1 Kings Chapters 19-20 Commentary

First Kings Chapters 19-20 Chapter 19 19:1-2 Elijah apparently lingered around the summer palace in Jezreel (18:46), to see what Jezebel’s response would be. If he was hoping that Ahab and Jezebel would give up their idolatry, he was in for a disappointment. Over half of her personal prophets had been wiped out, the common people had been convinced that Baal was powerless, but Jezebel remained defiant. In fact, Jezebel was even given an eyewitness account of what had happened from her own husband, but she refused to bow before Jehovah, rather she vowed to kill Elijah. Jezebel has killed God’s prophets before (1 Kings 18:4,13), so Elijah has no reason to doubt her threats. “This woman has the fierceness Ahab lacks, the civil authority the prophets of Baal lacked, and a freshness for battle that Elijah no longer possesses” (House pp. 221-222). Some wonder if Jezebel really intended to kill Elijah, seeing that she warned him in advance, yet when people are angry they often act in a very irrational manner.

19:3 The text clearly says that Elijah was afraid. He travels from Jezreel to Beersheba (95 miles to the south), which was the southern boundary of the Promised Land. Here Elijah left his servant, which may signify that Elijah fully intended to never come back, had resigned as God’s prophet, or wanted to be all alone. This servant had first appeared with Elijah in the previous chapter. 19:4 Having made a day’s journey into the wilderness (15 miles?), he sat down under a juniper tree and requested that God would take his life. “The retama roetam is a shrub that still grows in the wilderness areas south of the Dead Sea. It has a delicate white blossom that appears in February in advance of tiny foliage. The plant often reaches a height of ten to twelve feet and affords grateful shade in the heat of the desert” (Dilday pp. 218-218).

19:4 “For I am not better than my fathers”: In the past it seems that Elijah had very high hopes for Israel, that through his preaching the nation would repent and Baalism would cease, yet now he feels that he has failed and has accomplished no more than those prophets who had preceded him.

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“In three short verses the writer had totally changed the flow of the story.

Victory seems to be transformed into defeat, the brave prophet into a cowering refugee, and the victory over death and Baal into an opportunity for death to reassert itself through Jezebel’s oath to take Elijah’s life. How will the Lord prove to be God now? This question remains the fundamental issue in the story” (House p. 222). “Elijah can look only on the dark side of things; he falls asleep, not wishing to wake up in the morning” (Vos p. 121). Discouragement and depression can quickly follow upon a great victory of success, especially if we has unrealistic goals. Take heed lest ye fall is a great verse to put over this section of Scripture (1 Corinthians 10:12). Elijah may have been expecting God to strike Jezebel dead or that she would be so stunned by what had happened on Mount Carmel that she would either convert and go into exile. Like Elijah, so often we want evil overthrown in one magnificent stroke of judgment, and we are stunned when evil people seem to survive.

19:5-6 For the moment God is patient with Elijah, He first feeds Elijah and allows Elijah to catch up on some needed sleep. Often people are far more receptive to correction once they have rested and have had something to eat. “The word translated ‘cake baked on coals’ is the name for the round flat bread that Arabs in this part of the desert still bake on hot stones in the ashes” (Dilday p. 219). 19:7-8 Apparently something about this food was miraculous in nature, for it nourished him for the next forty days. “Horeb” was the same mountain or mountain range on which the Law had been given through Moses. From Beersheba to this region was a journey of about 200 miles.

19:9 “Since the Hebrew definite article is used in verse 9, “the” cave, it may be that it was the same cave in which Moses hid when God appeared to him on this same mountain” (Dilday p. 219). (Exodus 33:2123). 19:9 “What are you doing here Elijah”: The words do carry the sting of a rebuke, but God is also giving Elijah the opportunity to pour out what is in his heart. 19:10 Instead of saying, “I am afraid of Jezebel and ran to hide in this cave”, Elijah like a martyr, felt compelled to piously remind God about his zeal, his commitment, and his lonely suffering. “Elijah’s answer revealed his keen disappointment and impatience with God’s ways and an exaggerated pessimism concerning the condition of the nation. Why did not God strike Jezebel dead in his presence and then cause a great host of men to follow his spiritual leadership?” (Whitcomb p.

