Midrash reminder: In doing an exegesis, a midrash, about whether Eliyahu was firstly, in the Will of God in calling for drought, and secondly, whether Elijah prayed to YHWH before calling for the drought, it is important to give a plausible argument to answer these questions. First, to remind the reader what a midrash is, we turn to the definition of the Hebrew verb “Drash,” meaning “to seek, to inquire of, to examine, to require,” in an excerpt from the CWSBD: H1875. דַָּרשׁ dāraš: A verb meaning to seek, to inquire of, to examine, to require. … Its most important theological meaning involves studying or inquiring into the Law [instruction] of YHWH (Ezra 7:10) or inquiring of God (Gen. 25:22; Ex. 18:15; Deut. 12:5; 1 Kgs. 22:5; 2 Kgs. 3:11). God’s people seek after their God (Deut. 4:29; Hos. 10:12; Amos 5:4). … The works of God, however, are to be examined and studied (Ps. 111:2). [writer’s addition] To follow are some examples of the Scriptural use of the word דַָּרשׁ dāraš to help clarify:
• Ezra 7:10 ESV 10 For Ezra had set his heart to •study (H1875. דַָּרשׁ dāraš) the תּוֹרָה tôrâ of YHWH, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.
• Genesis 25:21-22 ESV 21 Isaac prayed to YHWH on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and YHWH answered him and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 But the children struggled together within her; and she said, “If it is so, why then am I (this way)?” So she went to •inquire (H1875. דַָּרשׁ dāraš) of YHWH.
• Exodus 18:14-15 ESV 14 Now when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit (as judge) and all the people stand about you from morning until evening?” 15 Moses said to his father-in-law, “Because the people come to me to •inquire (H1875. דַָּרשׁ dāraš) of God.
• 1 Kings 22:5 ESV 5 Moreover, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please •inquire (H1875. דַָּרשׁ dāraš) first for the word of YHWH.”
In searching to see if the word H1875. דַָּרשׁ dāraš is used with Eliyahu, the two uses are not in the section under consideration, but consider this “background information.”
• search for “Elijah + H1875. דַָּרשׁ dāraš” in the same verse:
• 2 Kings 1:3-4 ESV 3 But the angel (h4397. מַלְאָךְ mal’âḵ) of YHWH said (h1696. דָּבַר ḏâḇar) to Eliyahu the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to •inquire (H1875. דַָּרשׁ dāraš) of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?’ 4 Now therefore thus says YHWH, ‘You shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’” Then Eliyahu departed.
• 2 Kings 3:11-12 ESV 11 But Yehoshaphat said, “Is there not a prophet of YHWH here, that we may •inquire (H1875. דַָּרשׁ dāraš) of יהְוָֹה YHWH by him?” And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who used to pour water on the hands of Eliyahu.” 12 Yehoshaphat said (h0559. אָמַר ’âmar), “The word (h1697. דָּבָר ḏâḇâr) of YHWH is with him.” So the king of Israel and Yehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
We see two things from these two examples. First, in 2 Kings 1:3, the “angel of יהְוָֹה YHWH” is speaking to Eliyahu [ אֵ ִ ליָּה ’ēliyyāh, אֵלִיּהָוּ ’ēliyyāhû]. And it is obviously a rebuke that the king seeks advice from idols rather than coming to the prophet of YHWH, Eliyahu. In 2 Kings 3:12, Yehoshaphat says that the word of YHWH is with Elisha, who was Eliyahu’s תַּלְמִיד talmîd [disciple]. Thus, we first have two witnesses suggesting, not proving, that Eliyahu is/has been in communication with YHWH.
Several other lines of reasoning will be used to help substantiate the position that Eliyahu acted in God’s Will, after praying, to bring about the cessation of rain, which lasted for three and a half years. As background, a reminder of the nature of the Father.
