PROPHET IN ISRAEL IN THE DAYS OF AHAB AND AHAZIAH · TWO KINGDOMS
Elijah. The Tishbite who shut the heaven, called fire on Carmel and went up by a whirlwind.
SCRIPTURE CALLS
Prophet
ERA
Two kingdoms 930–586 BC
IN THE DAYS OF
Ahab · Ahaziah of Israel · Jehoram of Judah · Jehu · Hazael
BOOK
None bears the name
HOW THE WORD CAME
First appearance (1 Kings 17:1)
THE CALL
How the word first came
FIRST APPEARANCE (1 KINGS 17:1)
“As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.”
1 Kings 17:1 (KJV) →
HOW THE WORD KEPT COMING
- Again and again “the word of the LORD came” to him with his next step: to hide by the brook Cherith, to go to Zarephath, to show himself to Ahab in the third year, to meet Ahab in Naboth's vineyard, and that the evil was put off to Ahab's son's days. 1 Kings 17:2–3 1 Kings 17:8–9 1 Kings 18:1 1 Kings 21:17–19 1 Kings 21:28–29
- An angel woke him twice under the juniper tree with food for the journey; later “the angel of the LORD” sent him to meet Ahaziah's messengers and told him to go down with the third captain. 1 Kings 19:5–7 2 Kings 1:3 2 Kings 1:15
- At Horeb the LORD passed by in a great wind, an earthquake and a fire, “but the LORD was not in” them; after the fire came “a still small voice”, and a voice asked him, “What doest thou here, Elijah?” 1 Kings 19:9–13
- He prayed and the text records the answers: the widow's son revived, and the fire of the LORD fell on Carmel. James says he prayed that it might not rain, and prayed again for rain. 1 Kings 17:20–22 1 Kings 18:36–38 James 5:17–18
- “The hand of the LORD was on Elijah” when he girded up his loins and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. 1 Kings 18:46
- From the textEvery word of his in Kings is spoken. The one written word is in Chronicles: “a writing” to Jehoram of Judah. 2 Chronicles 21:12
BEFORE THE KINGS
Before five rulers
KING OF ISRAEL
Ahab
“I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.”
1 Kings 21:20 (KJV) →
KING OF ISRAEL
Ahaziah of Israel
“therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.”
2 Kings 1:16 (KJV) →
KING OF JUDAH
Jehoram of Judah
“And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet”
2 Chronicles 21:12 (KJV) →
KING OF ISRAEL
Jehu
“for the LORD hath done that which he spake by his servant Elijah.”
2 Kings 10:10 (KJV) →
KING OF SYRIA (ARAM) AT DAMASCUS
Hazael
THE MESSAGE
The word in its main themes
The LORD, not Baal, is God
“How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.”
1 Kings 18:21 (KJV) →
“The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.”
1 Kings 18:39 (KJV) →
Rain and drought at the LORD's word
“there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.”
1 Kings 17:1 (KJV) →
Is there not a God in Israel?
“Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron?”
2 Kings 1:3 (KJV) →
Naboth's blood and the house of Ahab
“Hast thou killed, and also taken possession?”
1 Kings 21:19 (KJV) →
“In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.”
1 Kings 21:19 (KJV) →
Alone, and seven thousand
“Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.”
1 Kings 19:18 (KJV) →
Judah judged by the ways of its fathers
“And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day.”
2 Chronicles 21:15 (KJV) →
THE WORD TO …
To whom the word was spoken
TO THE WIDOW OF ZAREPHATH
“The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.”
1 Kings 17:14 (KJV) →
TO OBADIAH
“go, tell thy lord, Behold, Elijah is here.”
1 Kings 18:8 (KJV) →
TO AHAB
“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.”
1 Kings 18:18 (KJV) →
TO THE PEOPLE ON CARMEL
“How long halt ye between two opinions?”
1 Kings 18:21 (KJV) →
TO THE PROPHETS OF BAAL
“Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.”
