ר Elijah demonstrates YHWH’s power in Israel [1K 18:20-39] (Dorsey)
In the previous Post, it was noted that in verse 20, Ahab gathered the Israelites and the prophets of the false gods. This was to be a great demonstration to all. It is, indeed, a great demonstration both of the power of YHWH, the faith of Eliyahu, and as James 5:16b puts it [NKJV], “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much,” the strength of prayer. We will not go through every detail in this section, but hit a few highlights. [Writer’s comment: in verse 19, Elijah tell Ahab to have the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah to come, along with the people. Verse 20 is nonspecific, saying Ahab gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel. Not again in any of the Eliyahu narratives do the prophets of Asherah appear. It is not clear if they are lumped in with the Baal prophets or if they did not attend the event.
Nothing mentioned in Scripture is unimportant. Note the earlier comment about the singular and plural forms of Baal. If the plural form were to be inclusive of Asherah, or were the “royal plural,” one would think it would apply especially in verses 18:21, 25-26, but here is הַבַּ֗עַל, “the Baal. There may be some other connection this writer is unaware of.] In 1 Kings 22:6, there is mention of 400 prophets that Ahab gathered together. It is not clear whether these may be the same 400 prophets noted above.
Right off, Eliyahu (first by having Ahab send and gather “all of Israel”) makes it clear that this is a message to all of the people of Israel, not just Ahab and Jezebel, not just the false prophets:
• 1 Kings 18:21 ESV 21 And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If YHWH is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.
The people are challenged to make a choice. Elijah is setting the stage for a miraculous event. However, the reader must be clear that the stage-setting has been going on for over three years now. There has been no rain; there is a famine; the people are in a “wilderness situation” where YHWH can best do his teaching [abundant examples, but most obvious are Moses in his forty years between leaving Egypt and his burning bush encounter, and the forty years in the wilderness (Ex 2:11-3:6) for the mixed multitude that came out of Egypt. (Dt 29:2-9 ) Notice the Father’s wording in Hosea:
• Hosea 2:14-17 ESV 14 “Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. 15 And there I will give her her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor [troubled] a door of hope. And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth, as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt. 16 “And in that day, declares YHWH, you will call me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.’ 17 For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more.
A “leading into the wilderness” is a preparation time. Recall the forty days in the wilderness for Yeshua/Jesus after his baptism, before beginning his ministry. There were temptations, tests to be overcome. (Mt 4; Mk 1; Lk 4) Now the people are primed to get the message which had been given much earlier in their history, but they had not seen the connection:
• Deuteronomy 11:16-17 ESV 16 Take care lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them; 17 then the anger of YHWH will be kindled against you, and he will shut up the heavens, so that there will be no rain, and the land (h0127. אֲדָמָה ’ăḏâmâ) will yield no fruit, and you will perish quickly off the good land (h0776. אֶרֶץ ’ereṣ) that YHWH is giving you. [writer’s underline]
This is a very clear statement of direct consequences of their actions. Now a half of a complete cycle of seven years is about finished. A demonstration of God’s power that is not long and drawn-out, so difficult to discern, is what the Father now has planned to open the people’s eyes [such examples as terrorists flying airplanes into buildings should suffice as this type of eye-opener]. It is clear that this is to be a message to “all the people.” As in our typical complacent attitude, “… the people did not answer him a word.” Then Eliyahu lays out the challenge. He describes setting up altars with bulls and pitting himself alone against 450 prophets of Baal.
• 1 Kings 18:24 ESV 24 And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of YHWH, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” [notice fire (h0784. אֵשׁ ’êš) as an answer (h6030. עָנָה ‘ânâ) is also seen with Eliyahu in 2K 1:10, 12 and with David in 1Ch 21:26]
Again, “all the people” give their approval of this challenge. “Crowd think.” (Ex 19:1-8) The Baalian prophets follow their cultic practices in appealing to their “god,” and the word translated in verse 21 as “limping” between two opinions to the people, h6452. פָּסַח p̱âsaḥ, sometimes also translated as “hesitating,” is used again of the false prophets in verse 26. This verb, h6452. פָּסַח p̱âsaḥ, is the same word as the noun Pesach [slight variation in vowel pointing], the Hebrew word we translate in a English as Passover, one of the most important Biblical festivals for the Hebrew people. The use of פָּסַח p̱âsaḥ here could simply be another connection to the people of learning in a wilderness setting. [The verb itself h6452. פָּסַח p̱âsaḥ, is used three times in the Passover narrative in Ex 12:13, 23, 27; it is also used, in addition to the two uses here in 1 Kings, once of Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son in 2S 4:4 and once in Is 31:5, of the sparing of Yerushalayim.] Eliyahu even mocks the prophets of Baal, and Baal himself:
• 1 Kings 18:27 ESV 27 And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”
Eliyahu of course has no fear of Baal, knowing Baal is a “no god:”
• Dt 32:21a ESV 21 “They have made me jealous with what is no god; they have provoked me to anger with their idols…” Indeed,
• 1 Kings 18:29 ESV 29 “And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.” And the people are witnesses. Then it comes time for YHWH to act by way of Eliyahu.
