Elias cometh before Achab. He convinceth the false prophets by bringing fire from heaven: he obtaineth rain by his prayer.
The third yeare of famine, Elias meeting the chief gouernour of Achabs house, hardly perswadeth him totel Achab, that he is present. 17. Achab blameth Elias; but Elias freely auoucheth that not he, but Achab trubleth Israel. 19. By a miracle foure hundred and fiftie falsprophetes are conuinced, 40 and are slaine. 41. Elias prayeth and it rayneth.
1After many days, the word of the Lord came to Elias, in the third year, saying: Go, and shew thyself to Achab, that I may give rain upon the face of the earth.Molto tempo dopo il Signore parlò ad Elia l'anno terzo, e disselli: Va, e fatti vedere ad Achab, affinchè io faccia cadere la pioggia sopra la terra.AFTER manie daies the word of our Lord came to Elias, the third yeare, saying: Goe, and shew thy self to Achab, that I may geue rayne vpon the face of the earth.Post dies multos factum est verbum Domini ad Eliam, in anno tertio, dicens: Vade, et ostende te Achab, ut dem pluviam super faciem terræ. 2And Elias went to shew himself to Achab, and there was a grievous famine in Samaria.Andò adunque Elia a farsi vedere ad Achab. Or la fame era gagliarda in Samaria.Elias therfore went to shew himself to Achab: and there was sore famine in Samaria.Ivit ergo Elias, ut ostenderet se Achab: erat autem fames vehemens in Samaria. 3And Achab called Abdias the governor of his house: now Abdias feared the Lord very much.E Achab chiamò a se Abdia maggiordomo di sua casa. Or Abdia era molto timorato del Signore.And Achab called Abdias the gouernour of his house: Abdias did feare our Lord very much.Vocavitque Achab Abdiam dispensatorem domus suæ: Abdias autem timebat Dominum valde. 4For when Jezabel killed the prophets of the Lord, he took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty and fifty in caves, and fed them with bread and water.Imperocché quando Jezabele facea morire i profeti del Signore, prese egli cento profeti, e li nascose cinquanta in una, e cinquanta in un'altra caverna, e li sostentò con del pane, e dell'acqua.For when Iezabel killed the prophetes of our Lord, he tooke an hundred prohetes, and hid them by fiftie and fiftie in caues, and fed them with bread and water.Nam cum interficeret Jezabel prophetas Domini, tulit ille centum prophetas, et abscondit eos quinquagenos et quinquagenos in speluncis, et pavit eos pane et aqua. 5And Achab said to Abdias: Go into the land unto all fountains of waters, and into all valleys, to see if we can find grass, and save the horses and mules, that the beasts may not utterly perish.Disse adunque Achab ad Abdia: Fa un giro pel paese verso tutte le fontane, e per tutte le valli, se mai potessimo trovar dell'erba, e salvare i cavalli, e i muli, onde non periscano affatto le bestie.Achab therfore sayd to Abdias: Goe into the land to al the fountaynes of waters, and into al valleys, if perhaps we may finde grasse, and saue the horses and mules, and the beastes may not vtterly perish.Dixit ergo Achab ad Abdiam: Vade in terram ad universos fontes aquarum, et in cunctas valles, si forte possimus invenire herbam, et salvare equos et mulos, et non penitus jumenta intereant.
6And they divided the countries between them, that they might go round about them: Achab went one way, and Abdias another way by himself.E si spartirono le regioni, per farne il giro: Achab andava da una parte, e Abdia separatamente dall'altra.And they diuided the countries betwen them, that they might goe circuite about them: Achab went one way, and Abdias an other way seuerally.Diviseruntque sibi regiones ut circuirent eas: Achab ibat per viam unam, et Abdias per viam alteram seorsum. 7And as Abdias was in the way, Elias met him: and he knew him, and fell on his face, and said: Art thou my lord Elias?E mentre era Abdia in viaggio, Elia andogli incontro; e quegli avendolo conosciuto, si prostrò boccone, gli disse: Se' tu, signor mio, Elia?And when Abdias was in the way, Elias mette him: who when he knew him, fel on his face, and sayd: My lord, art not thou Elias?Cumque esset Abdias in via, Elias occurrit ei: qui cum cognovisset eum, cecidit super faciem suam, et ait: Num tu es, domine mi, Elias ? 8And he answered: I am. Go, and tell thy master: Elias is here.E quegli rispose: Son io. Va, e di al tuo Signore: È qua Elia.To whom he answered: I am. Goe, and tel thy lord: Elias is here.Cui ille respondit: Ego. Vade, et dic domino tuo: Adest Elias. 9And he said: What have I sinned, that thou wouldst deliver me, thy servant, into the hand of Achab, that he should kill me?Ma quegli: Che male ho fatt'io, disse, che tu dia me tuo servo nelle mani di Achab, perch'ei mi uccida?And he sayd: What haue I sinned, that thou deliuerest me thy seruant into the hand of Achab, that he may kil me?Et ille: Quid peccavi, inquit, quoniam tradis me servum tuum in manu Achab, ut interficiat me ? 10As the Lord thy God liveth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seek thee: and when all answered: He is not here: he took an oath of every kingdom and nation, because thou wast not found.Viva il Signore Dio tuo; non havvi nazione, ne regno, dove il signor mio non abbia mandato a cercarti; ed essendogli da tutti risposto: Ei non è qui: egli non trovandoti ha scongiurati i regni ad uno ad uno, e le nazioni;Our Lord thy God liueth, there is no nation or kingdom, whither my lord hath not sent to seeke thee: and al answering: He is not here: he adiured al kingdomes and nations, for that thou wast not found.Vivit Dominus Deus tuus, quia non est gens aut regnum quo non miserit dominus meus te requirens: et respondentibus cunctis: Non est hic: adjuravit regna singula et gentes, eo quod minime reperireris.
