“Tell me friend, when did we let evil become stronger than us?” asked Tauriel of Legolas. There is a point to not letting evil become stronger than we are in that the extracting of evil is quite painful. It is harder to remove evil than it is to keep it out in the first place. But keeping it out requires strength, determination, and fortitude. Elijah was a fierce prophet for Yahweh. The battles that he endured and the miracles that he worked were amazing. He had one experience in particular that may be misunderstood based on the way it is taught in some Christian circles. Somehow we missed all the details of the experience to make a nice sermon. Going back to the details of the account we can see a few astounding things that we can learn about Yahweh. In the long miles of Elijah’s travels we see that he must have been in extraordinary shape. Today if we walk one mile we think we are fit. Elijah ate some food that an angel prepared and he was sustained for forty days. Today if we go a couple of hours without food we think we are starving. The prophet Elijah had a meeting with Yahweh. He went to a place that he believed he could meet with him. Then Yahweh tells him what to do. However Yahweh did not restore or fix Israel, he appointed two men who were not really dedicated to Yahweh to bring punishment to Israel, the northern kingdom. We see that it is hard to extract evil from a nation.
Jeremiah is credited with collating and copying the books of 1st & 2nd Kings. Jeremiah took all of the archived records and all of the prophets’ notes and put them into a book. When Jeremiah is writing about Elijah he is writing from something that someone else wrote, maybe Elisha. Perhaps some Bible teachers haven’t understood the literary style of these texts which may have led to us misunderstanding the point that someone was making regarding Elijah.
Sometimes when we read about Elijah’s journeys we don’t take the time to understand how many miles he traveled. We don’t understand what he was doing and why. If we just take a look at a map it may help clear up some misunderstandings.
1 Kings 19:1 G2532 And G312 Ahab announced G* G3588 G* to Jezebel G3956 all G3745 as much as G4160 Elijah did, G* G2532 and G5613 as G615 to kill G3588 the G4396 prophets G1722 by G4501 the broadsword.
2 G2532 And G649 Jezebel sent G* G4314 to G* Elijah, G2532 and G2036 said, G3592 Thus G4160 may [3do G1473 4to me G3588 1the G2316 2gods], G2532 and G3592 thus G4369 may they add, G3754 that G3778 this G3588 G5610 hour G839 tomorrow G5087 I shall put G3588 G5590 your life G1473 G2531 as G5590 the life G1520 of one G1537 G1473 of them.
Elijah was on Mount Carmel and then went to Jezreel which is about 26 miles. Elijah had killed the prophets of Baal, and now he was predicting rain. Jezebel of course hated Elijah.
1 Kings 19:3 G2532 And G5399 Elijah feared, G* G2532 and G450 rose up, G2532 and G565 went forth G2596 for G3588 G5590 his life. G1473 G2532 And G2064 he came G1519 into G* Beersheba G3588 G* of Judah. G2532 And G863 he left G3588 G3808 his servant-lad G1473 G1563 there.
Elijah ran 106 miles to Beersheba with his servant. Running this distance even out of fear would have taken him two days. He had to run, Ahab and Jezebel had horses and chariots.
1 Kings 19:4 G2532 And G1473 he G4198 went G1722 by G3588 the G2048 wilderness G3598 way G2250 a day…
He then left his servant there and went into the wilderness or most likely the region of Jordan near the Dead Sea. A day’s journey west would take him to the dead sea which is about 40 miles.
...G2532 And G2064 came G2532 and G2523 stayed G5270 underneath G4468.1 a broom shrub, G2532 and G154 he asked G3588 G5590 for his life G1473 G599 to die. G2532 And G2036 he said, G2427 It is fit G3568 now, G2962 O lord, G2983 take G1211 indeed G3588 G5590 my life G1473 G575 from G1473 me! G3754 for G3756 [3no G2908 4better G1473 1I G1510.2.1 2am] G5228 than G3588 G3962 my fathers. G1473
We can understand Elijah’s depression. He ran for two days then walked another day into the wilderness. Where could he go and what could he do? Eventually Jezebel would find him. Elijah was mourning the death of the prophets that he thought were dead. The prophets and Zadok priests were a tight knit group of people. He didn’t think there was any more that he could do for Israel.
1 Kings 19:5 G2532 And G2837 he bedded down G2532 and G5258.1 slept G1563 there G5259 under G5452.1 a plant. G2532 And G2400 behold, G5100 a certain G32 angel G680 touched G1473 him, G2532 and G2036 said G1473 to him, G450 Rise up, G2532 and G2068 eat!