• 1 Kings 18:30-35 ESV 30 Then Eliyahu said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of YHWH that had been thrown down. 31 Eliyahu took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Ya’akov, to whom the word of YHWH came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,” 32 and with the stones he built an altar in the name of YHWH. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs of seed. 33 And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” 34 And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. 35 And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water.
Elijah prepares meticulously. There are several examples of not going through the proper steps to give the proper message to the people about the nature of YHWH and the fear h3372. יָרֵא yārē’ of YHWH. (witnesses: Lv 10:1-11; Nm 20:12; 2S 6:6-7; 1Ch 13:9-10) Previously mentioned, in the discussion about Ya’akov and Laban, was this point about the twelve stones for the tribes. Eliyahu is making quite a demonstration; recall this is a severe drought. Eliyahu has the people pour four jars (h3537. כַּד kaḏ) jars of water three times, drenching the offering, the wood, the altar and running down to fill the trench with water. And recall please the discussion of “seahs” in Keywords, as appears in verse 32 as a “signal” of importance, of “turning,” a transition time, and righteousness.
h3537. כַּד kaḏ CWSBD – “It indicates a large pottery jar for water.” The Septuagint substitutes the Greek word g5201. ὑδριά hydria here. At the wedding in Cana of Galilee, we learn this of these ὑδριά hydria jars:
• John 2:6 ESV 6 Now there were six stone water jars (g5201. ὑδριά hydria) there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.
These are not one-quart canning jars. This is to be a sign that cannot be ignored. [Rather like ‘nine-eleven.’] The people are watching all. Large volumes of water in a drought are being hauled up a mountain. It is a demonstration to be remembered; it is an extravagant use of scarce resources. https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/prophets/prophets-of-the-bible/elisha-the-prophet/
• 1 Kings 18:36-37 36 And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Eliyahu the prophet came near and said, “O YHWH, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. 37 Answer me, O YHWH, answer me, that this people may know that you, O YHWH, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.”
Again, a number of things to focus on here. Eliyahu is following the guideline for an offering in waiting for the time of the oblation. He “draws near” h5066. נָגַשׁ nâg̱aš. He prays to the names that YHWH gave Moses at the burning bush, I AM (YHWH) and God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel [substituting Israel for Ya’akov]. (Ex 3:13-15) And twice he uses the word “answer” h6030. עָנָה ‘ânâ, pointed out above. Three times he uses the Tetragrammaton (YHWH), and the word “answer” is in the imperative form. Eliyahu is giving a fervent prayer. And the prayer is for exactly the right reason. It is not so the people know that Eliyahu is God’s man, it is so “this people may know that you, O YHWH, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.”
CWSBD excerpt “h5066. נָגַשׁ nâg̱aš; It is used of priests approaching YHWH (Ezek. 44:13); or the altar to carry out their priestly duties (Ex. 28:43; 30:20).”
Notice his added phrase, not only that “this people may know that you, O YHWH, are God,” but also “that you have turned their hearts back.” Here is another instance of God’s desire for “turning.” The people are, as a result, to stop “limping” [hesitating – h6452. פָּסַח p̱âsaḥ] “between two different opinions” [a fancy theological word used to describe this is “syncretism” = “mixing,” one of YHWH’s least favorite things (Mk 12:29-30) – We are not to blend religions.] and have their hearts turned back. And it is God who turns the heart.
• 1 Kings 18:38-39 ESV 38 Then the fire of YHWH fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “YHWH he is the God; YHWH he is the God – ”הָאֱלֹהִ֔ים
The word h0398. אָכַל ’āḵal translated as consumed is very accurate. It means there is nothing left. What an amazing demonstration of the power of YHWH to the people, completely destroying the offering, the wood, the stones, a few hundred gallons of water, and a surprise word appears, the dust (h6083. עָפָר ‘âp̱âr). Where does that come from; why is it here? The reader of Scripture is prepared by the elaborate preparations we hear about, knowing of the bull, the stones, the wood, and the water [in the trench]. All of these elements we are prepared for. But the dust עָפָר ‘âp̱âr? It appears with no preparation. This is another case of “what is said; what is not said.” Something unexpected, something unanticipated draws our attention. [paraprosdokian] Look at this “unexpected” occurrence in some detail. There has been a foreshadowing in this study that we would more deeply discuss h6083. עָפָר ‘âp̱âr dust. This moment in Scripture focuses us heavily on this word.