11And now thou sayest to me: Go and tell thy master: Elias is here.E ora tu vieni a dirmi: Va, e di al tuo Signore: È qui Elia.And now thou sayest to me: Goe, and tel thy lord, Elias is here.Et nunc tu dicis mihi: Vade, et dic domino tuo: Adest Elias. 12And when I am gone from thee, the Spirit of the Lord will carry thee into a place that I know not: and I shall go in and tell Achab; and he, not finding thee, will kill me: but thy servant feareth the Lord from his infancy.Or quand'io sarò partito da te, lo Spirito del Signore ti trasporterà in luogo ignoto a me, e fatta da me l'ambasciata, Achab non ritrovandoti mi ucciderà: or il tuo servo teme il Signore fin dall'infanzia.And when I am departed from thee, the Spirit of our Lord wil carie thee into a place, that I know not: and I entering in shal tel Achab, and not finding thee, he wil kil me: and thy seruant feareth our Lord from his infancie.Cumque recessero a te, spiritus Domini asportabit te in locum quem ego ignoro: et ingressus nuntiabo Achab, et non inveniens te, interficiet me: servus autem tuus timet Dominum ab infantia sua. 13Hath it not been told thee, my lord, what I did when Jezabel killed the prophets of the Lord; how I hid a hundred men of the prophets of the Lord, by fifty and fifty in caves, and fed them with bread and water?Non è egli stato ridetto a te, signor mio, quel, ch'io feci allorché Jezabele uccideva i profeti del Signore, com'io ascosi cento profeti del Signore, cinquanta in una caverna, e cinquanta in un'altra, e li sostentai con del pane, e dell'acqua?Hath it not beene told thee my lord, what I did when Iezabel killed the prophetes of our Lord, that I hid of the prophetes of our Lord an hundred men, by fiftie and fiftie in caues, and fed them with bread and water?Numquid non indicatum est tibi domino meo quid fecerim cum interficeret Jezabel prophetas Domini, quod absconderim de prophetis Domini centum viros, quinquagenos et quinquagenos, in speluncis, et paverim eos pane et aqua ? 14And now thou sayest: Go and tell thy master: Elias is here: that he may kill me.E ora tu dici: Va a dire al tuo signore: Elia è qui: affinchè egli mi uccida.And now thou sayst: Goe, and tel thy lord: Elias is here: that he may kil me?et nunc tu dicis: Vade, et dic domino tuo: Adest Elias: ut interficiat me ? 15And Elias said: As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whose face I stand, this day I will shew myself unto him.Ma Elia disse: Viva il Signore degli eserciti, di cui io son servo: oggi io mi farò vedere a lui.And Elias sayd: The Lord of hostes liueth, before whose face I stand, this day wil I appeare to him.Et dixit Elias: Vivit Dominus exercituum, ante cujus vultum sto, quia hodie apparebo ei.
16Abdias therefore went to meet Achab, and told him: and Achab came to meet Elias.Andò pertanto Abdia a trovar Achab, e fecegli l'imbasciata: e Achab andò incontro ad Elia.Abdias therfore went to meete Achab, and told him: and Achab came to meete Elias.Abiit ergo Abdias in occursum Achab, et indicavit ei: venitque Achab in occursum Eliæ. 17And when he had seen him, he said: Art thou he that troublest Israel?E avendolo veduto, disse: Non se' tu colui, che mette sossopra Israele?And when he had seene him, he sayd: Art thou he that doest truble Israel?Et cum vidisset eum, ait: Tune es ille, qui conturbas Israël ? 18And he said: I have not troubled Israel, but thou and thy father’s house, who have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and have followed Baalim.E quegli rispose: Non io ho messo sossopra Israele, ma tu, e la casa del padre tuo, perchè avete negletti i comandamenti del Signore, e siete andati dietro a Baal.And he sayd: not I haue trubled Israel, but thou, and the house of thy father, who haue forsaken the commandmentes of our Lord, and haue folowed Baalim.Et ille ait: Non ego turbavi Israël, sed tu, et domus patris tui, qui dereliquistis mandata Domini, et secuti estis Baalim. 19Nevertheless send now, and gather unto me all Israel, unto Mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, who eat at Jezabel’s table.Contuttociò manda adesso a far raunare tutto Israele dinanzi a me sul monte del Carmelo, e i quattrocento cinquanta profeti di Baal, e i quattro cento profeti dei boschetti, i quali sono pasciuti da Jezabele.Neuerthelesse send now, and gather vnto me al Israel in the mount of Carmel, and the prophetes of Baal foure hundred fiftie, and the prophetes of the groues foure hundred, which eate of Iezabels table.Verumtamen nunc mitte, et congrega ad me universum Israël in monte Carmeli, et prophetas Baal quadringentos quinquaginta, prophetasque lucorum quadringentos, qui comedunt de mensa Jezabel. 20Achab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered together the prophets unto mount Carmel.Mandò Achab a chiamare tutti i figliuoli d'Israele, e raunò i profeti sul monte del Carmelo.Achab sent to al the children of Israel, and gathered together the prophetes in the mount of Carmel.Misit Achab ad omnes filios Israël, et congregavit prophetas in monte Carmeli. 21And Elias coming to all the people, said: How long do you halt between two sides? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people did not answer him a word.Ed Elia appressatosi a tutto il popolo, disse: Fino a quando zoppicate voi da due lati? Se il Signore è Dio, tenete da lui: se poi lo è Baal, seguite lui. Ma il popolo non gli rispose parola.And Elias coming to al the people, sayd: How long halt you on two sides? If our Lord be God, folow him: but if Baal, folow him. And the people did not answer him a word.Accedens autem Elias ad omnem populum, ait: Usquequo claudicatis in duas partes ? si Dominus est Deus, sequimini eum: si autem Baal, sequimini illum. Et non respondit ei populus verbum.
