my lord, what I did when Jezebel slew the prophets of the LORD, how I hid an hundred men of the LORD's prophets by fifty in a 14 cave, and fed them with bread and water? And now thou say

est, Go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah [is here :) and he shall slay 15 me. And Elijah said, [As] the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, and whose servant I am, I will surely show myself 16 unto him today. So Obadiah, not doubting but God would preserve him, went to meet Ahab, and told him and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

17 And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, [Art] thou he that troubleth Israel? He began furiously, charging him with bringing these calamities upon Israel, 18 under colour of being a prophet and a friend. And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim; thy sins are the cause of all the judgments 19 that are come upon the nation. Now therofore let us bring the matter to a fair trial, and see who are the troublers of Israel: and, in order to this, send, [and] gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's 20 table. So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, the princes and elders, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

21

And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? like lame men, who tread dubiously and not firmly? If the LORD [be] God, follow him but if Baal, [then] follow him; there can be but one supreme, all perfect God; see which that is, and renounce the other competitors. And the people answered him not a word; they knew not what to say, and were ashamed that they were not able to answer in so plain a 22 case. Then said Elijah unto the people, I, [even] I only, remain a prophet of the LORD publicly to own and plead the cause of God; but Baal's prophets [are] four hundred and fifty men, 23 and have all external aids on their sides. Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay [it] on wood, and put no fire [under] and I will dress the other bullock, and lay [it] 24 on wood, and put no fire [under :] And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

25

:

And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress [it] first; for ye [are] many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire [under.t]

Astarte, or the moon, was the goddess of the Sidonians, for whose priests Jezebel kept

a table, and they were her domestic chaplains.

+ Elijah being a single man, gives them the preference; and besides, if Jehovah had answered first, Baal's prophets might have formed some excuse for not answering; above an, their disappointment would make his success the more remarkable.

26 And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed [it,] and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, when the sun was in its greatest strength, saying, O Baal, hear us. But [there was] no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made; continued leaping and dancing round the altar. This was common among the worshippers of the sun, believing it was that which put all 27 things into motion. And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he [is] a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, [or] perad28 venture he sleepeth, and must be awaked. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and 29 lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied, that is, prayed and sung hymns in honour of Baal, until the [time] of the offering of the [evening] sacrifice, till three o'clock in the afternoon ; that [there was] neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded; all was in vain.

30

And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the 31 altar of the LORD [that was] broken down.† And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to show that he worshipped the God of the patriarchs, and was concerned for the happiness of Israel, unto whom the word of the LORD came, when his family was purged from idola32 try, saying, Israel shall be thy name: And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid [him] on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water from the sea, which was at the foot of mount Carmel, (Jer. xlvi. 18.) and pour [it] on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood, 34 that they may see there is no cheat. And he said, do [it] the 35 second time. And they did [it] the second time. And he said,"

Do [it] the third time. And they did [it] the third time. And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench 36 also with water. And it came to pass at [the time of] the offering of the [evening] sacrifice, when the people of God were worshipping at Jerusalem, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord, GoD of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou [art] God in Israel, and [that] I [am] thy servant, and [that] I have done all these things at thy word, 37 have brought the famine by thy command. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou [art] the Lord

He said this, to rouse them out of their stupklity, and convince the people of the folly of idolatry. As if he had said, Your god is a little deaf; or he is busy about some dispatches; or in travelling to some place, where you must send after him; or he has a narrow capacity, and cannot attend to two things at once; therefore cry again, make more noise, perhaps he is asleep.

The worshippers of Baal had broken down God's altar, and set up one to Baal in its stead; but Elijah repaired the altar of the Lord, to intimate, that he intended to restore the worship of the true God again.

GOD, and [that] thou hast turned their heart back again; wrought this miracle to reduce them from idolatry to thy own service. This was a short prayer, offered from a calm mind, and not, like Baal's 38 priests, in a fury. Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that [was] in the trench. It had a remarkable effect, parching the ground and consuming the stones. Elijah's God was not talking, or pursuing, or sleeping; he heard, 39 and answered immediately. And when all the people saw [it,] they fell on their faces and they said, The LORD, he [is] the God; the LORD he [is] the God; the case was so plain that they were struck into consternation, and were deeply affected with 40 this demonstration of Jekovah's divinity. And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there; and Ahab was so impressed that he durst not oppose it, more especially, as it was the way to have a supply of rain.

41

And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, from the brook where the priests were slain, to thy tent on the side of the hill; eat and drink, take refreshment, (having fasted till evening, waiting the event of the trial) for [there is] a sound of abundance of rain. 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to

the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, placed himself in an humble 48 posture, to seek God's continued interposition, And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, [There is] nothing. And he said, Go 44 again seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare [thy chariot,] and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not, 45 lest it swell the brooks, and make the way impassable. And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, 46 and went to Jezreel, where he had a palace. And the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, his long garment, that it might not hinder him, and he ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel, but did not choose to go in, for fear of Jezebel.