The context is one of Scripture’s most dramatic demonstrations of God’s power to his people. Is the word עָפָר ‘âp̱âr simply casually thrown in here? Each word, each mark is important; none is casual. Not one thing is to be changed. (Dt 4:2, 12:32; Pr 30:6; Mt 5:17-19; Lk 16:17; John 10:35; Re 22:18-19)
First we must look at this particular verse, 1K 18:38 to try to make some sense of it. The translation of this verse is somewhat problematic. The way it is written, there is no definitive English wording. This writer is a newcomer relative to many experts in translating Hebrew, but it is clear that even those with many years of experience do not agree. [an indication to dig deeper] The issue is particularly with the last Hebrew word in the sentence, being translated as “licked.” Using the resources available, we shall puzzle on this together. First, there seems to be agreement on the form that the verb takes: piel, perfect, 3rd person, feminine, singular. None of the translations, however, exactly fit this.
• 1 Kings 18:38 BHS וַתִּפּ֣לֹ אֵשׁ־יְהוָ֗ה וַתּ֤אֹכַל אֶת־הָֽעלָֹה֙ וְאֶת־הָ֣עֵצִ֔ים וְאֶת־הָאֲבָנִ֖ים וְאֶת־הֶעָפָ֑ר וְאֶת־הַמַּ֥יִם אֲשֶׁר־בַּתְּעָלָ֖ה לִחֵֽכָה׃
• 1 Kings 18:38 JPS Tanakh 38 Then the fire of YHWH fell, and consumed the burnt-offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
• 1 Kings 18:38 LITV 38 And fire fell from Jehovah and burned up the burnt offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and the water in the trench was licked up.
BDB לחַךְ† vb. lick (NH id.; so Aram. ܟܚܰ ܠ לְחַךְ ; Ar. لَحِكَ ; – Qal Inf. cstr. כּלִחְךְֹ Nu 22:4 (E), sq. acc.; of ox licking up grass. Pi. Pf. 3 fs. 1 לִחֵ֑כָה K 18:38; Impf. 3 mpl. ילְַחֲכוּ Nu 22:4, Mi 7:17; יְלַחֵ֑כוּ Psalm 72:9, Is 43:23; lick up (sq. acc.), fire fr. heaven the water in trench 1 K 18:38; of Isr. consuming produce of land Nu 22:3(E); esp. ל׳ עָפָר lick the dust, sign of humiliation Mi 7:17, Psalm 72:9, Is 49:23. HALOT לחך : Ug. lḥk; MHeb. pi., JArm.tb pa. CPArm. Syr.; Arb. laḥika to lick. qal (Jenni 192): inf. לחְךְֹ : to lick up, eat up (ox the grass) Nu 224. † pi. (Jenni 146): pf. לִחֵֽכָה ; impf. 1 : חֵֽכוּ/יְלַחֲכוּ . to lick up: fire the water 1K 1838, snake עָפָר Mi 717; to lick: subjects the feet of their master Is 4923 Mi 717 Ps 729 (Akk. qaqqaru ina pān šarri našāqu, (Klauber Ass. Beamt. 14; AHw. 759a; Arb. Östrup Or. Höflichkeit 33f), kiss on someones foot, →2 ; .נשׁק to eat (the land) bare Nu 224. † [from BHS with Critical Apparatus] b–b Gesenius* tr post בתעלה gl? Listing from Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament, 1979, Baker Book House Co. H.W.F. Gesenius.
The Gesenius listing is above.
This is far too much detail for the average reader and likely too much even for a devoted researcher, but a mental exercise as an example to be very discerning in how interpretations may be swayed by one word. All the tools we have at our disposal may be necessary in certain circumstances.
Step one is to look at the actual Hebrew. A disclaimer has already been noted. Advanced Hebrew scholars may have seen many other examples of what is seen here and thus not be as concerned as this author. As it appears, the “Fire of YHWH” אֵשׁ־יְהוָ֗ה is the subject of the sentence. In terms of the gender of fire, it is listed as “both.” The verb “fell” וַתִּפּ֣לֹ is prefixed with a vav, which most are translating as “then,” and is noted to be feminine singular, which is in agreement with “fire.” Then another verb “consumed” וַתּ֤אֹכַל follows, prefixed with a vav, appropriately translated as “and.” So, in English form we would say, “the fire fell and consumed…” אֶת is not translated but is the marker of the direct object of the verb.* There is a series of direct objects linked with a series of vav‘s (ands). “… consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust and the water…” After this are two words linked with a maqqef (like a hyphen), אֲשֶׁר־בַּתְּעָלָ֖ה , the אֲשֶׁר meaning “who, which or that,” and בַּתְּעָלָ֖ה being “in the trench,” thus this compound word serving as a modifier of water. So, this is “… consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust and the water that was in the trench.” Pretty straightforward so far.