22And Elias said again to the people: I only remain a prophet of the Lord: but the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty men.E di nuovo disse Elia al popolo: Son rimaso io solo de' profeti del Signore: e i profeti di Baal sono quattro cento cinquanta uomini.And Elias sayd agayne to the people: I onlie remayne a prophete of our Lord: and the prophetes of Baal are foure hundred and fiftie men.Et ait rursus Elias ad populum: Ego remansi propheta Domini solus: prophetæ autem Baal quadringenti et quinquaginta viri sunt. 23Let two bullocks be given us, and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it upon wood, but put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under it.Siano dati a noi due bovi, e quelli scelgano un bue per loro, e fattolo in pezzi lo mettano sopra la legna, ma senza appiccarvi il fuoco: e io sagrificherò altro bue, e porrollo sopra le legna, ma non vi appiccherò il fuoco.Let two oxen be geuen vs, and let them choose to them selues one oxe, and cutting it into peeces let them lay it vpon wood, but put no fyre vnder: and I wil dresse the other oxe, and wil lay it vpon wood, and put no fire vnder.Dentur nobis duo boves, et illi eligant sibi bovem unum, et in frustra cædentes ponant super ligna, ignem autem non supponant: et ego faciam bovem alterum, et imponam super ligna, ignem autem non supponam. 24Call ye on the names of your gods, and I will call on the name of my Lord: and the God that shall answer by fire, let him be God. And all the people answering, said: A very good proposal.Invocate voi i nomi de' vostri dei, e io invocherò il nome del Signor mio? e quel Dio, che esaudirà mandando il fuoco, egli sia Dio. E tutto il popolo rispose, e disse: Ottima proposizione.Inuocate ye the names of your goddes, & I wil inuocate the name of my Lord: and the God that shal heare by fyre, let the same be God. And al the people answering sayd: A very good proposition.Invocate nomina deorum vestrorum, et ego invocabo nomen Domini mei: et Deus qui exaudierit per ignem, ipse sit Deus. Respondens omnis populus ait: Optima propositio. 25Then Elias said to the prophets of Baal: Choose you one bullock and dress it first, because you are many: and call on the names of your gods; but put no fire under.Disse adunque Elia ai profeti di Baal: Sceglietevi il bue, e fate voi i primi, perchè voi siete in maggior numero; e invocate i nomi de' vostri dei, senza appiccare il fuoco.Elias therfore sayd to the prophetes of Baal: Choose you one oxe, and make it first, because you are manie: & inuocate the names of your goddes, and put no fire vnder.Dixit ergo Elias prophetis Baal: Eligite vobis bovem unum, et facite primi, quia vos plures estis: et invocate nomina deorum vestrorum, ignemque non supponatis.
