God’s behalf, and rests the issue of the trial on an answer of fire from heaven, to consume the sacrifice he proposed. Let him be acknowledged the true God, whose power thus appeared. Note; <\/em>God’s ministers must not be discouraged at seeing all the world united against them. If God be on their side, that is enough to embolden them. <\/p>\n 3. The people approved the proposal, and Baal’s prophets either dared not reject it, lest they should appear deceivers, or hoped in the issue, if not to prevail in the contest, yet to be on a level with their adversary, and that the shame of his disappointment would then fall heaviest upon him. Note; <\/em>God entangleth the wise in their own craftiness, and the hope of the hypocrite perisheth. <\/p>\n 4. Elijah, because they were many, gives them the preference in the trial; let them begin their sacrifice, but put no fire under it. They prepare their bullock, lay it on the altar, and with loud calls invoke the presence of their deity till noon. Baal probably represented the sun, and from his burning rays at noon they hoped some beam would kindle up the flame: but when past the meridian, mad with vexation, they leaped on or about the altar, and with knives and lancets wounding themselves, sought by their blood to render their deity propitious to their prayers; whilst Elijah, with high disdain and ridicule, mocked at their folly in these mad gestures and cries, as if their god was engaged in business, on a journey, or asleep, and needed to be awaked. Baal, deaf as his image, paid no regard to their prayers, or praises, or prophetic fury, and left his votaries covered with confusion and despair. Note; <\/em>The corporal severities of popery are like the wounds of Baal’s prophets, not of any<\/em> value <\/em>in the sight of God, but merely satisfying <\/em>the pride of the fleshly mind. <\/em>See Col 2:23<\/span>. <\/p>\n 5. It is now Elijah’s turn to make the essay; and the calmness and dignity of his procedure bespeak his confidence of success. An ancient altar was there, on which sacrifice had been offered before the temple was built, but now either decayed by time, or thrown down by the idolatrous worshippers of Baal. This he repairs with twelve stones, according to the number of the sons of Jacob, whose name God had altered into Israel on his prevailing prayer; and he doubted not that the same power with God would attend his own. He calls the people to draw near; and having prepared his sacrifice, to prevent the suspicion of delusion, he bids them pour upon it four barrels of water three several times, till the trench he had dug around the altar was filled. Then, at the time when the evening sacrifice at Jerusalem was offering, he drew near the altar, and with holy awe, yet humble boldness, addresses his prayer to the covenant God of their fathers, entreating him to appear, for the magnifying of his own great name, for the conviction of the people, and their conversion from idolatry, as well as to vindicate his prophet’s injured character, and prove his divine mission. Instantly the devouring fire descends, and, to the astonishment of the beholding multitude, devours the sacrifice and wood; yea, it burns the very waters dry, and consumes the stones of the altar even to the dust. Note; <\/em>(1.) Great is the power of effectual prayer: if it bring not the visible fire from heaven, it will still draw down the fire of love, and enable us to offer that best sacrifice, a flaming heart, to God. (2.) The conversion of souls is the deepest concern that lies on a faithful minister’s heart. (3.) When the fire of God’s wrath fell on Jesus, the sinner’s sacrifice, then was the ransom paid, and the covenant of peace established among men. <\/p>\n 6. Vanquished by such evidence, the people in adoration fall on their faces, as confounded at their idolatry, and confessing now the only true God: but alas! the change was of short continuance. Note; <\/em>Miracles may extort confessions, but cannot convert the soul. (1.) Like Elijah, we must not faint because we do not instantly receive, but persevere in prayer, and we shall not be disappointed. (2.) Great events arise from small beginnings: the work of grace in the heart at first is like the little cloud; it begins, perhaps, by a casual word dropped without design, but by and by overspreads all the faculties of the body and soul. (3.) They who are most distinguished of God, and with greatest boldness are called to rebuke men’s sins, must shew their humility exemplary as their zeal, and pay every due respect to men’s persons. (4.) When God strengthens us, we shall run, and not be weary. <\/p>\n REFLECTIONS<\/p>\n<\/p>\n I WOULD pass over, methinks, many other considerations which this sweet chapter holds forth to view, to behold in the prophetic character of Elijah what a wonderful degree of faith the Lord God had given to him for the arduous service to which he was called. What firmness and magnanimity were manifested in his whole conduct! When the Lord commanded him to show himself to Ahab, not a word of request to be spared the unpleasant embassy, but an instant readiness to obey. And when in the first interview with Ahab the monarch accused him with being the troubler of Israel; with what zeal did he refute the charge, and return it home upon the king. Reader! shall not you and I, in the contemplation, look up and bless the great author and giver of such faith, and pray for a portion of the same blessed Spirit? But let us pass over these lesser instances of this most wonderful gift of God in the former part of Elijah’s conduct, to behold him in the exercise of it, when singly and alone he stood at mount Carmel, opposed by 450 persons. Oh! what confidence must he have had in God as the God of Israel, that the Lord would answer by fire, consume the sacrifice, and dry up the water, when in the fulness of the Spirit’s influence upon his heart he commanded to drench the whole in such a way as should call for one miracle upon another, to prove the Lord faithful. Who that reads this history of Elijah but must rejoice in beholding the great blessedness of faith which is capable of producing such things. And who but must be led to bless the great author of the principle itself, who both implanted that grace in the heart, and so graciously crowned it with divine approbation!