Then we come to the word that has translators giving differing thoughts, לִחֵֽכָה . It is feminine singular verb and thus agrees with the other two verbs, and fits with “fire,” so can be (leaving out what is between) “the fire licked.” There is no vav at the beginning of the verb, so the translations that say “… and licked up the water in the trench” are making an assumption and adding the “and.” One way around this is to go in the direction of the LITV which translates as “and the water in the trench was licked up,” however the problem with that is shifting to a passive verb, which would be the pual rather than the piel that seems to be agreed upon. There is very little difference in the appearance of the pual and the piel [only in the Masoretic vowel pointing below the ל, the vowel pointings added in the 7th-10th centuries A.D./C.E.]. The Masoretes were very familiar with the Scripture in its audible presentation, and the pointing was derived from the sounds they heard. The reader will notice the the Gesenius rendering above considers the licking to be of the dust rather than the water in the trench. This is attractive because there are three other instances of “licking the dust” in Scripture, using these same two words, h6083. עָפָר ‘âp̱âr and h3897. לָחַךְ lâḥaḵ. [Ps 72:9; Is 49:23; Mic 7:17] There are no other instances of licking up water. Notice that the BDB excerpt לחַךְ lists these occurrences and indicates licking the dust is a sign of humiliation. These other verses are shared below; it is fairly clear that humiliation is the gist.
• Psalms 72:9 ESV 9 May desert tribes bow down before him, and his enemies lick the dust!
• Isaiah 49:22-23 ESV 22 Thus says YHWH אֲדנָֹי ’aḏōnāy: “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and raise my signal to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders. 23 Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am YHWH; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.”
• Micah 7:16-17 16 The nations shall see and be ashamed of all their might; they shall lay their hands on their mouths; their ears shall be deaf; 17 they shall lick the dust (h6083. עָפָר ‘âp̱âr) like a serpent, like the crawling things of the earth; they shall come trembling out of their strongholds; they shall turn in dread to YHWH our God, and they shall be in fear of you. [underlines by writer]
However, if one does not connect dust and licking in this verse in 1 Kings, h6083. עָפָר ‘âp̱ âr is simply left as the direct object of ‘to consume,’ h0398. אָכַל ’âḵal. אָכַל ’âḵal is commonly translated as ‘to eat,’ also, and there are two related verses that could be a part of the message brought to mind:
• Genesis 3:14 ESV 14 YHWH God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust (h6083. עָפָר ‘âp̱âr) you shall eat (h0398. אָכַל ’âḵal) all the days of your life. [refs: Is 65:25; Mic 7:17]
• Isaiah 65:25 25 The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust (h6083. עָפָר ‘âp̱âr) shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain,” says YHWH.
These also seem to carry the thought of humiliation. Regarding witnesses for this particular verse there is little else that can be said. Additional thoughts regarding dust (h6083. עָפָר ‘âp̱âr) in general, however, may be pertinent. Dust, ashes, sackcloth, and tearing one’s clothes are common physical signs of mourning in Scripture (as we might wear black). Dust and ashes, we know are symbolic of returning to the earth, that our bodies will pass away.
• Genesis 3:19 ESV 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat (h0398. אָכַל ’âḵal) bread, till you return to the ground (h0127. אֲדָמָה ’ăḏâmâ), for out of it you were taken; for you are dust (h6083. עָפָר ‘âp̱âr), and to dust (h6083. עָפָר ‘âp̱âr) you shall return.”
[Genesis 2:7 ESV 7 then YHWH God formed the man of dust (h6083. עָפָר ‘âp̱âr) from the ground (h0127. אֲדָמָה ’ăḏâmâ) and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.]