26And they took the bullock, which he gave them, and dressed it: and they called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying: O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered: and they leaped over the altar that they had made.E quelli, preso il bue, che egli avea dato loro, lo immolarono, e invocavano il nome di Baal dalla mattina sino al mezzodì, dicendo: Baal ascoltaci. E non si sentiva alito, né chi rispondesse: e saltavan di là dall'altare, che avean fatto.Who when they had taken the oxe, which he gaue them, they dressed it: and they inuocated the name of Baal from morning vntil midday, saying: Baal heare vs. And there was no voice, nor any that answered: and they leaped ouer the altar, that they had made.Qui cum tulissent bovem quem dederat eis, fecerunt: et invocabant nomen Baal de mane usque ad meridiem, dicentes: Baal, exaudi nos. Et non erat vox, nec qui responderet: transiliebantque altare quod fecerant. 27And when it was now noon, Elias jested at them, saying: Cry with a louder voice: for he is a god; and perhaps he is talking, or is in an inn, or on a journey; or perhaps he is asleep, and must be awaked.Ed essendo già mezzodì, Elia si burlava di loro, dicendo: Gridate con voce più sonora: perocché egli è un dio, e forse è in qualche ragionamento, od è all'osteria, o per viaggio, o almeno dorme, fatelo svegliare.And when it was now midday. Elias iested at them, saying: Crie with a lowder voice: for he is God, and perhaps he speaketh, or is in his inne, or in the way, or at the least he slepeth, that he must be waked.Cumque esset jam meridies, illudebat illis Elias, dicens: Clamate voce majore: deus enim est, et forsitan loquitur, aut in diversorio est, aut in itinere, aut certe dormit, ut excitetur. 28So they cried with a loud voice, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till they were all covered with blood.Eglino adunque gridavano ad alta voce, e si facevano delle incisioni secondo il rito loro con coltelli, e lancette sino a bagnarsi tutti di sangue.They cried therfore with a lowd voice, and cut them selues after their rite with kniues and lancers, til they were al embrewed with bloud.Clamabant ergo voce magna, et incidebant se juxta ritum suum cultris et lanceolis, donec perfunderentur sanguine. 29And after midday was past, and while they were prophesying, the time was come of offering sacrifice, and there was no voice heard, nor did any one answer, nor regard them as they prayed.Ma passato che fu il mezzodì, mentre quelli profetavano, e venuto il tempo, in cui suole offerirsi il sagrifizio, senza che si sentisse nissuna voce, né anima che rispondesse, o desse retta a quei, che predavano,And after the midday was past, and whiles they prophecied, the time was come, when they vsed to offer sacrifice, neither voice was heard, nor any did answer, nor attend them praying:Postquam autem transiit meridies, et illis prophetantibus venerat tempus quo sacrificium offerri solet, nec audiebatur vox, nec aliquis respondebat, nec attendebat orantes,
30Elias said to all the people: Come ye unto me. And the people coming near unto him, he repaired the altar of the Lord, that was broken down:Disse Elia a tutto il popolo: Accostatevi a me. E appressato che fu a lui il popolo, egli ristaurò l'altare del Signore, che era stato rovesciato.Elias sayd to al the people: Come vnto me. And the people coming to him, he repayred the altar of our Lord, that was destroyed.dixit Elias omni populo: Venite ad me. Et accedente ad se populo, curavit altare Domini quod destructum fuerat. 31And he took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob to whom the word of the Lord came, saying: Israel shall be thy name.E prese dodici pietre secondo il numero delle tribù de' figliuoli di Giacobbe, a cui il Signore parlò, e disse: Il nome tuo sarà Israele.And he tooke twelue stones according to the number of the tribes of the children of Iacob, to whom the word of our Lord came, saying: Israel shal be thy name.Et tulit duodecim lapides juxta numerum tribuum filiorum Jacob, ad quem factus est sermo Domini, dicens: Israël erit nomen tuum. 32And he built with the stones an altar to the name of the Lord: and he made a trench for water, of the breadth of two furrows, round about the altar.E con quelle pietre edificò l'altare nel nome del Signore, e vi fece una fossa come due piccoli solchi attorno all'altare,And he built of the stones an altar in the name of our Lord: and he made a water gutter, as it were by two furrowes round about the altar,Et ædificavit de lapidibus altare in nomine Domini: fecitque aquæductum, quasi per duas aratiunculas in circuitu altaris, 33And he laid the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid it upon the wood.E aggiustovvi le legna, è spezzò il bue membro per membro, e lo pose sopra le legna,and he layed the wood in order, and diuided the oxe in iointes, and layd it vpon the wood,et composuit ligna: divisitque per membra bovem, et posuit super ligna, 34And he said: Fill four buckets with water, and pour it upon the burnt offering, and upon the wood. And again he said: Do the same the second time. And when they had done it the second time, he said: Do the same also the third time. And they did so the third time.E disse: Empiete quattro idrie d'acqua, e gettatela sopra l'olocausto, e sopra le legna: e di nuovo disse: Fatelo anche un'altra volta. E avendo quelli ciò fatto per due volte, disse: Fate lo stesso ancora per la terza volta: e lo fecero per la terza volta:and said: Fil foure buckettes with water, and powre vpon the holocauste, and vpon the wood. And againe he sayd: Doe it also the second time. Who hauing donne it the second time, he said: The third time also doe the same. And they did so the third time,et ait: Implete quatuor hydrias aqua, et fundite super holocaustum et super ligna. Rursumque dixit: Etiam secundo hoc facite. Qui cum fecissent secundo, ait: Etiam tertio idipsum facite. Feceruntque tertio,