1 Kings 18:27 (KJV) →
TO AHAB, AFTER THE FIRE
“Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain.”
1 Kings 18:41 (KJV) →
TO ELISHA
“Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so.”
2 Kings 2:10 (KJV) →
TO AHAB IN NABOTH'S VINEYARD
“Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity”
1 Kings 21:21 (KJV) →
TO AHAB, OF JEZEBEL
“The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.”
1 Kings 21:23 (KJV) →
TO AHAZIAH'S MESSENGERS
“Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron?”
2 Kings 1:3 (KJV) →
TO THE CAPTAINS OF FIFTY
“If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty.”
2 Kings 1:10 (KJV) →
TO AHAZIAH
“Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast sent messengers to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron, is it not because there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word?”
2 Kings 1:16 (KJV) →
TO JEHORAM OF JUDAH, IN WRITING
“Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods”
2 Chronicles 21:14 (KJV) →
SIGNS
Signs and wonders
WONDER
The drought
WONDER
Fed by ravens at Cherith
WONDER
The meal and the oil
WONDER
The widow's son lives
WONDER
Fire on Carmel
SIGN
The prophets of Baal at the Kishon
WONDER
A cloud like a man's hand
WONDER
Forty days to Horeb
SIGN
Wind, earthquake, fire and a still small voice
SIGN-ACT
The mantle on Elisha
WONDER
Fire on the captains
WONDER
The Jordan divided
WONDER
The whirlwind
WHAT CAME OF THE WORD
As Scripture reports it
THE WORD
SCRIPTURE REPORTS
THE WORD
SCRIPTURE REPORTS
THE WORD
SCRIPTURE REPORTS
THE WORD
SCRIPTURE REPORTS
THE WORD
SCRIPTURE REPORTS
COMPANIONS AND OPPONENTS
Who stood with him, and against him
Elisha
Obadiah, over Ahab's house
His servant
The widow of Zarephath
The sons of the prophets
Jezebel
Opponent
The prophets of Baal
Opponents
Naboth
HOW THE STORY ENDS
Scripture says, tradition says
SCRIPTURE SAYS
- As he and Elisha “still went on, and talked”, a chariot of fire and horses of fire parted them, “and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven”. Elisha cried, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof”, and saw him no more. 2 Kings 2:11–12
- Fifty strong men of the sons of the prophets searched for three days “but found him not”. 2 Kings 2:16–17
- From the textKings records no death and no grave for Elijah. 2 Kings 2:11–18
- Malachi closes: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children”. Malachi 4:5–6
- The angel told Zacharias that his son John would “go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children”. Luke 1:17
- Asked “Art thou Elias?”, John answered, “I am not.” John 1:21
- Jesus said of John, “if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come”; after the transfiguration, asked why the scribes say that Elias must first come, he answered, “Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not”, and “the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist”. Mark has “Elias verily cometh first” and “Elias is indeed come”. Matthew 11:14 Matthew 17:10–13 Mark 9:11–13
- On the mountain “there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him”; Luke adds that they “spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem”. Matthew 17:3 Mark 9:4 Luke 9:30–31
- Some said Jesus was Elias; at the cross some heard him cry and said, “This man calleth for Elias”. Matthew 16:14 Mark 6:15 Luke 9:8 Matthew 27:47–49 Mark 15:35–36
- When a Samaritan village would not receive Jesus, James and John asked whether they should command fire from heaven, in the KJV's words “even as Elias did”; he rebuked them. Luke 9:52–55
TRADITION SAYS