• Daniel 12:1-2 ESV 1 “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust (h6083. עָפָר ‘âp̱âr) of the earth (h0127. אֲדָמָה ’ăḏâmâ) shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
There is an aspect of h6083. עָפָר ‘âp̱âr which means “to cover.” One can see it used with the most common word for “cover” h3680. כָּסָה ḵâsâ in Lv 17:13; Job 21:26; Ek 24:7. A similar idea is seen with rolling oneself in the dust or throwing dust on oneself. Excerpt from TWOT re: h6083. עָפָר ‘âp̱âr Dust was thrown on the head as a sign of grief and mourning. Joshua and the elders of Israel expressed distress in this manner when Israel was defeated at Ai (Josh 7:6; cf. Ezek 27:30; Lam 2:10; Job 2:12; Mic 1:10, rolling in dust). This act of humiliation and self denigration (often accompanied by the wearing of sackcloth) bespeaks dependence upon the God who “formed man of dust from the ground” (Gen 2:7, accusative of material). Man in his physical body was formed from dust, and it is to dust that his physical body returns (3:19; Eccl 3:20; 12:7; Job 4:19; 8:19; 10:9; 34:15; Ps 104:29). Probably because of this usage, dust sometimes means just the grave (Job 7:21; 17:16; 40:13; Ps 22:29 [H 30]; Isa 26:19). Dust is used of the surface of the earth (Ex 8:16-17 [H 12-13]; Job 19:25), and is found in parallelism with אֶרֶץ “earth” (e.g. Isa 25:13; 26:5). The fact that man comes from the dust of the earth is a reminder of the sovereignty of God in his creative acts, and of the insignificance of man apart from the intervening “breath of life” of his goodness. Man as a fashioned artwork owes praise and obedience to the Potter who fashioned him of clay (see 29:16; 45:9; 64:8 [H 7]; Jer 18:1-14; cf. Rom 9:21). Dust-man became living-man by God’s grace; therein lies his humility and his dignity. [writer’s underline]
Dust is also used in describing large numbers in such phrases as “if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted.” (Gn 13:16, 28:14; 2Ch 1:9 – abundance) There may be some common threads, that require a later in-depth investigation, between dust covering the earth, man being made from the dust of the earth, and man’s role to be fruitful and multiply and have dominion over the earth. Hints of this are seen with the humility/lack of humility theme of the Tower of Babel and man’s desire not to be dispersed, with God’s response of dispersion. (see Gn 11:1-9) Perhaps the most pertinent line of thinking, however, is this element of “the unexpected,” the paraprosdokian. The author would suggest that one would expect no dust at all in the circumstance, only mud, due to the large amount of water being poured over everything.
There is an interesting line of thinking pointed out in the TWOT in the entry of the word h2916. טִיט ṭîyṭ, which is translated as mud or mire. ” טִיט (ṭîṭ) h2916 mire, mud, damp dirt, clay. (ASV is similar; RSV also employs “bog.”) The term represents wet dirt, sediment, or building clay. יוֵָן (h3121) has a similar meaning; רֶפֶשׁ has the nuance of “sludge.” עָפָר (h6083) is employed in antithetical parallelism to טִיט – the dry dirt versus the wet.” [writer’s underline]
We see three examples of this “antithetical parallelism” in Scripture:
• 2 Samuel 22:43 ESV 43 I beat them fine as the dust (h6083. עָפָר ‘âp̱âr) of the earth (h0776. אֶרֶץ ’ereṣ); I crushed them and stamped them down like the mire (h2916. טִיט ṭîyṭ) of the streets.
• Psalms 18:42 ESV 42 I beat them fine as dust (h6083. עָפָר ‘âp̱ âr) before the wind; I cast them out like the mire (h2916. טִיט ṭîyṭ) of the streets. [refs: Isa. 10:6; Mic. 7:10; Zech. 10:5]
• Zechariah 9:3 ESV 3 Tyre has built herself a rampart and heaped up silver like dust (h6083. עָפָר ‘âp̱âr), and fine gold like the mud (h2916. טִיט ṭîyṭ) of the streets.
The context of each of these passages was reviewed, as well as the referenced verses. The general thrust seems to be more focused on the idea of abundance and commonplace, where the mud and the dust are the antithesis of one another, yet in another way have that same characteristic, abundant or common. Then, when the author of 1 King’s places h6083. עָפָר ‘âp̱âr where the reader would expect h2916. טִיט ṭîyṭ, one would do a “double-take,” pay attention and go back over the preceding verses, and focus more on the meaning of humiliation than on the meaning of abundance. This could be an important reason for such a use here.
Perhaps the best thoughts to keep in mind in the usage of h6083. עָפָר ‘âp̱âr on Mt. Carmel are the phrases used in the TWOT, “dependence on God” and “the insignificance of man apart from the intervening ‘breath of life’ of his goodness.” If our Chiastic structure focusing on servanthood and that YHWH is God (the One God, h0259. אֶחָד ’eḥâḏ) is accurate, then the people’s response in 1K 18:39 is precisely what the desired result would be, the people repeating, “YHWH is the God!” Thus, they have made their choice. And the result of the people’s making their choice is the resulting action, [consider, make a decision, then act – h6437. פָּנָה pānāh – to truly turn, to “repent”]. This is the focus of Dorsey’s next section.
ש Baal’ prophets are killed at the brook Kishon [1K 18:40] (Dorsey)
• 1 Kings 18:40 NASB 40 Then Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.” So they seized them; and Eliyahu brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.
All of Scripture is teaching. It needs to be thought of as God’s teaching to us. It is the instruction manual for life. At each step along the way we should ask ourselves, “What is Abba teaching us here?” And the teaching, the truth, means there has to be duplication, that is [at least] two witnesses; replication or repetition might be better words. A question to ask is whether there is a repeated pattern in this situation. First, look at the verse. Obviously, if God can bring down fire to consume and/or lick up the bull, the wood, the stones, the water and the dust, he could just as easily consume all of the prophets of Baal.