35And the water run round about the altar, and the trench was filled with water.E correva l'acqua attorno all'altare, e la fossa restò piena.and the warers ranne about the altar, and the trough of the conduite was filled.et currebant aquæ circum altare, et fossa aquæductus repleta est. 36And when it was now time to offer the holocaust, Elias, the prophet, came near and said: O Lord God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Israel, shew this day that thou art the God of Israel, and I thy servant, and that according to thy commandment I have done all these things.Ed essendo già tempo di offerir l'olocausto, si appressò il profeta Elia, e disse: Signore Dio d'Abramo, e d'Isacco, e d'Israele, fa oggi conoscere, come tu se' il Dio d'Israele, e io son tuo servo, e tutte queste cose ho fatte per ordine tuo.And when it was now time that the holocauste should be offered, Elias the prophete coming said: Lord God of Abraham, and Isaac, & Israel, shew this day that thou art the God of Israel, and I thy seruant, & that according to thy commandment I haue done al these thinges.Cumque jam tempus esset ut offerretur holocaustum, accedens Elias propheta ait: Domine Deus Abraham, et Isaac, et Israël, ostende hodie quia tu es Deus Israël, et ego servus tuus, et juxta præceptum tuum feci omnia verba hæc. 37Hear me, O Lord, hear me: that this people may learn that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart again.Esaudiscimi, o Signore, esaudiscimi; affinchè questo popolo impari, che tu se' il Signore Dio, e tu hai convertiti di bel nuovo i loro cuori.Heare me Lord, heare me: that this people may learne, that thou art our Lord God, & thou hast conuerted their hart againe.Exaudi me, Domine, exaudi me: ut discat populus iste quia tu es Dominus Deus, et tu convertisti cor eorum iterum. 38Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the holocaust, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.E scese il fuoco del Signore, e divorò l'olocausto, e le legna, e le pietre, e la polvere ancora, e bevve l'acqua, che era nella fossa.And the fire of our Lord fel, & deuoured the holocauste, & the wood, and the stones, licking also the dust, and the water, that was in the water gutter.Cecidit autem ignis Domini, et voravit holocaustum, et ligna, et lapides, pulverem quoque, et aquam quæ erat in aquæductu lambens. 39And when all the people saw this, they fell on their faces, and they said: The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.La qual cosa avendo veduta tutto il popolo, si prostrò boccone, e disse: Il Signore egli e Dio, il Signore egli è Dio.Which when al the people had seene, they fel on their face, and said: Our Lord he is God, our Lord he is God.Quod cum vidisset omnis populus, cecidit in faciem suam, et ait: Dominus ipse est Deus, Dominus ipse est Deus.
40And Elias said to them: Take the prophets of Baal, and let not one of them escape. And when they had taken them, Elias brought them down to the torrent Cison, and killed them there.Ed Elia disse loro: Mettete le mani addosso ai profeti di Baal, e nemmen uno di essi abbia scampo. E presi che furono, Elia li condusse al torrente di Cison, e ivi li fece morire.And Elias said to them: Apprehend the prophetes of Baal, and let not one escape of them. Whom when they had taken, Elias brought them to the Torrent cison, and killed them there.Dixitque Elias ad eos: Apprehendite prophetas Baal, et ne unus quidem effugiat ex eis. Quos cum apprehendissent, duxit eos Elias ad torrentem Cison, et interfecit eos ibi. 41And Elias said to Achab: Go up, eat and drink: for there is a sound of abundance of rain.Ed Elia disse ad Achab: Va, mangia, e bevi; perocché fischia il rumor di gran pioggia.And Elias sayd to Achab: Goe vp, eate, and drinke: because there is sound of much raine.Et ait Elias ad Achab: Ascende, comede, et bibe, quia sonus multæ pluviæ est. 42Achab went up to eat and drink: and Elias went up to the top of Carmel, and casting himself down upon the earth, put his face between his knees,Achab pertanto andò a mangiare, e bere: ed Elia salì sulla cima del Carmelo, e inginocchiatosi pose la sua faccia tralle sue ginocchia.Achab went vp to eate and drinke: and Elias went vp into the toppe of Carmel, and flatte on the earth put his face betwen his knees,Ascendit Achab ut comederet et biberet: Elias autem ascendit in verticem Carmeli, et pronus in terram posuit faciem suam inter genua sua, 43And he said to his servant: Go up, and look towards the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said: There is nothing. And again he said to him: Return seven times.E disse al suo servo: Va, e guarda dalla parte del mare. E quegli essendo andato, e avendo osservato, disse: Non vi è nulla. E quegli di nuovo gli disse: Tornavi fino a sette volte.and he said to his seruant: Goe vp, and looke toward the sea. Who when he was gone vp, and had looked, he said: There is nothing. And againe he said to him: Returne seuen tymes.et dixit ad puerum suum: Ascende, et prospice contra mare. Qui cum ascendisset, et contemplatus esset, ait: Non est quidquam. Et rursum ait illi: Revertere septem vicibus. 44And at the seventh time: Behold a little cloud arose out of the sea like a man’s foot. And he said: Go up, and say to Achab: Prepare thy chariot, and go down, lest the rain prevent thee.E la settima volta comparve una piccola nuvoletta come un piede di uomo, che saliva dal mare. Ed (Elia) disselli: Va, e dì ad Achab: Attacca i cavalli al tuo cocchio, e vattene, affin chè non sii sorpreso dalla pioggiaAnd in the seuenth time: Behold a litle cloud as it were a mans foote, came vp from the sea. Who said: Goe vp and say to Achab: Yoke thy chariote and goe downe, lest the raine preuent thee.In septima autem vice, ecce nubecula parva quasi vestigium hominis ascendebat de mari. Qui ait: Ascende, et dic Achab: Junge currum tuum et descende, ne occupet te pluvia.