- Ecclesiasticus, in the Apocrypha, praises Elias who “was taken up in a whirlwind of fire” and was “ordained for reproofs in their times ... to turn the heart of the father unto the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob”. Sirach 48:1 Sirach 48:9–10 [9] Who says so: Jesus son of Sirach, Ecclesiasticus 48 (KJV Apocrypha), about 200 BC on T. W. Davies's dating; scholars differ
- In Justin's Dialogue the Jewish speaker Trypho says, “we all expect ... that Elijah when he comes will anoint him”; Justin answers that Elijah will come before Christ's second coming, and that the Spirit of God who was in Elijah came as herald in John.[10] Who says so: Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho 49, second century AD
- Tertullian holds that Enoch and Elijah did not die but are “reserved for the suffering of death”, to die at the time of Antichrist.[11] Who says so: Tertullian, A Treatise on the Soul 50, early third century AD
- Hippolytus names “the two prophets Enoch and Elias” as the two witnesses who will preach 1,260 days clothed in sackcloth before the end.[12] Who says so: Hippolytus, Treatise on Christ and Antichrist 43, early third century AD
- Augustine calls it “a familiar theme in the conversation and heart of the faithful” that before the judgement the Jews will believe through Elias, who will come; “we have good reason to believe that he is now alive”.[13] Who says so: Augustine, The City of God 20.29, written between AD 413 and 426
OPEN QUESTIONS
Where readers have differed
Born at a Tishbe in Galilee, living in Gilead
C. F. Keil (tr. 1872), pp. 234–235
Keil takes Tishbe as the town in Upper Galilee named in Tobit 1:2, Elijah's birthplace, and reads “of the settlers of Gilead” as meaning that he lived in Gilead away from his home tribe. 1 Kings 17:1 [1]
Tishbe was a place in Gilead
“Most modern commentators”, following the Greek Septuagint (F. K. Farr, ISBE 1915, p. 930); H. Ewald and O. Thenius (as reported, and rejected, by Keil, p. 235)
Farr writes that if the Septuagint reading is followed, as most modern commentators do, the Hebrew word read “inhabitants” or “sojourners” is itself “Tishbeh”, so that Tishbe lay in Gilead. Keil reports Thenius and Ewald for a Tishbe in Gilead and rejects it. 1 Kings 17:1 [8][1]
IN SCRIPTURE
Every passage
CHAPTERS · 25
1 Kings 17 1 Kings 18 1 Kings 19 1 Kings 21 1 Kings 22 2 Kings 1 2 Kings 2 2 Kings 3 2 Kings 9 2 Kings 10 2 Chronicles 21 Malachi 4 Matthew 11 Matthew 16 Matthew 17 Matthew 27 Mark 6 Mark 9 Mark 15 Luke 1 Luke 4 Luke 9 John 1 Romans 11 James 5
PASSAGES · 31
1 Kings 17:1–24 1 Kings 18:1–46 1 Kings 19:1–21 1 Kings 21:17–29 1 Kings 22:38 2 Kings 1:1–18 2 Kings 2:1–18 2 Kings 3:11 2 Kings 9:25–26 2 Kings 9:36–37 2 Kings 10:10 2 Kings 10:17 2 Chronicles 21:12–15 Malachi 4:5–6 Matthew 11:14 Matthew 16:14 Matthew 17:1–13 Matthew 27:47–49 Mark 6:15 Mark 9:2–13 Mark 15:35–36 Luke 1:17 Luke 4:25–26 Luke 9:8 Luke 9:19 Luke 9:28–36 Luke 9:54 John 1:21 John 1:25 Romans 11:2–4 James 5:17–18
WHAT SCRIPTURE DOES NOT SAY
- Kings does not name Elijah's father or tribe, and records no call.
- Scripture does not say how old Elijah was, or in which year he was taken up; Kings records no death and no grave.
- Kings does not say that Elijah anointed Hazael or Jehu; the anointing of Jehu is done by a young prophet Elisha sent.
- Scripture does not say whether Elijah wrote anything besides the writing to Jehoram in 2 Chronicles 21:12.
- The text does not say where Tishbe was; the site's map has no place for it.
SOURCES
Where this page comes from
- C. F. Keil, tr. J. Martin, Biblical Commentary on the Books of the Kings (Keil and Delitzsch) (1872), pp. 234–235 (Tishbe), 240–241 (the third year), 260–261 (Horeb; Elisha's call), 272–281 (Naboth; 1 Kings 22), 292–293 (the double portion), 299–300 (Bethel), 334–335 (2 Kings 8:10), 343 (2 Kings 9:25–26); read in the archive.org scan text.