Elijah was not thinking about food but an angel fed him.
1 Kings 19:6 G2532 And G1914 he looked. G* G2532 And G2400 behold, G4314 by G2776 his head G1473 G1470.1 was a cake baked in hot ashes G3653.2 of oaten bread, G2532 and G2578.2 a jar G5204 of water. G2532 And G450 Elijah rose up G* G2532 and G2068 ate G2532 and G4095 drank. G2532 And G1994 he returned G2837 and went to bed.
7 G2532 And G1994 [4returned G3588 1the G32 2angel G2962 3 of the lord] G1537 G1208 a second time, G2532 and G680 touched G1473 him, G2532 and G2036 said G1473 to him, G450 Rise up, G2068 eat! G3754 for G4183 [3 is great G575 4for G1473 5you G3588 1the G3598 2journey].
8 G2532 And G450 he rose up, G2532 and G2068 ate G2532 and G4095 drank. G2532 And G4198 he went G1722 in G3588 the G2479 strength G3588 G1035 of that food G1565 G5062 forty G2250 days G2532 and G5062 forty G3571 nights G2193 unto G3735 mount G* Horeb.
This angel of Yahweh certainly makes nutritious food. Elijah was sustained for forty days. But there is something weird here. Mount Horeb is 239 miles from the wilderness near the dead sea. If Elijah was walking for forty days he would only average six miles per day. But what if it only took Elijah a week to get to Mount Horeb? He would have averaged 34 miles per day, which compared to what he was walking and running is a light stroll for him. Instead, the forty days of sustenance lasts him for the second leg of his journey as well. There is no mention of the angel of the Lord feeding him again.
Once he gets to Horeb he goes into a cave and rests. Horeb makes up the entire region of Mount Sinai, Jebel Musa, the mountain of Moses. Why did he go there? Was Elijah thinking that Yahweh would speak to him there? If the ten commandments were given there could Yahweh visit again?
1 Kings 19:9 G2532 And G1525 he entered G1563 there G1519 into G3588 the G4693 cave, G2532 and G2647 rested up G1563 there. G2532 And G2400 behold, G4487 a word G2962 of the lord G4314 came to G1473 him. G2532 And G2036 he said, G5100 Why are G1473 you G1778.2 here, G* Elijah?
Elijah received a rhēma, an utterance, from Yahweh. He was right, Yahweh was speaking to him there. Yahweh wants to know why he is at mount Horeb. Apparently Yahweh didn’t tell him to go there. Yahweh will ask him again after some surprising commotions.
1 Kings 19:10 G2532 And G2036 Elijah said, G* G2206 Being zealous, G2206 I am zealous G3588 for the G2962 lord G3841 almighty, G3754 for G1459 [4abandoned G1473 5you G3588 1the G5207 2sons G* 3of Israel]. G3588 G2379 Your altar G1473 G2679 they razed, G2532 and G3588 G4396 your prophets G1473 G615 they killed G1722 by G4501 the broadsword, G2532 and G5275 [3am left G1473 1I G3441 2alone], G2532 and G2212 they seek G3588 G5590 my life G1473 G2983 to take G1473 it.
Elijah says “Zealous zealous Yahweh Pantokratōr”. Pantokratōr is a compound word meaning “all” and “mighty”. Elijah went to Horeb because he is zealous or excited about Yahweh All Mighty. It must have seemed to Elijah as if Moses received the commandments there then Elijah could hear from Yahweh too. Elijah tells Yahweh that Israel abandoned Him, Yahweh. He believes that he himself is all alone because Elijah thinks that Jezebel killed all of the prophets of Yahweh. Yahweh has directions for Elijah.
1 Kings 19:11 G2532 And G2036 he said, G1831 You shall go forth G2532 and G2476 stand G1799 before G2962 the lord G1722 in G3588 the G3735 mountain! G2532 and G2400 behold, G2962 the lord G3928 will go by…
Elijah is to “come out” and “stand”, histēmi, “before the face of”, enōpion, Yahweh in the mountain. Yahweh told him to come out to the front of the cave to stand in the face of Yahweh because Yahweh was coming for a visit. Yahweh will pass by. Yahweh is already talking to Elijah, but now Yahweh is going to come in person. When Yahweh shows up it is unmistakable.