45And while he turned himself this way and that way, behold the heavens grew dark, with clouds and wind, and there fell a great rain. And Achab getting up, went away to Jezrahel:E mentre quegli si volgeva da un lato all'altro, ecco, che subitamente si oscurarono i cieli, e cadde una gran pioggia; e Achab salito (sul cocchio) se v'andò a Jezrael.And when he turned him felfe hither and thither, behold the heauens were darkened, and cloudes, and winde, and there fel great raine. Achab therfore going vp went into Iezrahel:Cumque se verteret huc atque illuc, ecce cæli contenebrati sunt, et nubes, et ventus, et facta est pluvia grandis. Ascendens itaque Achab, abiit in Jezrahel: 46And the hand of the Lord was upon Elias, and he girded up his loins, and ran before Achab, till he came to Jezrahel.E la mano del Signore fu sopra Elia, il quale cintosi i fianchi correva innanzi ad Achab, fino che arrivò a Jezrael.and the hand of our Lord was made vpon Elias, and his loynes girded he ranne before Achab, vntil he came into Iezrahel.et manus Domini facta est super Eliam, accinctisque lumbis currebat ante Achab, donec veniret in Jezrahel.
18:1
Year of the World 3096, Year before Christ 908.
Calmet
Year of his sojourning at Sarephta. As other six months elapsed before the drought was removed, it is probable that Elias had spent them at Carith, James 5:17. (Calmet)
Salien
Earth. God is pleased to withdraw his chastisement, though the guilty were not yet reclaimed. (Salien)
18:2
Samaria, and the vicinity. The people could procure corn from a distance. But Achab is solicitous to find grass, ver. 5.
18:3
Tirinus
Abdias. Some suppose that he was the fourth of the minor prophets, or the husband of the Sunamitess, (4 Kings iv.) or the third of the captains, who were ordered by Ochozias to seize Elias, 4 Kings 1:13. (Tirinus)
Calmet
But this is uncertain. He took care of the persecuted prophets, (ver. 4, 13.) judging it better to obey God than man. (Calmet)
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Haydock
Himself. So Providence ordered it, that the prophet might declare his sentiments to him freely. (Haydock)
Menochius
Achab would go in person, another way, that he might not be imposed upon. He was more solicitous for his cattle than for his subjects. (Menochius)
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Worthington
Face, to shew him a religious veneration, due to the servant of God. (Worthington)
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Calmet
Kill me, as an impostor, or an accomplice of thy escape, if afterwards thou shouldst disappear, ver. 12. (Calmet)
18:10
Haydock
An oath of every kingdom, adjuring all his neighbours to tell if they knew any thing about Elias. (Haydock)
Calmet
Achab wished to make him restore rain, or to punish him for the refusal. (Calmet)
Haydock
How stupid he must have been, not to perceive that God was punishing him! (Haydock)
Haydock
Elias must have kept himself very retired, not to be discovered at Sarephta, which was so near, (Calmet) and where Jezabel's father reigned. But God could render him invisible, even upon the high road, when he went thither. (Haydock)
18:12
Haydock
Spirit. Abdias supposed that the prophet had been transported to some unknown country, (Calmet) as he was afterwards to paradise. His disciples imagined, by a violent wind, 4 Kings 2:16. (Haydock)
Calmet
Thus the spirit of the Lord took away Philip, (Acts 8:39,) and conducted Jesus into the desert, Matthew 4:1., and Mark 1:12. (Calmet)
Menochius
Infancy. This he mentions, that the prophet might take pity on him. (Menochius)
18:13
Calmet
A hundred. Hence we may judge how numerous they were. These prophets were not perhaps all inspired: but they had such at their head; and spent their time in working and in the divine praises. They were the salt and light of the earth, the pillars of the true religion, against whom Jezabel bent all her fury, during the first years of the drought. (Calmet)
18:14
Haydock
Kill me. He had expressed this fear twice before. Elias perceiving how much he was agitated, confirmed him with an oath. (Haydock)
18:16
Meet Elias, out of respect, (Abulensis) or rather to upbraid him.
18:17
Calmet
Troublest Israel? Thus the wicked esteem those disturbers of the public repose, who will not suffer them to go on in their wickedness unmolested. Thus the Jews complain of Jesus Christ, Luke 23:5. Such a war is better than a false peace: and Achab, in fact, proclaims the praise of Elias, who strove by easy means to make the people open their eyes and return to their God. (Calmet)
18:18
Salien
House. Your impiety has brought on this scourge. I only denounced it. (Salien)
18:19
Fifty, attached to Baal, and fed by the king; while the prophets of the groves, or of Astarte, lived at the queen's expense. They imitated the lives of the true prophets, to delude the people.
Calmet
Carmel was long after famous fo the worship of Apollo, who was the same with Baal, or the sun, Josue 19:26. (Calmet)
Menochius
No mention is made of rain: but it was understood that it would be given, when the people should assemble to hear God's determination. (Menochius)
Haydock
Achab durst not therefore refuse to convoke them. (Haydock)
18:21
Calmet
Sides: sometimes adoring God; at other times the devil. (Calmet)
Worthington
Such an expostulation ought to be made to those who are indifferent about religion. (Worthington)
Calmet
You cannot serve two masters. (Calmet)
Haydock
They wished to unite the service of both, foolishly supposing that there might be many gods; as some, at present assert that many religions may be pleasing to heaven. (Haydock)
Salien
A word, not knowing the drift of his proposal. But, as they might perhaps rely that they considered Baal also as a god, Elias puts this to the test of a miracle; being convinced that God would never suffer the devils to prevail on this occasion. (Salien)
Menochius
They might otherwise have brought down fire, as they will do in the days of Antichrist, Apocalypse 13:13. (Menochius)
18:22
Haydock
1:Hebrew repeats "I," to make the contrast more striking. Elias alone was present, in this assembly, as the prophet of the Lord. (Haydock)
He knew that Abdias had preserved 100: but they were concealed.