The Nature of the Father
The Father himself, describing himself to Moshe:
• Exodus 34:6-7 ESV 6 YHWH passed before him and proclaimed, “YHWH, YHWH, a God/mighty one (h0410. אֵל ’êl) merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”
Notice that the nature of YHWH is the balance between mercy and justice. He first lists all aspects of his nature having to do with mercy, grace, patience, love and forgiveness. He then notes that due to his nature of justice [or the nature of Creation] he cannot entirely clear iniquity. There must be some recompense. The rules of the universe are still in play, but he can ameliorate them in his Mercy. Ripples are ripples.
Cut Short – Merciful Justice
The number seven in Scripture represents completeness, spiritual perfection.* In a reference from our brothers Yehuda,** “Of all the numbers in Judaism, 7 is by far the most ubiquitous. In the words of the Madras, ‘All 7s are beloved.’
“The number 7 contains two interrelated themes. It is the symbol of the natural world in its totality. And it is where the entire physical world of 6 directions is infused with the inner 7th point as the spark of holiness.”***
As we discuss here drought and famine, we will focus the “seven” discussion on Yosef and Pharaoh’s dreams in Genesis 41 [seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine], which led to the ensuing move to Egypt of the Israelites. This was an instance of “spiritual perfection” or completeness, bringing Yosef and his family back together, preserving Abraham’s descendants, even though the times were very challenging. Eventually the move to Egypt led to a time of hardship/slavery, perhaps related to the mistreatment of Yosef by his brothers.
Contrast this picture of seven/completeness with the drought/famine of half that time, three and a half years, in the drought in Eliyahu’s time. This appears to be an example of God’s balanced mercy and justice. It is “forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but [who will] by no means clear[ing] the guilty.” The curses attendant upon the Hebrew people are clearly spelled out in Leviticus 26:14-33. [God’s Will is in his Word] Their lack of following God’s way was due a “sevenfold punishment.” In Deuteronomy 11:13-17, “no rain” is clearly specified as a just consequence [synthetic grasp/apprehension of life] for the lack of obedience of the people. Eliyahu’s prayer [not yet covered] to begin the period of no rain, and his prayer to return the rain after three and a half years [“completeness” cut short] are clearly not the result of the Hebrew people having completely changed their ways, but no doubt partly a result of their response to YHWH’s demonstration of his power at Mt. Carmel, (1 Kings 18:39) “And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, ‘YHWH, he is God; YHWH, he is God.’” And it is partly the result of Eliyahu’s ongoing conversation with YHWH, therefore reflecting the nature of YHWH [justice with mercy; not stopping the ripples, but limiting their effects].
It may be that when YHWH told Elijah that he would bring rain, he saw that the suffering had been sufficient [Elijah had also gotten a chance to witness the suffering first-hand], and the people’s ‘ears’ were ready for the Carmel demonstration and repentance. God is the determiner of the perfect timing. Look at a series of scriptures that explains a similar situation of severe trial being “cut short” [half of seven = three and a half], for people who are faithful to YHWH, people who “overcome.” All underlines added by the writer for emphasis.
• Matthew 24:15-22 ESV 15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand)#, 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 19 And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 20 Pray that your flight may not be in winter or on a Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. 22 And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.
Also in • Mark 13:19-21 ESV 19 For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be. 20 And if the (Lord) κύριος kúrios had not cut short the days, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he shortened the days. 21 And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it.
[The “complete” consequences would be utter destruction [h2764. חֵרֶם ḥērem] (see discussion later), based upon the design of Creation, however, “for the sake of the elect,” the time is cut short.]
• Daniel 7:25 ESV 25 He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. [3-1/2]
• Daniel 12:7 ESV 7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished. [3-1/2]
• Revelation 11:1-3 ESV 1 Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, 2 but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. 3 And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” [3-1/2 years]
• Revelation 11:9-11 ESV 9 For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, 10 and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. 11 But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them.