...G2532 And G4151 [3wind G3173 1 there was a great G2900 2strong] G1262 parting G3735 the mountains, G2532 and G4937 breaking G4073 rocks G1799 before G2962 the lord; G3756 [2 was not G1722 3in G3588 4the G4151 5wind G2962 1 but the lord]. G2532 And G3326 after G3588 the G4151 wind G4952.2 a rumbling; G3756 [2 was not G1722 3in G3588 4the G4952.2 5rumbling G2962 1 but the lord].
There was a wind so strong that it dispersed the mountains and crushed rocks, or was it actually the Holy Spirit? The words megas krataios pneuma can be a great powerful wind or a great powerful spirit. The Holy Spirit came and dispersed mountains and crushed rocks before the face of Yahweh. The word “before”, enōpion, means “in the face” or “before the face of” or “in the presence of”. The wind came before the presence of the Lord. Read this as the time or the sequence of the event, the wind came before the face of Yahweh was seen. Yahweh was not in the wind, the Holy Spirit was.
The next thing that happened was a rumbling or a concussion, sysseismón. This is not quite the word for earthquake, seismos, it was something more, like a violent convulsion in the atmosphere. The rumbling was not coming from the earth. This rumbling happened to David when he battled the Philistines. When David heard the sound he was to go down and engage the Philistines and Yahweh would go before them.
2 Samuel 5:24 G2532 And G1510.8.3 it will be G1722 in G3588 G191 your hearing G1473 G3588 the G5456 sound G3588 of the G4952.2 rumbling G575 from out of G3588 the G251.1 Grove G3588 of the G2805.1 Weeping, G5119 then G2597 you shall go down G4314 to G1473 them; G3754 for G5119 then G1831 the lord shall go forth G2962 G1715 in front of G1473 you G5180 to strike G1722 in G3588 the G4171 battle G3588 of the G246 Philistines.
Later Elijah and Elisha heard this rumbling, sysseismón, when Elijah was taken up to heaven.
1 Kings 2:1 G2532 And G1096 it came to pass G1722 in G3588 the G321 lord to lead G2962 G3588 G* Elijah G1722 in G4952.2 a rumbling G5613 as G1519 into G3588 the G3772 heaven, G2532 that G4198 [4went G* 1Elijah G2532 2and G* 3Elisha] G1537 from out of G* Gilgal.
2 Kings 2:11 G2532 And G1096 it came to pass G1473 of their going G4198 G2532 and G2980 speaking, G2532 that G2400 behold, G716 a chariot G4442 of fire, G2532 and G2462 horses G4442 of fire, G2532 and G1291 they drew apart G303.1 between G297 both; G2532 and G353 Elijah was taken up G* G1722 in G4952.2 a rumbling G2193 unto G1519 into G3588 the G3772 heaven.
Because Elijah had heard this sound before then he would not have been alarmed when he heard it again. It was common knowledge that when Yahweh shows up there is rumbling, sysseismón.
Jeremiah 23:19 G2400 Behold, G4578 a quaking G3844 by G2962 the lord, G2532 and G3709 anger G1607 shall go forth G1519 in G4952.2 a rumbling. G4962 [2contracting G1909 3upon G3588 4the G765 5impious G2240 1It shall come].
Nahum 1:3 G2962 The lord G3115.1 is lenient, G2532 and G3173 great is G3588 G2479 his strength; G1473 G2532 and G121 [4 one as innocent G3756 2will not G121.1 3acquit G2962 1 the lord]; G1722 [2 is by G4930 3consummation G2532 4and G1722 5by G4952.2 6a rumbling G3588 G3598 1his way], G1473 G2532 and G3507 the clouds G2868 are the dust G4228 of his feet; G1473
Because the Greek is very specific, they differentiate sysseismón from an actual earthquake. It is the sound and the violent convulsing coming from heaven not from within the earth. It comes from above the ground, not from below the earth’s surface up to the surface of the earth. The rumbling is a sonic boom. A sonic boom is a shock wave from something traveling through air faster than the speed of sound. Think lightning. When Yahweh and the military show up they travel faster than the speed of sound. Yahweh was not in the sonic boom. Elijah is saying he saw the effects of the wind, but did not see Yahweh. He heard the sonic boom but did not see Yahweh.
