The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 449

in his breast, and prominent among these pp. 183, 184), that the prophet never took re- was the feeling of profound disappointment fuge in the southern kingdom. At one time and mortification. It is clear that he had he found a sanctuary beyond the Jordan ; al hoped that the " day of Carmel " would another in the kingdom of Tyre, but never tom the heart of the entire nation back in the realm of Jehoshaphat. When he again (eh. xviii. 37), and the great shout of does come in hnste to Beer-sheba, " it ie ver. 39, and the subsequent execution, at his after a manner ,vhich bespeaks his reluc- command, of the men who had deceived and tance to set foot within that territory, even depraved the people, might well justify the more than if he had evaded it altogether." most sanguine expectations. We ca.n readily The reason partly was, no doubt, as Words- imagine, consequently, how, especially after worth says, that his mission was to idola- the excitement and fatigues of that day, the trous Israel. Judah had both priests aud threatening and defiant message of the prophets of its own] , and left his servant queen would seem the death-blow of his [There ie no warrant for the assertion hopes, and how, ntterly dispirited and (Stanley) that " one only of that vast broken down, he lost all trust, all faith, assembly remained faithful to him, the and, while fleeing for his life, "requested Zidonio.n boy of Zarephath." The identity for him.sell that he might die " (ver. 4)], of this boy with the servant is by no means he arose, a.nd went for his life [Keil is certain ; nor is the defection of the people compelled, by his refusal to allow that Elijah at all proven] there. [Probably because was actuated by fear, to render these words, he wished to be alone with God ; possibly "went to commit his soul to God in the because the boy was then too exhausted to solitude of the desert." But the meaning go further, and there was no reason why is settled for us by the like expression in he should be subjected to the uncertainties 2 Kings vii. 7; nor does Jer. xliv. 7 lend and privations of desert life; hardly for the any support to Keil's view. Gesenius com- security of both (Blunt). It is perhaps pares -.p,xnv 71'fpi ,f,vxiji;. Od. ix. 423. The implied, however, that the kingdom of A. V. exactly represents the meaning], a.nd Judah, though not a safe abode for him, came to Beer-sheba [Gen. xxi. 31; xxvi. would be for his servant. When we re- 33. The southern boundary of Palestine member that this servant never rejoined (Josh. xv. 28; 2 Sam. xxiv. 7; Judg. xx.1; him, but that presently Elisha took his 1 Chron. xxi. 2, &c.), allotted to the tribe place, we oan scarcely help wondering of Simeon (Josh. rix. 2), which tribe, we whether he was afraid to accompany Elijah gather from this passage (see also 2 Chron. any longer (cf. Acts xv. 38).J rix. 4), was now absorbed in the southern Ver. 4.-But he himself went a day's kingdom. (See note on eh. ri. 31.) Words- journey into the wilderness [Cf. Gen. xxi. worth suggests that " perhaps he resorted 14, 21 ; Jer. ix. 2 ; Rev. xii. 6. Beer-sheba to Beer-sheba in order to strengthen his stands on the fringe of the desert of Et-Till. faith with the recollection of the patriorchs It was not for the sake of security alone who had dwelt there," &c. Bot if that had that the prophet plunged into the " great been his object, a journey to the place was and terrible wilderness." It is probable hardly necessary, and it ;-, clear that he that from the first, "Horeb, the mount of only passed through it on h,s way to Mo1;1Jlt God," was in his thoughts. He may well Sinai. "Beer-sheba was about 95 miles have seen that he was destined to be a from Jezreel "-Rawlinson, who adds that second Moses; that he wns raised up to Elijah cannot have reached it till the close assert and enforce the covenant of whioh of the second day. But we must remember Moses was the mediator. We have seen that his pace would be regulated by the already that he cites the words spoken to powers of his servant, probably a mere lad Moses at the bush (oh. xviii. 36); that to (LXX. 1rawcip,ov), so that it is hardly likely him as to Moses tbere was granted an he could travel day and night without apparition of fire ; we now find _him re- stopping to rest], which belongeth to Judah jected as Moses had been before.him (Acts [It is part of Keil's argument in proof that vii. 25, 35). How natural that, like Moses, Elijah did not flee from fear of Jezebel, he should flee into the lo.nd of Midian, to that, had such been the case, he would have the place where God had spoken with Moses remained in the kingdom of Judah, where face to face. Wordsworth reminds us tha, he would have enjoyed the protection ?f the Jewish Church, by its cyole of lessons, Jehoshaphat. But it is by no means certain suggests a comparison between the Law that this prince, considering his close alliance Giver and tho Law Restorer] , and came with Ahab (eh. xxii. 4; cf. xviii. 10; 2 Kings and sat down under a [Heb. one; see ~ote on viii. 18; 2 Chron. xviii. 1), would have sheltered the prophet. Indeed, it is remark- eh. xiii. 11] junlper tree [The Cl:)1, here able, a.a Blunt ha.e well pointed out (Coincid. found with a feminine numero.1 (Keri, aa. xn. 1-21.) THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. (59