<\/p>\n<\/p>\n But Reader! while looking at the servant, let us look higher also, and contemplate the master. Yes! blessed Jesus! it is thou which art the sole author and giver of it. And therefore to thee would we ascribe all the glory. Had it not been for thy gracious undertaking, such is the human mind by nature, universally speaking, that not one spark of faith could ever have been kindled in the breast of any. Here every man is the same, without any predisposition, or inclination to believe. Nay, with every prejudice against it. – The water poured over the sacrifice of Elijah did not tend to damp the materials more than the prejudices, darkness, and natural hatred of our hearts tend to damp all divine impressions. Shall I not then, blessed Jesus, adore the riches of thy grace, in that thou condescendest to kindle a flame of faith in my heart, when everything that pride, ignorance, self-righteousness, and an unconscious state of my own condition, and thy suitableness as a Saviour, stood in opposition against it? Blessed Jesus! everlasting praise to thy dear name, like the sacrifice of the prophet, the fire of thy love and mercy hath descended from heaven and consumed all. And my soul hath been constrained to say not only, The Lord he is the God; but that the Lord is my light, my Jesus, my salvation, my God and Saviour forever.<\/p>\n 1Ki 18:46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.<\/p>\n Ver. 46. And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah.<\/strong> ] He was filled with, and acted by a supernatural ability and agility, ut pedes regem equitantem anteiret,<\/em> that he run before the king’s chariot, whereinto the king should have done well to have taken him.<\/p>\n hand. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6, for power put forth. <\/p>\n girded. Girdles worn by all. Taken off when resting. Put on when preparing for work or journeying. See Exo 12:11. 2Ki 4:29; 2Ki 9:1. Luk 12:37; Luk 17:8. Act 12:8. <\/p>\n ran. For over twenty miles Elijah acted as the royal “runner” across the great plain of Esdraelon. Possibly none at hand in the king’s hasty departure. <\/p>\n the hand: 2Ki 3:15, Isa 8:11, Eze 1:3, Eze 3:14 <\/p>\n he girded: 2Ki 4:29, 2Ki 9:1, Job 38:3, Jer 1:17, Eph 6:14, 1Pe 1:13 <\/p>\n ran before: Mat 22:21, 1Pe 2:17 <\/p>\n to the entrance of: Heb. till thou come to <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Gen 12:10 – was a Jos 17:16 – Jezreel 1Sa 8:11 – run 1Sa 29:1 – Jezreel 1Ki 4:12 – Jezreel 1Ki 14:27 – guard 2Ch 6:26 – the heaven Pro 31:17 – girdeth Jer 10:13 – He causeth Luk 1:66 – And the Luk 12:35 – your loins<\/p>\n 1Ki 18:46. The hand of the Lord was on Elijah God gave him more than natural strength, whereby he was enabled to outrun Ahabs chariot for so many miles together. And he girded up his loins That his garments, which were long and loose, like those in use in that country, might not hinder him. And ran before Ahab To show how ready he was to honour and serve the king; that by this humble and self-denying carriage, it might appear, what he had done was not from envy or passion, but only from a just zeal for Gods glory; that by his presence with the king and his courtiers, he might animate and oblige them to proceed in the reformation of religion; and, to demonstrate, that he was neither ashamed of, nor afraid for what he had done, but durst venture himself in the midst of his enemies. But surely, if Ahab had paid the respect to Elijah that he deserved, he would have taken him into his chariot, as the eunuch did Philip, that he might honour him before the elders of Israel, and confer with him further about the reformation of the kingdom: but his pride and ambition, and other corrupt dispositions, got the better of his conviction; and he was glad to get quit of him, as Felix of Paul, when he dismissed him, and adjourned his conference with him to a more convenient season. <\/p>\n 18:46 And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran {q} before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.<\/p>\n (q) He was so strengthened by God’s spirit that he ran faster than the chariot was able to run.<\/p>\n And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. 46. the hand of the Lord was on Elijah ] A divine impulse which directed and supported him in what he was to do. If there was still hope of a … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 18:46”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9399","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9399","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9399"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9399\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9399"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9399"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9399"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"