1 Kings 19:12 G2532 And G3326 after G3588 the G4952.2 rumbling G4442 a fire; G3756 [2 was not G1722 3in G3588 4the G4442 5fire G2962 1 but the lord]. G2532 And G3326 after G3588 the G4442 fire G5456 a sound G838.1 [2breeze G3016 1of a fine] -- G1563 there was G2962 the lord .
Yahweh was not in the noise of a sonic boom, he travels ahead of the speed of sound. The cracking of the atmosphere around him is like a bolt of lightning striking a tree. After the rumbling there was a fire or lightning. Yahweh was not in the fire. Elijah did not see Yahweh as the lightning was striking.
Then there was a voice or sound of a light aura, not a breeze, an aura. Late middle English used the word aura as a “breeze” or “breath”. We could think of it as spirit like pneuma, an apparition with no form, just light or color. It would look like an incorporeal being, air, aether, fire, or light. The tone, phōnē, of a small aura in that place was Yahweh.
The writer who told of these events is trying to express the exactness of Yahweh’s passing by. There was a wind, but that was not Yahweh; there was a sonic boom, but that was not Yahweh; there was lightning, but that was not Yahweh; then finally there was a light sounding aura, then there was Yahweh. The point is not that Yahweh is a small light aura, but that after the big commotion everything settled down, and that is when Yahweh was seen.
Job’s friend Eliphaz saw an aura. A spirit, probably an evil spirit, spoke to him.
Job 4:16 G450 I rose up, G2532 and G3756 knew not; G1921 G1492 I saw G2532 and G3756 [3no G1510.7.3 2was G3444 1there] appearance G4253 before G3788 my eyes, G1473 G237.1 but only G838.1 a breeze; G2532 and G5456 [2a voice G191 1I heard], saying,
The psalmist said the “gale stood”, histēmi. Wind doesn’t stand still, it stops. But an aura does stand still.
Psalm 107:29 G2532 And G2004 he gave orders G3588 to the G2616.6 gale, G2532 and G2476 it stood G1519 as G838.1 a breeze, G2532 and G4601 [2were quiet G3588 G2949 1its waves]. G1473
We have tried to be philosophical about this chain of events, but let’s put them together literally. First there was a mega strong Spirit that moved and crushed rocks, a sonic boom, lightning, and a light sound aura. It sounds more like something broke into the atmosphere displacing the rocks and the mountains, it created a sonic boom as it entered and was heard after it entered, and it had fire, like the lightning chariots, and then everything calmed down and there was sound or language from a small aura or a glow. And “there”, “in that place”, “yonder”, “tither”, ekei, was Yahweh. There was no “still small voice”, there was a loud sound-barrier shaking and quaking with lightning, and then a distinctive tone in the atmosphere, and then Yahweh was perceived. It was Yahweh meeting with Elijah face to face.
We have all heard the sermons about “God is in the still small voice” but that is technically incorrect. He may speak to us quietly, but notice what happened, he was speaking to Elijah. Elijah told Yahweh why he was there at Horeb. Elijah told Yahweh that Israel, the northern kingdom, deserted Yahweh. They were conversing. Elijah wasn’t looking for a “still small voice”, he was already communicating with Yahweh.
Yahweh didn’t come in a quiet voice that we have to strain to hear, he came loud and proud. He came with a convulsive commotion. He told Elijah to go and stand before Yahweh, then he came with enough power to knock Elijah’s socks off. This is a little different than Moses seeing the backside of Yahweh’s glory. This is an event like lightning striking the hillside, and there is Yahweh.
Elijah is ready to meet Yahweh, so he does something rather odd. Elijah covers his face with his sheep skin, not a veil that he could see through, but a dense leathery and woolen covering.
1 Kings 19:13 G2532 And G1096 it came to pass G5613 as G191 Elijah heard, G* G2532 that G1943 he covered over G3588 G4383 his face G1473 G1722 with G3588 G3374 his sheepskin, G1473 G2532 and G1831 he went forth G2532 and G2476 stood G3844 by G3588 the G4693 cave. G2532 And G2400 behold, G4314 before G1473 him G5456 was a voice, G2532 and G2036 he said, G5100 Why are G1473 you G1778.2 here, G* Elijah?
As Elijah comprehends what is going on he covers his face and went out and stood alongside of the cave. Coming towards Elijah was a sound/voice/tone/language that said “Why you here Elijah?” It’s kind of comical. Yahweh was already talking to Elijah and had asked why he was there at Horeb. Then he told Elijah that he would pass by. Yahweh shows up after a violent commotion and asks Elijah why he is there. It’s funny. Elijah says nearly the same thing that he had said before. He has two additions.
