The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 377

2 Kings ii. 24; Dan. vi. 22 ; 2 Ptter ii. 16), cant that elsewhere in this narrative, whioh though never, it must be Raid, in so rational is chnracterized by the profoundest sobriety and methodical a way. Nor can it rightly nnrl reticence, there is what we may almost be contended that the words "I have com- call 11. studied absence of the miraculous manded," 'J:1W, imply human agency, for element. No miracle is wrought to protect elsewhere we find the Almighty commanding Elijah against Jezebel, but he must consult (same word) the serpent (Amos ix. 3) and for his own safety by flight. He is sent to the clouds (lea. v. 6 ; ):'sa. lxxviii. 23). ~t the brook Cherith, because there is water is not, however, a sufficient account of this there; in other words, God chose that hiding narrative to say that the prophet merely place in order to obviate the necessity for a. helped himself to the food which the ravens, miracle. And when the water of the brook whose habitat was in the Wady Cherith, dries up, no miracle is wrought to prolong brought, day by day, to their nests nnd the supply, but the prophet, at the risk of their young. For, not to insist on the detect10n, must go forth and seek it else- words, i~ 0'~'➔?;), bringing ta him (ver. 6), where. And at Zarephath he is fed, not by ravens, but by human agency-by a the expressions·" bread (or food, CQ~) and widow woman. It is true a. miracle appears flesh," and "morning and evening" cer- to have been wrought, but the narrative hns tainly point to something more than such so little idea of effect n.nd gives so little a fortuitous supply. Whether the Orebim prominence to the supernatural that even were " ravens " or not, they certainly acted that is doubted, To put the interpretation in an intelligent and rational way : they of "ravens, " consequently, on the word brought food, that is to say, to the prophet, c,:i-,y, provided it will yield any other and they brought it for months together meaning, appears to be to do violence to with unfailing regularity. But against this the spirit of the context, and to the tenour view the following considerations may be of Scripture generally. 2. It is somewhat urged. 1. It is hardly in accord with God's difficult to believe that such a prodigy as usual way of working, that he should em- this, so altogether unique and irregular, ploy birds of the air and those unclean would not ha'\'e been mentioned, had it (Levit. xi. 15 ; Dent. xiv. 14) and ravenous really happened, elsewhere in Scripture. birds, to feed and succour His saints, rather The absence of o.11 reference thereto is re- than men or angels. Of course, no one who markable, when we consider how constantly does not altogether repudiate the super- the ministry of Elijah and its lessons (Luke natural will deny for a moment that the iv. 25, 26 ; ix. 54; James v. 17; Rev. xi. 5, Almighty could, had it seemed good to Him, 6) are referred to in the New Testnment; but have sustained His prophet by the instru- when we observe what an admirable and un- mentality of ravens, just as easily as by any equalled illustration of God's providential other means. But it appears to be almost care this incident would have supplie:l to a fixed principle of His dealings with men, some of our Lord's discourses, and notably not to resort to miracles when ordino.ry to that of Luke xii. 22 sqq., this silence mee.ne will suffice ; or if He does employ becomes almost suspieious. 3. Despite the miracles, they are never bizarre or fantastic; practical unanimity of the versions, the they are not such as to suggest the idea of interpretation "ravens" has been disputed fable or legend ; they are invariably the from very early times. St. Jerome among simplest l!.nd directest means to the end. Christians, Rabbi Judah Hakkodesh a.ml And it is submitted that this prolonged and Ki.mchi o.mongst Jews-these are but some methodical ministry of ravens is altogether of those who have repudiated this render- unlike God's method of procedure on other ing. 4. A very slight change in the vowel occasions. It was an angel succoured Hagar points-0':;l"W instead of C';l'Jl/-yields the and_Iehmo.el in their need (Gen. xvi. 7). It meaning "Arabians." That a fagitivo was an angel fed Elijah himself, a few years would readily find, not only shelter but later (1 Kings xix. 5, 6). They were angels sustenance among the Bedouin, whose who ministered to our blessed Lord o.fter generous hospitality and loyalty to strangers His long fast (Matt. iv. 11). But God's is proverbial, is obvious, and we know tho.t " chief means," it is always to be remem- about this time some Arab tribes had deal- bered, "is man." And it is to be carefully ings with the Jews (2 Chron. xvii. 11) ; but observed that when, about this very time, without any ohange at all, a sufficient not one, but one hundred prophets were meaning may be extraoted from the word. threatened, just as Elijah was, with death, For we find that somewhere in the Ciccar, no miracle was wrought to save their lives or plain of the Jordan, off which the Wo.dy or to supply their wants, but they were fed by hwnan agenoy, with bread and water Cherith lay, was a rook Oreb (:l'}iV, Judg. (ob. :r.viil, 18), But it is still more eignifi- vii. 26), apparently_east of the Jordan (Judg.  884 THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. [oH. xvn. 1-24.