It is not because of a lack of God’s ability that he has Eliyahu tell the people to seize the prophets. They are to participate in the “slaughter” as a part of their “turning.” When we change direction it will not be painless. Indeed, it will be painful, which will be a temptation to us to go back to the way things were before. (Ex 13:17-18) [The message to all seven assemblies in Re 2 and 3 is to ‘overcome.’] Recall in the Post on the Synthetic worldview, the point about the one bringing the sacrifice having to lay the hand on the head and kill the animal. Review the first parts of Leviticus chapters 1, 3, and 4 regarding burnt offerings, peace offerings, and sin offerings. God wants the person to have a personal connection, to feel the pain of what is taking place. It makes us “think twice.”
How can this even be seen to apply to us today? Perhaps just a simple example can do. Let’s say you attend a congregation of those who love God and are comfortable in your life and you want your children to understand that they have many blessings from God in their comfortable life. How do you teach them that? One way to teach that is to get them to tithe, giving 10% of what they ‘earn.’ And there is some sacrifice in that. But if you take them to a place where there is severe poverty and they look those people in the eye, they get to know them and truly feel what it is like to live in a different situation than their comfortable life, then they have “put their hand on its head.” If they help someone dig their life out of a disaster situation or hold the hand of someone who has had great loss in their life, then there is a personal connection. Their life is touched forever, giving a new perspective.
This writer has been touched in these ways, and mostly by the lives of the children he worked with, “walking” through their pain with them. Perhaps they will think differently when another choice comes at a later time in their life. [Therapists sometimes quote a saying, “No pain, no gain.”] This is what Scripture talks about “circumcising the heart,” changing one’s perspective. (Dt 10:12-22, 30:1-10; Jr 4:1-4) The people were to learn a lesson, a very painful lesson, and see how their complacency and their going along with what in their hearts they knew was wrong, but got caught up in peer pressure, or doing what their false teachers told them to do cost many people their lives. They had to be a part of the painful experience if there were hope to avoid another similar circumstance. They were to actually change their direction. This is why the people had to participate.
Similarly, it is this writer’s interpretation of Eliyahu’s experience on Mt. Horeb, (1K 19:9-18) that there is a series of very powerful demonstrations of the might of God, a “great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks in the Presence of YHWH,” an earthquake, and a fire,” but Scripture says YHWH was not in those. After all these, there was “the sound of a low whisper”. (some versions say “a still, small voice”) All of these very, very scary things happen, very powerful, but they are followed by the sound of a low whisper. And when Eliyahu came out of his cave of hiding and stood, the voice of God came to him. It was in this voice that the instruction came. God is a teacher. Actually God is the Teacher. (Mt 23:8-12) We are to experience all that goes on around us, feel the power of it, but then stop to listen to the low whisper that will teach what this experience was all about. (Zech 4:6 from two witnesses section)
When we use Scripture, his word, his teaching, to make sense of our life experiences, we learn the lessons he needs us to learn. Mom tanned this writer’s hide quite thoroughly after he and his cousin snuck some of Dad’s cigarettes. However, she made it very clear the consequences were not for that “testing,” but for the lying afterwards to try to cover it up. A lesson recalled now many years later, because teaching went along with the testing and the consequence.
Israel experienced the drought, the fire of God coming down in great destructive power, and now they had to experience one more painful and very memorable event, the slaughter of the false prophets in which they had to be personally involved. After the fire came down, they said YHWH is the God. Now they must walk in a new direction. They must take the action necessary. They must h6437. פָּנָה p̱ânâ. If we go to a retreat or revival and have an amazing “Fire of God” experience, we may really mean it when we say God is the God of my life, but until we actually put it into practice in the pain of everyday life, our heart is not truly circumcised. We have not “turned;” it is one thing to say it; it is another to live it out.
ת Conclusion: Elijah’s declaration, “rain is coming now! [1K 18:41-46] (Dorsey)
• 1 Kings 18:41-46 41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain.” 42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Mount Carmel. And he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees. 43 And he 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 again,” seven times. 44 And at the seventh time he said, “Behold, a little cloud like a man’s hand is rising from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.’” 45 And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. 46 And the hand of YHWH was on Elijah, and he gathered up his garment and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. Before getting to this passage, let’s just recall that God had told Elijah that if he would be obedient, he would bring an end to the drought:
• 1 Kings 18:1 After many days the word of YHWH came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.”
