The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 407

EXPOSITION. CHAPTER XVIII. l-4B. ings which the animated description of the 1 prophet Joel (eh. i.) enables us to realize- ELI.J!JI S BETUBN AND THE ORDEAL OJI' were doing their work. The heart of the MooNT OARHEL.-The preceding chapter people was being slowly turned backward, having been exclusively occupied with the and in the third year of his sojourn at fortunes of Elijah during his enforced ab- Zarephath the time was ripe for Elijah's sence of three and a hall years from the return, which our author now describes, land of Israel, we are left to conjecture together with the striking results which fol- what the course of events in the northern lowed it. In the first fifteen verses, we have kingdom during this period of drought and the meeting of Elijah o.nd Obadiah ; in vers. snBering must have been. But it is not 16-20, the meeting of Elijah and Ahab ; difficult to picture in our minds the steadily vers. 21-38 describe the ordeal of Mount increasing alarm and distress which the Carmel; vers. 39, 40, its immediate results; solemn ban he had pronounced must have while the remainder of the chapter depicts occasioned. At one time, it may be, especially Elijah's prayer for rain, the bursting of the if the prophet up to that period had been storm, and the return to J ezreel. unknown, both king and people, under Ver. 1.-And it ea.me to pass after [This the malign influence of Jezebel, professed word is wanting in the Heh. except in a few to regard his threatening with contempt, MSS.) many days that the word of the Lord the more so as the priests of Bo.al would not ea.me to Elljah 1n the third year [From whe.t date is this " third year " to be fail to assure them of the protection and counted? The prima facie view is that the blessing of "the Lord " of nature. But as words refer to " these years" mentioued in the months and years passed by, and neither eh. xvii. 1, i.e., to the date of the announce- dew nor ro.in fell-as the heavens were ment of the drought, and this is the inter- brass and the earth iron-and the pastures pretation of the Rabbins and some of tho moderns. But it is almost fatal to this view languished, e.nd the frnits of the earth that the duration of the drought is dis- failed, and the ciRtems became dry, and tinctly stated in the New Testament to have man and child and beast began to suffer the been" three years and six months" (Lnke extremities of thirst, we cannot doubt that iv. 25; James v. 17). It is every way better, the tone and temper of the country under- therefore, to connect the words with eh. xvii. 7, i.e., with the date of the sojourn e.t went o. great change. At first, threats had Zarephu th. It follows hence tha. t the been freely uttered against Elijah, who we.a prophet spent a.bout one year in the Wfi.dy perversely regarded as the e.uthor of ell this Cherith, and two und a he.If in the house of misery, o.nd that o.nd the neighbouring coun- the widow), saying, Go, show thyself [Heh. tries were scoured to find him. Moreover, be seen] unto Ahab; e.nd I will send LHeb. reprisals were made on the system which he give] rain upon the earth. [Heh. on th11 Jae• of the ground. Cf. xvii. 14.) represented, by a fierce persecution of the Ver. 2.-And Elijah went to show him- prophetic order, of which he we.a recognized self unto Ahab. And [or Now. It would, as the head. But it is probable that when perhaps, have been better to begin a new the drought lo.sted into the third e.nd fourth verso here, as this is the beginning of ll year, e.nd when e.bsoluto ruin and death parenthesis, explanatory of the circum- stances under which king o.nd prophet met. stared the country in the faoe, tho.t then de- It was the famine led to Obadiah's en- fie.nce ho.d given ple.ce to dree.d and regret in countering Elijah on the road] there was a every bosom, save, perhaps, tho.t of the queen sore famine 1n Samaria. [The effect of o and the syoophe.nts who o.te of her table. three years' drought would be to r~duce tho The conviction wo.s steadily ge.ining posses- entire people to the verge of ste.rvat10n. The sion of the minds of all Israel tho.t Baal and sevority of the famine was no doubt miti- gated, o.s on a former occasion (Gen. xli. 57), Ashtoreth were ve.nities, and that the Lord by the importation of corn from Egypt.) alone me.de the heo.vens and covered them Ver. 3.-And Ahab called [Ra.ther, lwd with clouds. The great drought, and the called. " The verbs ~)i?l, 1 i'.1~1 &c. (vers. manifold sufferings which it entailed-sulier- a, 4, 6, 6), oe.rry on ·the circumstantial 1 KINGS, 2E 418 THE FIRST BOOK OF J{INGS. [on. xvm, 1~6.