1 Kings 19:14 G2532 And G2036 Elijah said, G* G2206 Being zealous, G2206 I am zealous G3588 for the G2962 lord G2316 God G3841 almighty, G3754 for G1459 [4abandoned G3588 G1242 5your covenant G1473 G3588 1the G5207 2sons G* 3of Israel], G3588 G2379 your altars G1473 G2679 they razed, G2532 and G3588 G4396 your prophets G1473 G615 they killed G1722 by G4501 the broadsword, G2532 and G5275 [3am left G1473 1I G3441 2alone], G2532 and G2212 they seek G3588 G5590 my life G1473 G2983 to take G1473 it.
Elijah says “Zealous zealous Yahweh Elohim Pantokratōr”. Elijah adds Elohim to Yahweh’s title. Then Elijah says that Israel abandoned Yahweh’s covenant, instead of what he said before, that Israel abandoned Him. Maybe it made more sense in the presence of Yahweh to clarify that it was the covenant and not Yahweh being rejected personally. Elijah again explains that the Israelites destroyed the altars of sacrifice. Remember the temple was in Judah, not in the northern kingdom. Elijah believes that all the prophets were murdered. He believes that he is alone and they are going to kill him. Yahweh gives Elijah an assignment.
1 Kings 19:15 G2532 And G2036 the lord said G2962 G4314 to G1473 him, G4198 Go, G390 return G1519 to G3588 G3598 your journey! G1473 G2532 And G2240 you shall come G1519 unto G3588 the G3598 way G2048 of the wilderness G* of Damascus, G2532 and G5548 you shall anoint G3588 G* Hazael G1519 as G935 king G1909 over G* Syria.
Yahweh says “travel, return, or turn around, into the road, and you come into the deserted road to Damascus”. Elijah is now going through the wilderness of Jordan to Damascus, Syria, which is around 415 miles distant. Hopefully he hitched a ride with merchants or traders. He is told to anoint Hazael as king over Syria.
1 Kings 19:16 G2532 And G3588 G* Jehu G5207 son G* of Nimshi G5548 you shall anoint G1519 as G935 king G1909 over G* Israel. G2532 And G3588 G* Elisha G5207 son G* of Shaphat G1537 of G* Abel-meholah G5548 you shall anoint G1519 as G4396 prophet G473 instead of G1473 you.
Elijah is to anoint Jehu as king over Israel. He is also supposed to anoint Elisha as a prophet as a substitute for himself. It would seem that Elijah knows he is leaving the earth soon. Did Yahweh tell him that he was going to be taken up in a chariot of lightning? Yahweh continues.
1 Kings 19:17 G2532 And G1510.8.3 it will be G3588 the G4982 one being delivered G1537 from G4501 the broadsword G* of Hazael, G2289 Jehu shall put to death. G* G2532 And G3588 the G4982 one being delivered G1537 from G4501 the broadsword G* of Jehu, G2289 Elisha shall put to death. G*
Yahweh is going to do some house cleaning in the north. He wants Hazael to start the process, then for Jehu to continue the process, and then Elisha will finish the process. All of which takes place after Elijah is taken up.
1 Kings 19:18 G2532 And G2641 I shall leave behind G1722 in G* Israel G2033 seven G5505 thousand G435 men, G3956 all G3588 G1119 knees G3739 which G3756 do not G2578 bend G1119 the knee G3588 G* to Baal, G2532 and G3956 every G4750 mouth G3739 which G3756 does not G4352 do obeisance to G1473 him.
Yahweh says that he left behind seven thousand people who do not bow and worship Baal. These people were hidden in plain sight. Remember this?
1 Kings 18:2 G2532 And G4198 Elijah went G* G3588 G3708 to appear G3588 to G* Ahab, G2532 and G3739 there was G3042 [2famine G2900 1a strong] G1722 in G* Samaria.
3 G2532 And G2564 Ahab called G* G3588 G* Obadiah G3588 the G3623 manager. G2532 And G* Obadiah G1510.7.3 was G5399 fearing G3588 the G2962 lord G4970 exceedingly.