60). In spite of what had happened in chapter 18, Elijah saw only total failure, he ignored God’s victory over the prophets of Ball and Obadiah’s stand for God, and he even ignored the courage of those who had slain the prophets of Baal (18:40).

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19:11-13 God does have different ways of dealing with people. It seems that the point that God is trying to get across to Elijah in these verses is that God does not always act in a spectacular and dramatic way. Most often, God’s program is carried forward through the voice that speaks through His prophets. “Elijah had come to bask in the glow of the spectacular. He may have fully expected that because of what had been accomplished at Mount Carmel, Jezebel would capitulate and pagan worship would come to an end in Israel—all through his influence.

God does not always move in the realm of the extraordinary. To live always seeking one ‘high experience’ after another is to have a misdirected zeal. The majority of life’s service is in quiet, routine, humble obedience to God’s will” (Gaebelein p. 148). “Surely, God could have swept the wicked house of Ahab to oblivion with a mighty wind, opened the gates of hell with a single earthquake (Numbers 16:23-35), or scorched Ahab’s throne with a terrible fire (Genesis 19:24,25). He did not; but did this mean that Elijah had failed? That God’s word had returned void? By no means: the still small voice, like leaven in meal, was at work. A stray arrow would find its mark through a seam in Ahab’s armor; Jezebel’s defiled body would become dog food” (Winters p. 145). The “gentle blowing” should remind us of the powerful nature of God’s spoken word (Romans 1:16; Hebrews 4:12-13; Luke 16:31).

“The message of the theophany seems to be that Elijah should not always expect God to break into history in such spectacular manifestations as wind, earthquake, and fire. Typical of his fiery temperament, Elijah wanted vengeance. He wanted God to send the windstorm, the earthquake, and the fire upon Jezebel and her idolaters, but God was reminding him that He is in control, not Elijah. He has other ways of dealing with the problems of history. The poet, Hiene, half in jest, described his notion of happiness: My wishes are a humble dwelling with a thatched roof, a good bed, good food, flowers at my windows, and some fine tall trees before my door. And if the good God wants to make me completely happy, he will grant me the joy of seeing six or seven of my enemies hanging from the trees” (Dilday p. 220).

19:14 Elijah repeats his complaint, or reality as he saw it. 19:15 “Go”: One of the best ways to bring someone out of depression is to give them something to do. Elijah wanted to die, but God still had work for him to do. 19:15-17 First, Elijah would anoint Hazael (HAZ a el), as king over Syria, secondly he would anoint Jehu as the future king of Israel (the nation governed by Ahab and Jezebel). Thirdly, he would anoint his own successor, Elisha, the son of Shaphat (SHAY fat), from the city of Abelmeholah (A bell me HOE lah).

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Hazael would wreck havoc in the Israel (2 Kings 8:12). with extraordinary violence, Jehu would bring down the entire house of Ahab, including throwing Jezebel to the dogs (2 Kings 9:30-35),destroying all the descendants of Ahab (10:1-7), and butchering the remaining false prophets (10:18-28). God had already selected His executioners or instruments of judgment to punish Ahab and Israel for their sins. God would judge the wicked but in His own time and His own way. Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha were each to wield swords, though in very different ways, and Elijah would directly (in the case of Elisha) or indirectly (in the case of Hazael, 2 Kings 8:8-15; and Jehu, 2 Kings 9:1-10) launch them into their ministries of judgment” (Whitcomb p. 61). “The threefold commission was singularly interrelated (17). Jehu’s work would supplement that of Hazael, that is, any who fell to Israel to escape Hazael’s purge would be dealt with

by Jehu. In turn those who survived Jehu’s slaughter must face the spiritual judgment of Elisha” (Gaebelein p. 151).