Of course, we as readers are not given any more detail about what “show yourself to Ahab” meant. But from the record we have seen of the ongoing communication and follow-through between YHWH and Eliyahu, we can surmise that Eliyahu has been following YHWH’s instruction right along. So now, Eliyahu hears the sound of the rushing of rain. This is obviously not physically true yet, but a metaphorical statement that God said he would send rain and it will be coming, or it is an audible “vision” from YHWH to Eliyahu. He tells Ahab to “Go up, eat and drink,” and it says Eliyahu went to the top of Mount Carmel. There are several “go ups” and “go downs” here.
Let’s look at the map, and discuss a few points. To the left are Mt. Carmel and the River Kishon. To the right are the Valley of Jezreel and the city of Jezreel. The Mediterranean is to the far left, toward which Elijah’s servant is told to look for signs of rain. Look to Scripture for some understanding of this location. First note that, although ESV here calls the Kishon the “brook,” the very same ESV calls the Kishon “the river,” (Jg 4:7 and 13 and Ps 83:9) and in Deborah’s song, it is twice called the “torrent” Kishon. (in Jg 5:21) The Hebrew word is the same in all five occurrences, h5158. נַחַל naḥal. Excerpt from the TWOT entry: נַחַל” Wadi, torrent, torrent valley, torrent, river, shaft. This noun usually refers to a dry river bed or ravine which in the rainy season becomes a raging torrent, and/or the resulting torrent (J.B.S.S. Thompson, “River,” in NBD, p. 1098). The Ugaritic nḥl (UT 19: no. 1636) and Akkadian naḥlu have the same meaning. It can also represent a permanent stream or river (Lev 11:9; 1 Kgs 18:40).” [underline added]
Even Ahab would have been quite familiar with the battle between the Israelites and Sisera, the commander of the Canaanite army of King Yabin, in which the “torrent” Kishon in Judges 4 and 5 played a key role in the defeat of the Canaanites, who had 900 iron chariots, no match for the armies of the heavens. This is the history of the Israelites, common knowledge to them.
• Judges 5:19-21 ESV 19 “The kings came, they fought; then fought the kings of Canaan, at Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo; they got no spoils of silver. 20 From heaven the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera. 21 The torrent Kishon swept them away, the ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon. March on, my soul, with might! Also note the location is nearby the “plain of Megiddo,” [site of Armageddon].
A modern panorama of the Jezreel Valley from Mount Carmel. The Kishon River/Torrent is in the valley beyond the road. (Pictorial Library of Bible Lands, Israel Collection, BiblePlaces.com)
Ahab had been the witness of the awesome power of YHWH. He had witnessed the slaughter of Jezebel’s prophets. No doubt this had all made a great impression on him. He might have been a bit reluctant to face his queen, who had not witnessed God’s power. Nonetheless, at the moment Ahab seems to be pretty obedient to what YHWH says through Elijah. He knows the valley can be dangerous if there is, as Elijah says, the “rushing of rain.” The word for “rushing” is h1995. הָמוֹן hāmôn, הָמַן hāman.
Some excerpts from the CWSBD definition of this word: h1995. הָמוֹן hāmôn, הָמַן hāman: A masculine noun denoting a multitude, noise, tumult. It often describes the sound or tumult of a crowd of people (2 Kgs. 7:13; Ps. 65:7[8]; Isa. 13:4; 33:3; Dan. 10:6) or of a city (Isa. 5:14; 32:14; Ezek. 26:13) or of an army or troop (1 Sam. 14:19; 2 Sam. 18:29). But it also describes the roar of nature in the rain (1 Kgs. 18:41) or the rumbling of chariot wheels (Jer. 47:3). It especially is used of the tumult and roar of huge multitudes: great armies (Judg. 4:7; 1 Sam. 14:16; 1 Kgs. 20:13, 28); an entire nation (2 Sam. 6:19; Isa. 5:13). … A verb meaning to be in turmoil. It depicts the turmoil and tumult of Israel (Ezek. 5:7; nasb, niv, nkjv).
So Ahab “goes up” to eat and prepare for the journey, and then after further instruction, leaves for Jezreel. [Recall the discussion about JacYa’akovob and Laban and the giving of an offering vs. eating… Look up the wording.] Meanwhile, Eliyahu has put himself in a position to pray, bowing himself down (ESV) “h1457. גָּהַר g̱âhar; to crouch down, to bend” [CWSBD], which is the position of Elisha resurrecting the boy (2K 4:34-35) discussed earlier. As he is bowed down, he is described with his face (or presence) between his knees. There is no other use of “between knees” in Scripture, so all the reader can do is mentally picture an extreme bowing down to the earth.
(FreeBibleImages.org)
Here he prays, apparently prolonged prayer as he sends his servant to look seven [complete] times. Again Eliyahu’s faith shows, with a small cloud as a man’s hand giving him the indication to send Ahab on his way; soon thereafter, “the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain.”
We already noted Eliyahu apparently outran Ahab’s chariot, as “hand of YHWH was on” him.