4 G2532 And G1096 it came to pass G1722 when G3588 G5180 Jezebel struck G* G3588 the G4396 prophets G2962 of the lord, G2532 that G2983 Obadiah took G* G1540 a hundred G4396 prophets, G2532 and G2633.1 he hid G1473 them G303 by G4004 fifty G1722 in G1417 two G4693 caves, G2532 and G1303.5 nourished G1473 them G1722 with G740 bread G2532 and G5204 water.
Seven thousand people were left who did not worship and bend a knee to Baal. Of that seven thousand, one hundred were prophets that were hidden in a cave.
After Elijah is taken up then Elisha takes his place with double the miracles.
2Ki 8:7 (Brenton) And Elisaie came to Damascus; and the king of Syria the son of Ader was ill, and they brought him word, saying, The man of God is come hither.
Elisha went to Damascus, Syria. Syria had its own god Rimmon or Hadadrimmon. As we saw with Naaman who asked for a pardon from Elisha for going into the house of Rimmon with his master. Naaman knew that Yahweh was the true God as he was healed by Yahweh through Elisha. King Hadad knew that Naaman was healed, so it is interesting that the Syrian king is asking Elisha if he will live. Benhadad was the same king who tried to kidnap Elisha. He was the same king who surrounded Samaria causing a famine, and the same king who, with his armies, ran away when they heard the sounds of the host of heaven.
2Ki 8:8 And the king said to Azael, Take in thine hand a present, and go to meet the man of God, and enquire of the Lord by him, saying, Shall I recover of this my disease?
2Ki 8:9 And Azael went to meet him, and he took a present in his hand, and all the good things of Damascus, forty camels' load, and came and stood before him, and said to Elisaie, Thy son the son of Ader, the king of Syria, has sent me to thee to enquire, saying, Shall I recover of this my disease?
Hazael shows up with gifts from Hadad, in exchange for insight into Hadad’s illness.
2Ki 8:10 And Elisaie said, Go, say, Thou shalt certainly live; yet the Lord has shewed me that thou shalt surely die.
Benhadad did not die from his sickness. Elisha told Hazael to tell Benhadad he would live. Yet we know Benhadad would die.
2Ki 8:11 And he stood before him, and fixed his countenance till he was ashamed: and the man of God wept.
We can see that there is a passage of time here, it took time for Hazael to present all the gifts to Elisha, and it took time for Elisha to “see” what was going to happen. Hazael was ashamed of how many gifts they had brought to Elisha.
2Ki 8:12 And Azael said, Why does my lord weep? And he said, Because I know all the evil that thou wilt do to the children of Israel: thou wilt utterly destroy their strong holds with fire, and thou wilt slay their choice men with the sword, and thou wilt dash their infants against the ground, and their women with child thou wilt rip up.
Elisha said that he saw what Hazael would do to Israel, but remember that Yahweh told Elijah that he was cleaning up the northern kingdom. Whoever wasn’t killed by Hazael would be killed by Jehu.
2Ki 8:13 And Azael said, Who is thy servant? a dead dog, that he should do this thing? And Elisaie said, The Lord has shewn me thee ruling over Syria.
Hazael asks “Who is your servant the dead dog who will do this mega thing?” Elisha said Yahweh showed him Hazael reigning over Syria. We don’t know when Elijah anointed Hazael. It does not seem to have been recorded, but it may have been as he returned to Damascus from Horeb.
2Ki 8:14 And he departed from Elisaie, and went in to his lord; and he said to him, What said Elisaie to thee? and he said, He said to me, Thou shalt surely live.
This is true, this is what Elisha said.
2Ki 8:15 And it came to pass on the next day that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and put it on his face, and he died: and Azael reigned in his stead.
Hazael suffocated Benhadad so that he himself could reign. It looks like he took it upon himself to do this, but Yahweh wanted him to be king. Elisha was correct, Hazael was going to kill many Israelites. Now we have some of the story of Jehu. Elisha goes and anoints Jehu, Jehu kills Jezebel, then Jehu goes to Samaria and kills Ahab’s descendants. Remember that this was prophesied to Elijah and he was already taken up (2 Kings 2). Jehu fulfills the prophecy.
2Ki 10:17 (Brenton) And he entered into Samaria, and smote all that were left of Achaab in Samaria, until he had utterly destroyed him, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke to Eliu.
Interestingly, Jehu has a little trick to clean up Samaria.
2Ki 10:18 And Ju gathered all the people, and said to them, Achaab served Baal a little; Ju shall serve him much.
