c She gives him notice of it before-hand : partly, out of the height of her Spuir,as icorning to kill him ſecretly and furreptitiouſly,and E reſolving to make him a publick Sacrifice : partly,out of her Impa- ; tience,ti}l the had breathed out herRage,which tie could do ſpeed. ly, when it required iome time and preparation to ſeize him, who ' was now ſo much eſteemed and favoured by all the People,partly, becauſe ſhe ſuppoicd,rhat he who had the confidence to come thi« ther (whcere,it ieems,ſhe was at this ttme) would {till have theſame Confidence to itay there, and be ebiidged in honour fo maintain his ground : and principally, from Gods ail-difpoling Providence, that ſ© he might have an opportunity of eſcaping. 4d So far was ſhe from beiug changed by that moir eminent Miracle, that ſhe perſiſts in her tormer Idolatry,and adds to it a mad and monſtrous Confidence, that in ſpight of God ſhe weuld deitroy his Propher.
2 And when he faw 7har, he aiote, and went for his
fe e,and came to Beertſheba, which bc/onged to Judah f,
ind left his lervant there g.
ei. e To ſave his life : or,according to his ſoul, or mind. Whereby it may be 11.timatcd that he did nor flee fromJezree! by the hand or dis reCtion of the Lord.by which he came thither, ch 18.46. but becauſe of his own fear aiid apprehention of danger, For this may ſeem to be an a& ot humane trailty. For God had brought him hither, and his Pretence might teem very neceffary here to incourage & ingage 'cthe King & People to go on to deſtroy the Prieſts of the Groves, and to purge ourt {dolatry ; and his withdrawing as we ſee,did dit- courage ail the reir,and occaſioned their return to Idclatry again; and, having had ſuch a late and ample experience of Gods all-ſu- fficiency in protecting him againſt the King & 450 of Baals Prieſts, and the current of the People incenſed againit him for the Famine, he had little reaſon ro fear the Threats of an impotent Woman, whom God cou'id cut off in a moment. But El:as was a man ſubje# ro Like Paſſions as we are, Jam.5.17. which probably is ſaid with reſpe& to his fear and diſcontent,maniteſted here and v.4. And ft he ſhould be exalted abwve m:nſure ( which was allo Pauls caſe, 2 Cor-12.7 )for his eminent Gifts, and Graces,and miraculous Works,God ſaw fit to withdraw his Grace,and to leave him to himlelf, that he might be ſenſible of his own impotencie and finfulneſs,and might not dare to take any part of Gods honour to himſelf. f Either, Firſt, To the Tribe of Juaah,according to the firſt Diviſion ; for Simeon's part,in which See: fſheba was, was after wards taken out of it. Or, Secondly, to the Kingdom of /udah. g Partly, that he mighr abide there in {lafery ; and partly, that he ſhould wait there till his return: partly, becauſe he would not expoſe him to thoſe Perils and Hardſhips which he expc&cd : and partly, becauſe he deſired Solitude, that he might more treely converic with God, |
4 © But he himfcift went a days journey into the wil- derneſs þ,and came and fat down under a juniper-tree: and he * requeſted} for himſelf ; that he might die,and *Jonab 4 {aid, It is enough &, now, O LORD, take away my 3, eſs life : for I am: not better than my fathers /. Life
h The vaſt Wilderneis of 4rabia. He durlt not ſtay in Fudah,tho' FO good Jeheſhaphat Reigned there, becauſe he was Allied to Avab, and was a Man of an eaficr remper.whom Ahab might circumvent, & et- ther by force or art ſeize upon Elijah, # Heb. for his life, or, his ſoul that It mzghr be raken away from his Body. Or, with bus ſoul, as it is Ja; 26; 9, 7, e. He delired it heartily or fervently. Which he
did
(ha
+ He
ho fe
F Frek. 1.4, & s 9