At the initiation of the Website, mention was made that it is a challenge to know where to enter a closed circle, where one is to begin. Most certainly, it is no less a challenge to know when to exit, there being no beginning and no end. Though there is much more to the narrative of Eliyahu and of Ahab and Yezebel, the purpose of this investigation was to address this situation of the drought and Eliyahu’s role in it. Therefore, any further study of these three very interesting people in Scripture will be for another time. There are many, many more connections that could be made just to the section that has been covered, but hopefully the topic in question has been adequately addressed, and the reader has experienced the functionality of the tools we’ve shared.
Conclusion of the Elijah Quandary / the writer’s answer
The impression that this writer has reached, prayerfully, is the same as that reached by James/Ya’akov, the brother of Jesus/Yeshua, which is that Eliyahu was a very righteous man who stood in the Presence of YHWH. As James saw, he was a man with a nature like ours, nevertheless was prayerful in his relationship with the Father, and obedient. It is this writer’s opinion that he prayed for the Will of the Father and acted in obedience when calling for the drought, just as he did in calling for its end. Eliyahu was one who “stood in the Presence of YHWH.”
However, in doing the exegesis, the writer learned much, and discerned that there was much truth, as well, shared by the rabbi. In particular, it is an impression received that there was teaching not only of the people of Israel, who were idolatrous, but teaching as well of Eliyahu, who, though he stood in the Presence of YHWH, was a prophet of God, and was regularly in communication with him, nevertheless was a man with a nature like ours. He did have, perhaps, some tendency toward the more zealous side, toward the judgment aspect of YHWH, and less toward the mercy and forgiveness side [not as much as Yonah, but some tendency]. Therefore his time by the brook with intermediaries, his time with the widow as an intermediary, helped to teach him more the love and compassion side. Indeed, the “crushing silence” on Horeb, the wilderness time, revealed much to him.
The intent of this prolonged exegesis/midrash was not to convince the reader that the writer’s answer is the correct one, nor to disparage any of the unnamed rabbi’s conclusions. There have actually been a number of agreements in our exegeses, approached from different angles. This writer would like to point out another important line of thinking that has contributed to his “choice” or conclusion. Again, this is GS, not part of the rabbi’s investigation. In looking at the entire chapter of James 5, which is the context of the verses repeatedly quoted, two important points will be shared. Recall when discussing the h0155. אַדֶּרֶת ’aḏereṯ earlier (the cloak), we spoke of the people and Elijah learning, receiving the teaching of the silence of the suffering through the drought. Interesting in James 5, the following verse jumps out:
• James 5:10 ESV 10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of κύριος kúrios.
James speaks of remaining steadfast in suffering. He also speaks of prayer in the midst of the suffering, all of this in the context of our “praying fervently” verses. And just before speaking of Eliyahu’s prayer, he is speaking of praying for one another. Once again we return to the thought of love. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul teaches of the nine manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Wrapping up that discussion in the first three verses of 1 Corinthians 13, he says of all these manifestations, these powers, if there is not love, one gains nothing. It is the time in suffering, the silence, that ofttimes awakens us to this love aspect. It is in this time, as James speaks, we pray for one another in the suffering. Please recall this discussion of the role of “suffering” when we get to the final conclusions.
Remember the example of a professional photographer used in an earlier Post. The photographer takes many, many shots to end up with what the patron receives in the end. We have looked at many many points with this detailed review, and not all will fit into what seems to fit in the context, nor in the overall picture of Scripture. It is after the pieces all are researched that the most important part of the “meditation” must take place. It is only after listening to the Spirit, having reviewed all the threads and details, that a consistent picture will emerge.
It has not been to get the reader to agree with any of the points made in this midrash/exegesis, for example that עָמַ֣דְתִּי לְפָנָ֔י necessarily has anything to do with having the indwelling Holy Spirit [though it may have at least made you stop and ponder]. The point has been to use tools carefully in doing Bible study, always letting Scripture interpret Scripture, and always having multiple Witnesses, and being guided by prayer and meditation, to demonstrate how you as reader can get more from reading Scripture. It is the hope of the writer that a picture has emerged of how incredibly intricately interwoven is this amazing gift, the Holy Word of God, so amazingly so that, as Creation itself, it could not have come into being without the hand of God, whose hand remains in our lives every day. As with Elijah/Eliyahu, we hear the voice of the One when the noise is all put aside, in the “sound of silence.” When we take the time to meditate over Scripture, we hear that voice speaking to us about our life situations.
* The writer is aware that many Messianic believers and scholars understand that the so-called marker of direct object, את , stands for the Messiah, who says he is the alpha and omega, the aleph and the tav. Jewish sages also attend special significance to the את , which occurs even in Gn 1:1. [Munk(1983)] The writer has not researched this and makes no further comment.
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