• Revelation 12:14 ESV 14 But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. [3-1/2]
• Psalm 89:38-45 ESV 38 But now you have cast off and rejected; you are full of wrath against your anointed. 39 You have renounced the covenant with your servant; you have defiled his crown in the dust. 40 You have breached all his walls; you have laid his strongholds in ruins. 41 All who pass by plunder him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors. 42 You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice. 43 You have also turned back the edge of his sword, and you have not made him stand in battle. 44 You have made his splendor to cease and cast his throne to the ground. 45 You have cut short (h7114. קָצַר qâṣar) the days (h3117. יוֹם yôm) of his youth; [ref Ps. 102:23] you have covered him with shame. Selah
Reading the entire context of Psalm 89, the reader gets an understanding of the Davidic covenant to be fulfilled by the Messiah. Note that Yeshua’s time on earth and in the grave was “cut short” as was that of Jonah/Yonah in the fish. (Jonah 1:17; Matthew 12:39, 16:4; Luke 11:29-30.) If we look at the referenced verse from Ps 89, we see the same phrase, “cut short days:”
• Psalms 102:23 ESV 23 He has broken my strength in midcourse; he has shortened (h7114. קָצַר qâṣar) my days (h3117. יוֹם yôm).
It is important to look at this word קָצַר qâṣar for some deeper understanding of the concept. The The Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament [TWOT] gives the meaning as follows:
• קָצַר 2061 (qāṣar) I, be short, impatient, vexed, grieved. Derivatives 2061a † קָצֵר (qāṣēr) short. 2061b קצֶֹר (qōṣer) shortness (i.e. impatience, Ex 6:9, only). The root designates that which is short (Ps 89:45 [H 46]; 102:23 [H 24]) or inadequate, such as a bed (Isa 28:20). Rhetorical questions ask if YHWH’s hand (Num 11:23; Isa 50:2; 59:1) or spirit (Mic 2:7), is short, i.e. unable to accomplish the task. In some passages the root means discouragement (Num 21:4), vexation (Jud 10:16; 16:16; Job 21:4), or loathing (Zech 11:8).
קָצֵר . Short, shortened. This adjective occurs in the construct state in idioms: “short of hand” (feeble; ASV, of small power; RSV, shorn of strength; 2 Kgs 19:26; Isa 37:27); “short of nostrils” (irascible; ASV: Soon angry; RSV: of quick temper; Prov 14:17); “short of spirit” (impatient; ASV: hasty of spirit; RSV: hasty temper, 14:29); and “short of days” (shortlived; ASV and RSV: few of days; Job 14:1). Of similar background is the noun קוֹצֶר “anguish,” i.e. “compressed in spirit.” J.P.L.
(https://www.jw.org/en/publications/books/true-faith/the-prophet-elijah-prays/)
Notice, therefore, the typical “dual meaning,” or multiple meaning that can be understood if we look at the Hebrew and not simply at the English. And recall this was the word for “quick temper” (Pr 14:17) in the Figures of Speech Post (#9), in the אַפַּ֗יִם discussion. The Etymological Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew [EDBH] lists the primary meaning as “shorten,” but also includes being impatient reflecting the thought of anguish and vexation.## [A pertinent theme here, and seen in Post #10, Keywords] In the Nm. 21:4-5 example, leading to YHWH’s sending the fiery serpents, the people are impatient because of no food and no water in the wilderness.