Men. The other 400 of Jezabel did not appear.
18:24
Call ye. He does not order them to invoke idols; but challenges them to prove their divinity, if they can.
Worthington
By fire. On such trying occasions, it is not tempting God to ask for a miracle. God had given this proof of fire repeatedly, Genesis 15:17., Leviticus 9:24., and 2 Paralipomenon 7:1. He will restrain the devil's power, to confirm the truth, Mark 16:20. (Worthington)
18:26
Haydock
That they. Hebrew, "which he (Achaz) had made;" (Calmet) or, "which was made." (Haydock)
Haydock
The altar of Elias was erected afterwards, ver. 30. The prophets of Baal acted in a foolish manner, (Calmet) as if in jest, but really despairing of success. (Haydock)
The pagans were accustomed to dance around their altars:
Virgil
Pingues spatiatur ad aras. (Virgil, Aeneid iv.)
and some would translate, "near the altar." We might apply to these prophets, the verses of Horace: Dedit risusque jocosque, Dum, flammà sine, thura liquescere limine sacro Persuadere cupit: credat Judaeus Apella Non ego. (Sat. 1:5.)
18:27
Montanus
Talking to some of his prophets, (Calmet) or in deep contemplation. (Montanus)
Pagnin
An inn. Septuagint, "giving oracles;" or, "he is pursuing." (Pagnin)
18:28
Calmet
Blood. Strange infatuation! which has nevertheless prevailed in many pagan mysteries and countries. Thus were Bellona, Cybele, the Syrian goddess, etc., honoured and appeased. (Calmet)
Tebullus
God prohibits this fury, Deuteronomy 14:1. The devil always endeavours to destroy or to injure man. (Menochius) "Ipsa bipenne suos caedit violenta lacertos, Sanguineque effuso spargit inepta deam." (Tebullus)
18:29
Calmet
Prophesying, "acting like fools;" (Chaldean) performing their superstitious rites, and singing the praises of their god, etc. (Calmet)
18:30
Tirinus
Down, by the false prophets, whose fury the people now repressed. (Tirinus)
Calmet
The altar might have been erected, under the judges, lawfully. (Calmet)
18:31
Haydock
Twelve stones, (as [in] Exodus xxiv., etc.) intimating that he acted in the name of all; (Menochius) and in order that all Israel might return with one heart to the service of God. (Haydock)
Calmet
The prophet did not follow his own spirit in erecting this altar. (Calmet)
18:32
Furrows. Hebrew, "of two (sathayim) measures of seed." These furrows Elias filled with water, to impede the natural activity of fire, and to shew the miracle in a more striking light; (Haydock) as also to convince all that there was no deceit. An author quoted, under the name of St. Chrysostom, says that the pagans had sometimes subterraneous passages, by which they kindled the wood on the altar, as if by miracle, ita ut multi decepti ignem illum coelestem esse existiment. (ap. Surium iv.)
18:34
Menochius
Time. So that the wood was less disposed to catch fire. (Menochius)
18:37
Again. This effect he hoped for from the miracle.
18:38
Trench, as if it had been of an inflammable nature. Julian himself was forced to acknowledge this miracle. "This, says he, once happened under Moses, and, a long while after, again under Elias, the Thesbite."
18:40
Adrichomius
Cison, at the foot of Carmel. (Adrichomius)
Haydock
Achab durst not protect his prophets, being confounded by the evidence of the miracle, (Menochius) and the unanimity of the people's cry. (Haydock)
Killed them, by God's inspiration, (Calmet) as impostors, who had deluded the people, and were worthy of death.
18:41
Haydock
Sound. It will as surely come, as if you heard it falling. (Haydock)
18:42
Menochius
Knees, in fervent and humble prayer. God made his servant wait some time before he granted his request, that he might not give way to vanity. The people were not present, so that there was no danger of their being scandalized. (Menochius)
18:44
Haydock
Sea, the Mediterranean, which could be seen from Carmel. (Haydock)
Hence the rain commonly came in that country, Luke 12:54.
18:45
Calmet
Jezrahel, where Achab had a palace, 3 Kings 21:1. (Calmet)
Menochius
He stopped for shelter, as he had not time to reach Samaria. (Menochius)
18:46
Menochius
Before Achab, notwithstanding the king was drawn by horses, (Calmet) and Elias was advanced in years, 3 Kings 19:4. (Menochius)
Calmet
The invigorating spirit gave him such strength and agility, (Haydock) as Jezrahel was 12 or 15 leagues, (Calmet) or about 36 miles, from Carmel. In the Levant, impostors still run very swiftly before the chariots of princes, to imitate Elias. (Calmet)
18:7
Abdias adored Elias as the prophete of God, and a holie man not with ciuil honour, for in the world Abdias was the greater person nor with diuine honour, for that had benne idolatrie. It was therfore religious honour, called dulia, due to spiritual excellencie of Gods seruantes.
18:21
Such zelous expostulation is necessarie to al Nentrals in religion who are neither hoto nor cold, but luke vvarme. such as Angels detest Apoc. 3.