19:18 “Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal”: Things are never quite as bad as they might seem. Elijah was not the only one left, the way might be narrow (Matthew 7:13-14), but there are faithful people on that narrow way. Such should have reminded Elijah that God’s word cannot be silenced, the power of God’s message cannot be stopped, and His word will find good and honest hearts (Romans 1:16). In every age, there will be the faithful remnant which refuses to bow to the pressures of an ungodly world (Romans 11:1-5; 12:12).

Elisha’s Commission 19:19 The town of Abel Meholah was in the Jordan Valley, about halfway between the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee. “The fact that twelve yoke of oxen were involved in the endeavor implies a considerable tract of land and therefore a family of considerable wealth. Elisha’s plowing with the twelfth yoke probably means that his workmen and other members of the family were plowing with the other eleven. Elijah’s throwing his ‘mantle’ or ‘cloak’ around Elisha was a sign or symbol of the call to prophetic office and of the passing of the power and authority of the office to him (2 Kings 2:13-14)” (Vos p. 123).

19:20 Elisha clearly understood that Elijah was appointing him as his successor. The statement, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?”, probably means that he himself had not called Elisha; it was God’s call. Whether Elisha would follow that call was his own decision, the absence of any mention of a wife infers that Elisha was an unmarried man.

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19:21 Elisha killed the oxen and burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat, signifying a complete break with his former life, and served the meat at a farewell dinner for relatives and friends (see Luke 5:27-29).

Centuries later Jesus would rebuke potential disciples who wanted to say farewell to family and friends (Luke 9:61-62). The difference between the last verse and what Elisha said, might be in motive. Instead of being a sign of hesitation and divided loyalty, Elisha’s desire might have been to present a clear testimony to family and friends that God had called him to a great life work. “When we make our commitment to Christ, let it be characterized by a slaughter of all ‘oxen’ that would beckon us to return to our first estate” (Winters p. 146).

Chapter 20 20:1 The spotlight now turns from internal and religious matters to the foreign affairs of Israel. “The exact time of these Syrian attacks is not clear, but it must have been several years before the great battle of Qarqar in 853 B.C., when Ahab and Syria were allies. The Syrian king, Ben-Hadad, was probably the son of the Ben-Hadad who had attacked Baasha of Israel on the urging of Asa some years earlier (15:18)” (Vos p. 124). The thirty-two kings mentioned here, were likely heads of satellite states and tribal chieftains from the territory around the capital.

20:2-4 Apparently Ahab was willing to submit to Ben-Hadad’s demand for tribute. He demanded his choice of their most alluring women for concubines and children for slaves and money. 20:5-6 Yet the demand is increased, this time the Syrian king demanded absolute control over Samaria, including the royal household. He demanded the right to loot the city, which is tantamount to a demand for unconditional surrender.

This time Ahab refused. 20:10 To Ahab’s refusal, the Syrian king boasts that he will pulverize the entire city of Samaria. 20:11 Ahab responds with a proverb, very much like our, “Don’t count your chickens before they are hatched”. There would be plenty to time to brag after the job was done.

20:12 The Syrian alliance was so confident of Ahab’s acquiescence that a victory celebration was already in full swing. Upon hearing Ahab’s negative response, Syria immediately declared a state of war against Samaria. 20:13 Even though Ahab was a wicked king, God is going to try to convert Ahab! An unnamed prophet came to Ahab---one more evidence that Elijah was not the only one left to serve God in Israel. “The fact that he was able to operate openly and that the king would listen to him may be some evidence of a positive effect of Elijah’s ministry and of abated persecution of the followers of Yahweh. The reason for God’s 5

intervention on this occasion is not to be interpreted as blessing on an idolatrous society but a further effort to get Israel to recognize the true God” (Vos p. 125). Sinners often interpret economic and personal success as evidence that they are doing something right, God often blesses sinners, not because they are living right, but in order to get them to see that they need Him (Acts 14:14-17).