- C. F. Keil, tr. A. Harper, The Books of the Chronicles (Keil and Delitzsch) (1872), pp. 396–398 (2 Chronicles 21:12–15); read in the archive.org scan text.
- C. F. Keil, tr. J. Martin, The Twelve Minor Prophets, vol. 1 (Keil and Delitzsch; translation first published 1868, this printing 1878) (1868), Introduction to Jonah, pp. 379–388; read in the archive.org scan text.
- E. B. Pusey, The Minor Prophets, with a Commentary (first issued in parts from 1860; printing of 1869) (1869), Introduction to Jonah, pp. 248 and 255; read in the archive.org scan text.
- S. R. Driver, An Introduction to the Literature of the Old Testament (1891), ch. VI, §5 (Jonah), pp. 300–304; read in the archive.org scan text.
- George Adam Smith, The Book of the Twelve Prophets, vol. 2 (The Expositor's Bible) (1898), ch. XXXIV, The Book of Jonah, pp. 497–500 and 507–509; read in the archive.org scan text.
- John Richard Sampey, “Jonah” and “Jonah, The Book of”, International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. 3 (1915), pp. 1727–1729; read in the archive.org scan text.
- F. K. Farr, “Elijah”, International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. 2 (1915), p. 930; read in the archive.org scan text.
- T. Witton Davies, “Sirach (Book of)”, International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, vol. 4 (1915), §VIII, Date (Davies: the Hebrew work about 200 BC; “scholars differ”); read in the archive.org scan text.
- Justin Martyr, tr. M. Dods and G. Reith, Dialogue with Trypho, Ante-Nicene Fathers vol. 1 (1885), ch. 49, pp. 219–220; checked in the archive.org scan text.
- Tertullian, tr. P. Holmes, A Treatise on the Soul, Ante-Nicene Fathers vol. 3 (1885), chs. 35 and 50, pp. 217 and 227; checked in the archive.org scan text.
- Hippolytus, tr. S. D. F. Salmond, Treatise on Christ and Antichrist, Ante-Nicene Fathers vol. 5 (1886), §43, p. 213; checked in the archive.org scan text.
- Augustine, tr. M. Dods, The City of God, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers series 1, vol. 2 (1887), 20.29, p. 448; Schaff's preface for the dates 413–426; checked in the archive.org scan text.
- Jerome, tr. W. H. Fremantle, Letters and Select Works, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers series 2, vol. 6 (1893), Letter 108.13, p. 202; prolegomena chronology (Paula's death, 404; the commentary on Jonah, given as 395 in the notes on the prefaces and 397 in the table); checked in the archive.org scan text.
- John Calvin, tr. William Pringle, Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists, vol. 2 (1845), on Matthew 11:14, Matthew 14:1–2 and Matthew 17:10–11 (CCEL transcription).
- Rodger C. Young, Chronological tables: Table 1, Chronology of the Kings of Israel (Thiele's system as revised by McFall and Young; dates cited as facts only) (undated web tables, read 2026-10-07), Table 1 (Ahab, Jeroboam II), as used on the rulers-israel pages.
- H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1897), note on 2 Chr 21:12 (read on Bible Hub).
- John Gill, An Exposition of the Old Testament (1748–1763), note on 2 Chr 21:12 (read on Bible Hub).
- Joseph Benson, Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818), note on 2 Chr 21:12 (read on Bible Hub).
- Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on 2 Chr 21:12 (read on Bible Hub).
- R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and D. Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Whole Bible (1871), note on 2 Chr 21:12 (read on Bible Hub).
- W. E. Barnes, The Books of Chronicles (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1899), note on 2 Chr 21:12 (read on Bible Hub).
- W. E. Barnes, The Books of Chronicles (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1899), Introduction, §8.
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