1 Kings 19

Listen to 1 Kings 19

Elijah Flees Jezebel

1 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how 1he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
2 Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, 2"So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow."
3 Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to 3Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.
4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. 4And he asked that he might die, saying, "It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers."
5 And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, "Arise and eat."
6 And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again.
7 And the angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, "Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you."
8 And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food 5forty days and forty nights to 6Horeb, the mount of God.

The Lord Speaks to Elijah

9 There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, 7the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
10 He said, "I have been very 8jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, 9thrown down your altars, and 10killed your prophets with the sword, 11and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away."
11 And he said, "Go out and 12stand on the mount before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and 13a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind 14an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.[a]
13 And when Elijah heard it, 15he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, 16there came a voice to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
14 He said, 17"I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, 18thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away."
15 And the LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.
16 19And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and 20Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place.
17 And the one who escapes from 21the sword of Hazael 22shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu 23shall Elisha put to death.
18 24Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not 25kissed him."

The Call of Elisha

19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast 26his cloak upon him.
20 And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, 27"Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you." And he said to him, "Go back again, for what have I done to you?"
21 And he returned from following him and took the yoke of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh 28with the yokes of the oxen and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and went after Elijah and assisted him.

1 Kings 19 Commentary

Chapter 19

Elijah flees to the wilderness. (1-8) God manifests himself to Elijah. (9-13) God's answer to Elijah. (14-18) The call of Elisha. (19-21)

Verses 1-8 Jezebel sent Elijah a threatening message. Carnal hearts are hardened and enraged against God, by that which should convince and conquer them. Great faith is not always alike strong. He might be serviceable to Israel at this time, and had all reason to depend upon God's protection, while doing God's work; yet he flees. His was not the deliberate desire of grace, as Paul's, to depart and be with Christ. God thus left Elijah to himself, to show that when he was bold and strong, it was in the Lord, and the power of his might; but of himself he was no better than his fathers. God knows what he designs us for, though we do not, what services, what trials, and he will take care that we are furnished with grace sufficient.

Verses 9-13 The question God put, What doest thou here, Elijah? is a reproof. It concerns us often to ask whether we are in our place, and in the way of our duty. Am I where I should be? whither God calls me, where my business lies, and where I may be useful? He complained of the people, and their obstinacy in sin; I only am left. Despair of success hinders many a good enterprise. Did Elijah come hither to meet with God? he shall find that God will meet him. The wind, and earthquake, and fire, did not make him cover his face, but the still voice did. Gracious souls are more affected by the tender mercies of the Lord, than by his terrors. The mild voice of Him who speaks from the cross, or the mercy-seat, is accompanied with peculiar power in taking possession of the heart.

Verses 14-18 God repeated the question, What doest thou here? Then he complained of his discouragement; and whither should God's prophets go with their complaints of that kind, but to their Master? The Lord gave him an answer. He declares that the wicked house of Ahab shall be rooted out, that the people of Israel shall be punished for their sins; and he shows that Elijah was not left alone as he had supposed, and also that a helper should at once be raised up for him. Thus all his complaints are answered and provided for. God's faithful ones are often his hidden ones, ( Psalms 83:3 ) , and the visible church is scarcely to be seen: the wheat is lost in chaff, and the gold in dross, till the sifting, refining, separating day comes. The Lord knows them that are his, though we do not; he sees in secret. When we come to heaven we shall miss many whom we thought to have met there; we shall meet many whom we little thought to have met there. God's love often proves larger than man's charity, and far more extended.

Verses 19-21 Elijah found Elisha by Divine direction, not in the schools of the prophets, but in the field; not reading, or praying, or sacrificing, but ploughing. Idleness is no man's honour, nor is husbandry any man's disgrace. An honest calling in the world, does not put us out of the way of our heavenly calling, any more than it did Elisha. His heart was touched by the Holy Spirit, and he was ready to leave all to attend Elijah. It is in a day of power that Christ's subjects are made willing; nor would any come to Christ unless they were thus drawn. It was a discouraging time for prophets to set out in. A man that had consulted with flesh and blood, would not be fond of Elijah's mantle; yet Elisha cheerfully leaves all to accompany him. When the Saviour said to one and to another, Follow me, the dearest friends and most profitable occupations were cheerfully left, and the most arduous duties done from love to his name. May we, in like manner, feel the energy of his grace working in us mightily, and by unreserved submission at once, may we make our calling and election sure.

Cross References 28

  • 1. 1 Kings 18:40
  • 2. [1 Kings 20:10]; See Ruth 1:17
  • 3. See Genesis 21:31
  • 4. [Numbers 11:15; Jonah 4:3, 8]
  • 5. Exodus 24:18; Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 9:9, 18; Matthew 4:2; Mark 1:13; Luke 4:2
  • 6. Exodus 3:1
  • 7. ver. 13
  • 8. Numbers 25:11, 13
  • 9. 1 Kings 18:30; Cited Romans 11:3
  • 10. 1 Kings 18:4
  • 11. 1 Kings 18:22
  • 12. Exodus 24:12; Exodus 34:2
  • 13. Ezekiel 1:4
  • 14. Ezekiel 37:7
  • 15. [Exodus 3:6]
  • 16. ver. 9
  • 17. [See ver. 10 above]
  • 18. [See ver. 10 above]
  • 19. See 2 Kings 9:1-6
  • 20. [ver. 19-21; 2 Kings 2:9, 15]
  • 21. 2 Kings 8:12; 2 Kings 13:3, 22
  • 22. See 2 Kgs. 9 - 10
  • 23. [Hosea 6:5]
  • 24. Cited Romans 11:4
  • 25. [Hosea 13:2]
  • 26. 2 Kings 2:8
  • 27. [Matthew 8:21, 22; Luke 9:61, 62]
  • 28. [2 Samuel 24:22]

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or a sound, a thin silence

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 19

This chapter gives us a further account of Elijah, of his being obliged to flee for his life through the threats of Jezebel, 1Ki 19:1-4, of the care the Lord took of him, providing food for him, in the strength of which he went to Horeb, 1Ki 19:5-8, of the Lord's appearance to him there, and conversation with him, 1Ki 19:9-14, of some instructions he gave him to anoint a king over Syria, another over Israel, and a prophet in his room, 1Ki 19:15-18, and of his finding Elisha, and throwing his mantle over him, who left his secular employment, and followed him, and became his servant, 1Ki 19:19-21.

1 Kings 19 Commentaries

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.