REFLECTIONS.

EE the power of divine grace in securing Obadiah's goodmany temptations, he kept his integrity. Blessed be God, some such extraordinary instances are still to be found.

2. They that fear the Lord in their youth, come to fear him greatly so Obadiah. He began betimes, and made great progress

God gave Elijah extraordinary strength to run before Ahab, to show his respect to the king, and that all Israel might see that the glory of this miracle had not made him proud or insolent.

in piety, zeal, and hospitality. Early piety becomes eminent piety. This is a motive for young persons to remember their Creator in the days of their youth.

3. We infer, that sinners, not reformers, are the troublers of Israel. Useful, zealous reformers are often called so: Christ and his apostles were said to turn the world upside down. Elijah was really the best guard to Israel; better than chariots and horsemen. Sin is a great disturber of families, churches, towns, and kingdoms, and the whole world. All mischief is owing to it. Therefore let us keep from even the appearance of evil.

4. We may in general judge how men stand affected to God, by the manner in which they treat his ministers. Observe the difference between Ahab and his steward: the one was saucy and insolent, the other most polite and respectful. He that loves the master, loves the servants for the master's sake.

5. We are taught hence, resolution and steadiness in religion. Some worshipped Jehovah, to please the prophets; others Baal, to please Jezebel. This was shameful. Religion is every thing, or nothing. No man can serve two masters. Double minded men are unstable in all their ways; their hearts are not right with God, therefore they are not sound in his statutes.

6. External pomp and grandeur is no sign of a true church. The papists make this a mark of it, but it is wrong. Many false prophets are well fed, while God's prophets may be hid in caves, and have only bread and water; but still the former are false ones, and God's prophets the only true ones. Judge not from outward appear

ance.

7. See the vanity of idolatry, and the power of God. Surely no idolatry ever made so contemptible a figure, or was so justly ridiculed. But how glorious does the God of Israel appear in the midst of this conquest, and in his power over all the elements. We have reason to say, He is God: and to be thankful for the light of the gospel; or we, like these prophets, shall be ashamed and confounded.

8. We are taught perseverance in prayer. Elijah sent his servant seven times, prostrated himself humbly, and continued instant in prayer. The Lord will at length come, and will not tarry. Wait patiently for him; he is a God who heareth prayer.

9. Small beginnings often produce great and wonderful effects. A cloud, at first no bigger than a man's hand, covered the heavens. This is often applicable to feeble attempts of service, and the wonderful success of the gospel. Let us then encourage ourselves in God, and not despise the day of small things.

10. Those who are instruments of the greatest public good, should learn to behave themselves modestly and humbly. Elijah was not elated with this extraordinary triumph; he paid respect to Ahab, as a king, though he was a wicked man. Let all learn to know their place, and remember, that humility is their brightest ornament; adds the greatest lustre to wealth, honour, and usefulness, and recommends those who are possessed of it to the favour of God and man.

CHAP. XIX.

An account of Elijah's flight from Jezebel into the wilderness; the extraordinary appearance of God to him ; the directions he received and his beginning to execute his commission.

'Α

ND Ahab, to excuse himself and throw the blame upon Elijah, told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, how he had brought fire from heaven, and rain upon earth, and withal how he 2 had slain all the prophets of Baal with the sword. Then Jeze

bel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do [to me,] and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of S them by tomorrow about this time. And when he saw [that,] he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which [belongeth] to Judah, where Ahab had no power, and expected protection under Jehoshaphat, and he left his servant there, not being willing to expose him to the hardships he might meet with.

4

But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness; not thinking himself quite secure where he was, he went into that wilderness where the Israelites had so long wandered, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I [am] not better than my fathers; I think myself not capable of doing any more for thee, and that I had better die: I have lived as long as my fathers, or, I can pretend to no virtues superior to their's, which may entille me to the rewards of a longer life. But God had more work for him to do. 5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an 6 angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise [and] eat. And he looked, and, behold, [there was] a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, 7 and laid him down again. And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise [and] eat; because the journey [is] too great for thee without extraordinary strength, considering thy age.

8

And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount 9 of God. And he came thither unto a cave, (Exod. xxxiii. 21, 22.) and lodged there ; and, behold, the word of the LORD [came] to him, by the ministration of an angel, and he said unto him, What doest thou here Elijah? is this thy proper place and station ? canst thou do me any service here 2 This was a secret 10 reproof for his flight. And he said, I have been very jealous for

Instead of falling under conviction, as might have been expected, she was transported into a violent rage; and so infatuated by her passion, as to send a message to him; some think with an intent to affright him, and make him get out of the way, she being afraid of the people after these miracles.

it was a journey of only four or five days; but he went through byways for fear of be ing pursued, and took time to rest in different places.

Probably this was the cave in which Moses was hid; here he seemed to tak; up hiệ abode, and indulge his melancholy.