20:14 Give Ahab this much credit, he listened! Jezebel is not mentioned in this section, which appears to confirm the view that Ahab could manifest some humility—apart from her influence. Ahab’s provincial commanders (young officers) would lead the attack. 20:15 Ahab only found 232 young officers and they were followed by an army numbering 7000. Some writers feel that this group was composed of many of the faithful remnant (19:18). 20:16 Consider the great contrast. “The story presents a contrast between the king who has a word from God to direct his affairs and the king who depends on wine for his courage (Ephesians 5:18)” (House p. 229).

20:17-18 Ben-Hadad’s scouts spot the lead group of Israelite officers and are very overconfident. Yet these young officers took the initiative and killed those who were supposed to capture them, as a result the Syrians were routed. Such a victory would have convinced Ahab that Yahweh was God, not Baal. How many chances is God giving Ahab to repent? (2 Peter 3:9). 20:22 Ahab is informed that the Syrians will be back next year.

20:23-25 Here is the Syrian game plan, and their reasoning concerning why they lost the previous battle. “There is a revealing insight into pagan theology. We have already been told that Samaria was built by Omri on a high hill rising three hundred feet above the surrounding plain…So as they rehearsed the battle, Ben-Hadad’s advisers drew the conclusion that Israel’s gods must be ‘mountain gods’ giving Israel a military advantage when they fought on higher elevations…Since their own gods were gods of the plain, the Syrians concluded they had been unfairly matched…

They wanted a rematch on level terrain where their army would have the advantage” (Dilday p. 230). And no one thought that the above policy was absolutely ridiculous! No one piped up and said, “Wait a minute, how can you limit the power of a god?” Or, “If there is such a thing as a God, then that God must be all-powerful and omnipresent!”

20:26-27 The location for the battle was around the city of Aphek, which was probably located east of the Sea of Galilee on the direct route from Israel to Damascus. Once again, Israel is outnumbered, compared to Syria’s vast host, Ahab’s army looked like “two little flocks of goats”.

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20:28 When man boasts in his own limited wisdom and comes up with some stupid theory—watch out! God often directly or providentially intervenes and confounds the current popular theories of the elite. Just about the time that man thinks he is able to solve all his problems, or has something completely figured out, a fact that does not fit current thinking enters into the picture. 20:29-31 Ben-Hadad’s army suffered almost total annihilation. Even most of those who escaped the battlefield died under the collapsing walls of Aphek. The Syrian king and his advisors had heard that the Israelite kings were kind-hearted toward vanquished enemies (not like themselves, who were ruthless). God is also trying to teach the Syrians a lesson. Syria must learn the Lord exists everywhere and controls all terrain.

20:32-34 By now Ahab should know who his God is, who is a true prophet of God, and who are the real enemies. Ahab may have had his eyes on the Assyrians, hoping that a treaty with Syria will strengthen him against this threatening eastern power. Almost immediately, Ahab forgot Who had delivered him! All Ahab gains is the restoration of captured Israelite cities and the right to extraterritorial bazaars in Damascus. Ahab should have realized that God could help him defeat and resist any rising power that threatened God’s people. “Whatever advantages he may imagine his mercy will gain, he soon learns the price he will pay” (House p. 229).

20:35-42 “Ahab’s leniency toward Ben-Hadad and self-trust were not to go without divine rebuke…This prophet, by divine command, asked one of his companions to strike him. Because the second prophet refused to obey the divine direction, he was immediately killed by a lion…When the king passed by, the prophet represented himself as a soldier who had been wounded in battle and to whom had been assigned a prisoner on penalty of his life or the payment of a large sum of money. Unfortunately he had inadvertently allowed his prisoner to escape” (Galebelein p. 157) As in the case of David (2 Samuel 12), God allowed Ahab to issue his own condemnation. In reality, Ahab was the one who had allowed the prisoner to escape; therefore, as he himself had judged to be right, the king would pay with his life. Ahab had forgotten that Ben Hadad was God’s enemy and prisoner and thus needed to be executed. From a human standpoint many would have praised Ahab for the national security and power his shrewd political negotiations had guaranteed. But not the biblical writer. Ahab thought he knew better than Yahweh how to handle international affairs. 20:43 Predictably, Ahab reacted like a spoiled child.

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