2Ki 10:19 Now then do all ye the prophets of Baal call all his servants and his priests to me; let not a man be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to offer to Baal; every one who shall be missing shall die. But Ju did it in subtilty, that he might destroy the servants of Baal.
2Ki 10:20 And Ju said, Sanctify a solemn festival to Baal, and they made a proclamation.
2Ki 10:21 And Ju sent throughout all Israel, saying, Now then let all Baal's servants, and all his priests, and all his prophets come, let none be lacking: for I am going to offer a great sacrifice; whosoever shall be missing, shall not live. So all the servants of Baal came, and all his priests, and all his prophets: there was not one left who came not. And they entered into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was filled from one end to the other.
2Ki 10:22 And he said to the man who was over the house of the wardrobe, Bring forth a robe for all the servants of Baal. And the keeper of the robes brought forth to them.
2Ki 10:23 And Ju and Jonadab the son of Rechab entered into the house of Baal, and said to the servants of Baal, Search, and see whether there is among you any of the servants of the Lord, or only the servants of Baal, by themselves.
2Ki 10:24 And he went in to offer sacrifices and whole-burnt-offerings; and Ju set for himself eighty men without, and said, Every man who shall escape of the men whom I bring into your hand, the life of him that spares him shall go for his life.
Jehu set up a sting operation. After the priest of Baal made the offering, the eighty men killed everyone inside Baal’s temple.
2Ki 10:25 And it came to pass, when he had finished offering the whole-burnt-offering, that Ju said to the footmen and to the officers, Go ye in and slay them; let not a man of them escape. So they smote them with the edge of the sword, and the footmen and the officers cast the bodies forth, and went to the city of the house of Baal.
2Ki 10:26 And they brought out the pillar of Baal, and burnt it.
2Ki 10:27 And they tore down the pillars of Baal, and made his house a draught-house until this day.
The house of Baal was made into a bathroom. The word λυτρώνα is somewhat strange, it literally means “redeemer”, but it falls between loutron and louō, meaning a public toilet, latrine, or loo. It is not a beer joint as in draught house, or a bath house as in turkish baths, it is a bathroom. Somewhat fitting for the temple of Baal.
2Ki 10:28 So Ju abolished Baal out of Israel
But Jehu was not so great himself, although Yahweh commended him for killing Ahab’s family.
2Ki 10:29 Nevertheless Ju departed not from following the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who led Israel to sin: these were the golden heifers in Baethel and in Dan.
2Ki 10:30 And the Lord said to Ju, Because of all thy deeds wherein thou hast acted well in doing that which was right in my eyes, according to all things which thou hast done to the house of Achaab as they were in my heart, thy sons to the fourth generation shall sit upon the throne of Israel.
2Ki 10:31 But Ju took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart: he departed not from following the sins of Jeroboam, who made Israel to sin.
Jehu was king for twenty eight years. As we think back on Elijah and the prophecy given, we see that Yahweh fulfilled what he told Elijah, through Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha. Hazael and Jehu were not completely sold out followers of Yahweh. Neither were they followers of the covenant. But both would serve the purpose of Yahweh.
2Ki 10:32 In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote them in all the coasts of Israel;
2Ki 10:33 From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.
The word συγκόπτειν means “cutting up” or “breaking up”. Yahweh is breaking up Israel. Like the old Johnny Cash song, ‘sooner or later God will cut you down’. Is that what the people serving Yahweh wanted? No. They just wanted the evil removed, they didn’t want wars. Just like today, we want evil removed, but we don’t want the pain that goes along with that. Maybe we should have learned from the northern kingdom, not to let evil become stronger than us.
Elijah was a fierce prophet. He thought that he was the only prophet left in Israel. He left from Jezreel, eventually making it to Horeb; which is 411 miles. He then turns around and travels 415 miles to Damascus Syria. The trip from the wilderness of Jordan south to Horeb and then back north to Damascus was forty days. We only know that the angel fed him with food to sustain him forty days, and we don’t see him eating. But Yahweh tells him something disturbing, two people who are not complete followers of Yahweh would rule and reign and kill many Israelites. Yahweh also visited Elijah. In the violent commotion Elijah hides his face so he doesn’t look upon Yahweh. He shows reverence. Think about this, Elijah was already speaking with Yahweh, but Yahweh shows up, just for his benefit, and Elijah sees him, but then puts a sheepskin over his face. It is possible that Elijah was also told that he would be taken off the earth. But Elijah will be back.
