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107 RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA ~~ sutra

ELIJAH.

Prediction of Drought (§ 1). Contest with Bawl-Prophets (§ 2). Flight from Jezebel (§ 3). Varied Activities (¢ 4). Character and Miracles (§ b).

Elijah (" My God is Yahweh ") was perhaps the greatest of the prophets of the northern kingdom. He was of Tishbeh in Gilead (I Kings xvii. 1 according to the correct reading; cf. the Septuagint). The narrative concerning him (I Kings xvii.-xix. 21; II Kings i., u.) is taken from a separate source and contains the tradition of the prophetical companies. It is possible that the last sections belong to another Eliaha-source.

The public appearance of Elijah occurred during the reign of Ahab (now placed about 876--854) and Ahaziah (854-853). Ahab suffered himself to be unhappily influenced in his domestic

r. Predic- life and in religious matters by his tion of queen Jezebel, the daughter of Eth-

Drought. baal, king of Tyre, a priest of Astarte and a regicide (Josephus, Contra Apion, I. xviii.). Fanatical, scheming, and ener getic, she procured the establishment of her native cult in Israel, and had erected in Samaria a grand temple of Bawl of Tyre. When heathenish con fusion had become dominant in the country and the faithful among the Yahweh-prophets were silenced by persecution, Elijah appeared and an nounced in the name of Yahweh a long drought, and then suddenly disappeared. He dwelt mean while by the brook Cherith (Wadi Kelt near Jericho, or an eastern tributary of the Jordan?), where he " was fed by the ravens "; after the brook dried up he lived at Zarephath (now Sarfend) in the terri tory of Zidon in the house of a widow. For two years no rain fell. Menander (Josephus, Ant. VIII., xiii. 2) knew of an extraordinary drought which lasted one year under the Tyrian king Ithobal (i.e., Ethbaal, father of Jezebel), and this accords well with the Hebrew mode of computing time. The later Jewish tradition, however, differs (Luke iv. 25 and Jas. v. 17), stating that the heaven was shut up three years and six months. At last Elijah came again before the king, who like his people had been humbled by the famine. He asked of him an ordeal to decide which God should rule the country. The outcome of this ordeal is described in full, I Kings s. Contest xviii. 20 sqq. The scene of this act

with Bawl- was most likely a place on the southProphets. eastern height of mount Carmel (now called el Mohraka, " place of fire "). In spite of all their penances and ecstatic dances " the prophets of Baal," whom we may conceive as like the modern dervishes or fakirs, were unable to elicit a sign of life from their god, whereas in answer to the simple prayer of Elijah a fire from heaven consumed the sacrifice, so that the assembled people did homage to the God of Israel. The 450 ministers of the false god received the punishment merited according to the strict principle of theocracy (cf. Ex. xx. 3; Deut. v. 7, xvii. 2-7). Having thus expiated the guilt, Elijah could promise rain and went as forerunner (I Kings xviii. 46) before the royal

chariot to show that he was no rebel but was ready to render the smallest service to the king as soon as he obeyed his God.

Soon, however, Elijah had to escape from the vengeance of Jezebel. This time he went to mount Horeb (I Kings xix.). There he witnessed a grand theophany after the manner of Ex, xxxiii. 20-21, xxxiv. 5 sqq. It is significant that the zealous

prophet did not find the presence of 3. Flight God in storm, earthquake, or fire, but

from in the still small voice. Those were Jezebel only signs, his innermost nature is

grace. In the second place it was important that God should comfort the discouraged prophet, who imagined himself the last, the only one remaining faithful, by the announcement that there were still 7,000 in the country whom God knew. Finally he received three commissions; Hazael was to become king over Syria, Jehu over Israel, and Elisha was to be Elijah's successor in the prophetical office. These three were to carry out God's judgment. But the Elijah-narrative tells only how Elijah called Elisha as his successor, while the anointing of Hazael and Jehu was brought about by Elisha. Some have seen often in this a contradiction between the Elijah- and the Elisha-source. But as the records are only fragmentary, a transference of those acts from Elijah to his disciple may have taken place, especially as it concerned political acts for which the proper time had to be awaited.

Elijah, whose residence was then in the wilderness of Damascus (I Kings xix. 15), appeared only at intervals in the land of Israel, as avenger of a misdeed of Jezebel and her husband (I Kings xxi.), again

as bearer of ill tidings to their son 4. Varied Ahaziah (II Kings i.). Finally II

Activities. Kings ii. tells of his translation, on

which occasion he left his prophet's mantle to his companion Eliaha. The Chronicler, who otherwise passes over the stories of Elijah and Elisha, mentions (II Chron. xxi.12 aqq.) a threatening letter written by Elijah to King Jehoram of Judah, the son-in-law of Jezebel. But Elijah hardly lived to see the rule of this king. It is possible that a disciple of the prophet composed the letter with reference to analogous sayings of Elijah against the king.

Elijah appears as the moat heroic form among the prophets. Each of his brief words is an effective deed. The awful apostasy of his people forced him to appear as an avenger. His elements were fire and storm. But though he was obliged to oppose the seducers, kind traits are not wanting

in his history (see I Kings xvii. 20 g. Charac- and II Kings ii. 12). By his faithful ter and zeal for God's law he saved the people Miracles. and reconciled the rising generation

with the fathers (cf. Mal. iv. 6). From the theological point of view, very noticeable is the conscious monotheism contained in his mockery (I Kings xviii. 27) which, however, is not a new trait in him. That Elijah and Elisha took no offense at Israel's calf-worship, as some modern writers assert, can not be inferred from their silence about it. Neither Elijah nor Elisha had any con-