1 Kings 19:8

8 And when he had risen, he ate, and drank; and he went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights, unto Horeb, the hill of God. (And when he had risen, he ate, and drank; and he went in the strength of that food for forty days and forty nights, unto Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.)

1 Kings 19:8 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 19:8

And he arose, and did eat and drink
Of what was left of the cake and cruse of water, before provided for him:

and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights
unto Horeb the mount of God;
for so long he was going to that place, though it might have been gone in three or four days; but he went in byways, and wandered about in the wilderness, as the Israelites did, and that for the space of forty days, as they did near forty years; and all this while he had no other sustenance than what he had taken under the juniper tree, from whence he set out, which must be supernatural; for it is said ^F20, a man cannot live without food beyond seven days, (See Gill on Exodus 24:18) the food either staying in his stomach all this while, or however the nutritive virtue of it, by which he was supported, and held out till he came to Horeb or Sinai; called the mount of the Lord, because here he had appeared to Moses in the bush, and from hence gave the law to the children of Israel. Abarbinel is of opinion that this term of forty days was consumed in his whole journey to Horeb, his stay there, and return to the land of Israel.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 Macrob. in Soma Scipion. l. 1. c. 6.

1 Kings 19:8 In-Context

6 (And) He beheld, and, lo! at his head was a loaf baken under ashes, and a vessel of water. Therefore he ate, and drank, and slept again.

7 And the angel of the Lord turned again the second time, and touched him; and he said to him, Rise thou, and eat; for a great way is to thee (Rise thou up, and eat, or the way shall be too much for thee),

8 And when he had risen, he ate, and drank; and he went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights, unto Horeb, the hill of God. (And when he had risen, he ate, and drank; and he went in the strength of that food for forty days and forty nights, unto Mount Sinai, the mountain of God.)

9 And when he had come thither, he dwelled in a den (And when he had come there, he lived in a cave); and lo! the word of the Lord was made to him, and said to him, Elijah, what doest thou here?

10 And he answered, By fervent love, that is, of all the heart, I have loved fervently, for the Lord God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken the covenant of the Lord; they have destroyed thine altars, and killed with (the) sword thy prophets; and I am left alone, and they seek my life, that they do it away. (And he answered, With fervent love, that is, with all of my heart, I have fervently loved for the Lord God of hosts; but the Israelites have deserted the covenant of the Lord; they have destroyed thy altars, and killed thy prophets with the sword; and I alone am left, and now they seek my life, so that they can do me away.)