1 Kings 19:1-8

Elijah Flees to Horeb

1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.
2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”
3 Elijah was afraid[a] and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,
4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”
5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”
6 He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.
7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.”
8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.

1 Kings 19:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Cross References 13

  • 1. 1 Kings 16:31
  • 2. S Exodus 22:20; 1 Kings 18:40
  • 3. 1 Kings 20:10; 2 Kings 6:31; S Ruth 1:17
  • 4. Psalms 13:4; Jeremiah 20:10; Jeremiah 26:21; Jeremiah 36:26
  • 5. S Genesis 31:21
  • 6. S Genesis 19:17
  • 7. S Joshua 19:2
  • 8. Job 30:4
  • 9. S Numbers 11:15; Job 6:9; Job 7:16; Job 10:1; Psalms 69:19; Jeremiah 20:18; John 4:8
  • 10. Genesis 28:11
  • 11. S Genesis 16:7
  • 12. Exodus 24:18; Exodus 34:28; Dt 9:9-11,18; Matthew 4:2
  • 13. S Exodus 3:1

Footnotes 1

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