To understand Psalm 102, one should read its entirety. The introductory line reads: “A Prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before YHWH.” “Shorten days” contrasts with a Hebrew saying “length of days,” repeated in the daily prayer of Yehuda the Ahavat Olam, “You are our life and the length of our days.” As is so often the case in the prayers of Yehuda, snippets are taken from Scripture as Intertextuality reminders of longer passages:
• Deuteronomy 30:15 – 31:1 LITV 15 Behold, I have set before you today life and good and death and evil, 16 in that I am commanding you today to love YHWH your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commands and His statutes, and His judgments, and you shall live and multiply, and YHWH your God shall bless you in the land where you are going in, to possess it. 17 But if you turn away your heart, and you do not listen, and are drawn on, even you will bow down to other gods, and serve them; 18 I have declared to you today that you shall certainly perish. You shall not prolong your days in the land to which you are crossing the Yarden, to go in there to possess it. 19 I call Heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore, choose life, that you may live, you and your seed, 20 to love YHWH your God, to listen to His voice, and to cleave to Him. For He is your life, and the length of your days so that you may live in the land which YHWH has sworn to your fathers, to Abraham, to Yitzchak, and to Ya’akov, to give it to them.” [* THE Septuagint Adds “If you obey the commandments of YHWH your God…” which is not in the Hebrew] [other citations of “length of days:” Job 12:12; Ps. 21:4; Pr. 3:2]
Please read the above passage slowly and prayerfully once again, keeping in mind the Synthetic discussion just completed. Understand why Moshe can say he calls heaven and earth to be the required witnesses, in addition to his words. Heaven and earth demonstrate the nature of Creation, the way all is related to all else, the way the ripples in the water extend from the thrown stone. The nature of things brings about consequences: “life and death, blessing and curse.” In innocence in the Garden, Adam and Havva simply “understood” what they witnessed around them. Job thinks he has it all figured out. YHWH helps him to see in Job 38-41 that Job’s understanding based upon the Tree of Knowledge is of no consequence. For Job, as for us, it was necessary to have a reawakening, an opening of eyes, a new beginning on the cycle, where one cycle came to a close [Job’s repentance in chapter 42 brings it about]. Eliyahu is clearly “vexed” at Yezebel’s vow to destroy him, in the face of the work he has been doing for the Father.
• 1 Kings 19:4 ESV 4 But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O YHWH, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”
Yonah is similarly vexed when he also asks to die. (Jonah 4:8-11) God’s response to Yonah is one of having mercy. And Moshe makes a plea for mercy, forgiveness, for the people by YHWH after the molded calf incident, asking YHWH to blot him out of his book [of life]. (Ex. 32:32) Yeshua’s time on the stake/cross was also mercifully “cut short,” though certainly more than satisfying justice. (John 19:30-34) It appears to this point that themes of justice and mercy may apply here. That balance within the nature of God, the correct balance of justice and mercy, is only found in God.
Man, in his self-seeking nature, cannot determine on his own the correct balance. Iyob could not. In the book of Yonah, Nineveh was saved because of the repentance of the people, much to Yonah’s chagrin. In Yosef’s time, the land of Egypt was brought to its knees by a full seven-year famine. Here we see a balance, a measured response, a famine that is “cut short.” The question, however, remains, whether this famine is the result of zealous action on the part of Eliyahu on his own, or if it is the Will of the Father as brought about by Elijah communicating with God in prayer. To try to answer this dilemma, together we will look in several directions. Of course, what information can be gathered about the man/prophet Eliyahu from Scripture will be reviewed.
We will delve into some aspects of prayer and intercession. We will look at some common Hebrew phrases or word combinations that may be idioms. And the “measured response” of justice with mercy in this case will be contrasted with a much more clearly judgement-focused example of Sodom and Gomorrah. We will finally try to answer the question of whether Elijah is acting on his own or under the guidance of YHWH. All along the reader will see the use of the shared tools.
The next Post will focus some on the name/character of Eliyahu the Tishbite.
* Number in Scripture, Its Supernatural Design and Spiritual Significance, E.W. Bullinger, Eyre & Spottiswoode Ltd., London, Fourth Edition, Revised, 1921.
** Jewish Wisdom in the Numbers, Osher Chaim Levene with Rabbi Yehoshua Hartman, 2013, Mesorah Publications, Ltd., Brooklyn, NY. p110.
*** Vayikra Rabbah 29:11 and Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer Ch.18.
# see Dn. 9:3, 9:17-23. See discussion later of “position for prayer,” and the Presence of God. When the יָסַף says “let the reader understand,” that is a signal. Another “signal” is “found favor.”
see Nm. 21:4; Judg. 10:16, 16:16; Job 21:4; Mic. 3:7; Zech. 11:8.
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