838 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And after the earthquake a fire, [but] the Lord was not in the fire,.... As he was when he descended on this mount, and spake to Moses, Exodus 19:1, the Targum, and so Jarchi, interpret all these appearances of angels, and not amiss; the wind, of an host of angels of wind; the earthquake, of an host of angels of commotion; the fire, of an host of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle,.... Through reverence of the divine Majesty he perceived was there, and through shame and confusion under a sense of his impurity, imperfections, and unworthiness, as the seraphim in Isaiah 6:2, and as Moses, Exodus 3:6, and went out and stood in the entering in of the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he said,.... Elijah, in answer to the question put, and he says the same as before: I have been very jealous,.... which the question was designed to draw from him, in order to give him some instructions and directions; which would suggest to him, that though he should not deal severely with Israel, nor with Ahab and his house, yet he would...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Lord said unto him, go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus,.... He is bid to go back the way he came, through the wilderness of Arabia, which was part of his way to Damascus, near to which was another wilderness, which took its name from thence; though Fortunatus Schacchus (x) thinks no other is meant by this phrase than...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel,.... This was a son of Jehoshaphat, and a grandson of Nimshi; nor does he appear to have been anointed by Elijah, but by Elisha; and being done by his order and direction was the same as if it was done by himself, unless he was twice anointed, see 2 Kings 9:1 and Elisha the son of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay,.... Which suggests that many should be slain in Israel by them both, as were by Hazael, 2 Kings 10:32 and by Jehu, 2 Kings 9:24, and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay; which may be understood either literally of the forty two children...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel,.... From perishing by the sword of either of them: all the knees which have not bowed to Baal; that is, had not worshipped him, which was signified by this gesture: and every mouth which hath not kissed him; either the image of Baal itself, or the hand, in reverence of him; which rites, one or other, or...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
So he departed thence,.... From Mount Horeb, and came to Abelmeholah, which Bunting computes (z) at one hundred and fifty six miles: and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was ploughing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth; which may be understood either of twelve couple of oxen drawing one plough; which was a large...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah,.... His heart being touched by the Lord at the same time, and his mind enlightened to understand what was meant by that action: and said, let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother; take his leave of them in this way, which was what was used by friends at parting, see Ruth 1:9 and then I will...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he returned back from him,.... To his father's house, and took his leave, and then came back into the field, perhaps with others accompanying him: and took a yoke of oxen and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen: their yokes, and the plough, with an addition of other things sufficient to boil them: and gave unto...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 20 This chapter relates the siege of Samaria by the king of Syria, and his insolent demand of Ahab's wives, children, and riches, 1 Kings 20:1, the sally made out upon him, at the direction of the prophet, and the route made of the Syrian army, 1 Kings 20:13, the return of the Syrian army the next year, when there was a...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Benhadad the king of Syria gathered all his host together,.... This was Benhadad the second, the son of that Benhadad, to whom Asa sent to help him against Baasha, 1 Kings 15:18 and there were thirty and two kings with him; these were heads of families, so called, and at most governors of cities under Benhadad; petty princes, such as were in...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel, into the city,.... Who there remained, and attempted not to go forth and meet him, and stop his progress, though he must have passed great part of his dominions to come to Samaria: and said unto him, thus saith Benhadad; by them, his messengers, as follows.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thy silver and thy gold is mine,.... Not of right, but reckoning it as good as in his hands, Ahab not being able to resist him: and thy wives also; for it seems he had more than Jezebel: and thy children; which were many, for he had no less than seventy sons, 2 Kings 10:1, even the goodliest are mine: some aggravate this, as if his view was to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the king of Israel answered and said, my lord, O king,.... So he said to Benhadad's messengers, representing him, as acknowledging his sovereignty over him: according to thy saying, I am thine, and all that I have: which he understood of holding all that he had of him, by giving him homage, and paying him tribute; not that he was to deliver...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the messengers came again,.... From Benhadad: and said, thus speaketh Benhadad, saying, although I have sent unto thee, saying: at the first message: thou shalt deliver me thy silver, and thy gold, and thy wives, and thy children; into his possession, and not as Ahab understood it, that he should be his vassal, and pay a yearly tribute for his...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Yet I will send my servants unto thee tomorrow about this time,.... He gave him twenty four hours to consider of it: and they shall search thine house, and the houses of thy servants; the royal palace, and the houses of the noblemen, and even of every of his subjects in Samaria: and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant (or desirable) in thine...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then the King of Israel called all the elders of the land,.... His poor sneaking spirit was a little aroused with the last message, and therefore called a council of the elders of the people upon it, which was a piece of wisdom in him: and said, mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeketh mischief; nothing less than the entire ruin of the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And all the elders and all the people said unto him,.... They were unanimous in their advice: hearken not [unto him], nor consent; promising, no doubt, that they would stand by him.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Wherefore he sent unto the messengers of Benhadad,.... Upon the advice the elders had given him, and encouraged thereby, though in a poor sneaking manner after all: tell my lord the king, all that thou didst send for to thy servant at the first I will do; owning him as his lord, and himself as his servant, and promising to grant his first demand,...