18:37
VVhen miracles are attempted for trial of the truth, the diuels powre is restrayned, & only the truth is testified: Our Lord vvorking vvithal, & confirming the doctrin vvith sig••• folovving. 〈◊〉. vlt.
18:3
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 46.13
… We shall see the fountain in which the eunuch was immersed by Philip. We shall make a pilgrimage to Samaria, and side by side venerate the ashes of John the Baptist, of Elisha, and of Obadiah. We shall enter the very caves where in the time of persecution and famine the companies of the prophets were fed.
18:4
St Cyril of Jerusalem † AD 386 The Catechetical Lectures of S. Cyril 2.13
13. Thou seest that it is good to make confession. Thou seest that there is salvation for them that repent. Solomon also fell but what saith he? Afterwards I repented . Ahab, too, the King of Samaria, became a most wicked idolater, an outrageous man, the murderer of the Prophets
St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 108.13
… women too were suspended head downward and their clothes did not fall off. Paula pitied them all, and shedding tears over them prayed Christ to have mercy on them. And weak as she was she climbed the mountain on foot; for in two of its caves Obadiah in a time of persecution and famine had fed a hundred prophets with bread and water.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 93.6
… Moses afflicted the same people by severe correction when they were guilty of impiety: their actions were alike; but they were not alike in the motive of regard to the people’s welfare,—the one being inflated by the lust of power, the other inflamed by love. Jezebel slew prophets, Elijah slew false prophets;
Socrates Scholasticus † AD 440 The Ecclesiastical History of Socrates Scholasticus 3.8
… At which time the sons of the prophets also, being sought for in order to be slain, withdrew, and were concealed in caves by Obadiah;
18:8
Pope St Clement I † AD 99 The First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians 4
… Envy brought down Dathan and Abiram alive to Hades, through the sedition which they excited against God’s servant Moses. Through envy, David underwent the hatred not only of foreigners, but was also persecuted by Saul king of Israel.
18:15
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Life of Antony. (Vita Antoni.) 7
… ‘Forgetting the things which are behind and stretching forward to the things which are before.’ He was also mindful of the words spoken by the prophet Elias
St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Defence of His Flight. (Apologia de Fuga.) 10
… What will they say, they who are ready to say anything, when they see the great Elijah, after calling upon God and raising the dead, hiding himself for fear of Ahab, and fleeing from the threats of Jezebel? At which time also the sons of the prophets, when they were sought after, hid themselves with the assistance of Obadiah, and lay concealed in caves
18:17
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies on the Statues to the People of Antioch 8
… But not such is the righteous man. Of what nature then is he? Hear: “The righteous is bold as a lion!” Such a man was Elias. He saw, for instance, the king coming towards him, and when he said, “Why is it that thou pervertest Israel?” he answered, “I pervert not Israel, but thou and thy father’s house.”
18:18
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 55
… who said to Ahab, “I do not trouble Israel, but thou, and thy father’s house;”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philippians 5
… but this is not courage, but audacity, and insolence, and an unbridled tongue. Jezebel too reproached Jehu, when she said, “The slayer of his master” ( 2 Kings ix. 31 .), but this was audacity, not boldness. Elias too reproached, but this was boldness and courage; “I do not trouble Israel, but thou and thy father’s house.” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on the Epistle to the Hebrews 18
… ( Gen. xxviii. 20 .) Were Elijah and John then wanting in boldness? Did not the one reprove Ahab, and the other Herod? The latter said, “It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother Philip’s wife.” ( Mark vi. 18 .) And Elias said to Ahab with boldness, “It is not I that trouble Israel, but thou and thy father’s house.” (
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 3.6.3
… Elias, too, when all Israel was assembled at Mount Carmel, wishing to turn them from idolatry, says to them, “How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him.”
Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 12.22
… but it is the opposite when any one casts the words of God behind him, or when he transgresses the commandment which says, “Do not walk behind thy lusts.” And Elijah also, in the third Book of Kings, says to the people, “How long halt ye on both your knees? If God is the Lord, go behind Him, but if Baal is the Lord, go behind him.”
St Cyprian of Carthage † AD 258 The Seventh Council of Carthage under Cyprian. Concerning the Baptism of Heretics 1
Pelagianus of Luperciana said: It is written, “Either the Lord is God, or Baal is God.”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom 24
Such an one was Elias too: wherefore also with the same freedom did he discourse to the people. For as the former said, “Ye generation of vipers;” so this latter, “How long will ye halt upon both your hips?”
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 A Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles 17
… Seest thou not that even these (common) wars are regulated by definite law, and order, and times? For wrath is nothing but an irrational impulse: and an irrational creature cannot possibly perform aught rational. For instance, the man here spoke such words, and did it without passion. And Elias said,” How long will ye halt on both your knees?” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 The Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Paul's Epistle to the Romans 17
… So also Stephen, when he saw the same people again, not honoring him, but mad upon him, and gnashing their teeth, being lifted above their wrath, said, “Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart.” ( Acts vii. 51 .) Thus also Elias, when those armies were present, and the king, and all the people, said, “How long halt ye upon both your hips?” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Philippians 5
… 31 .), but this was audacity, not boldness. Elias too reproached, but this was boldness and courage; “I do not trouble Israel, but thou and thy father’s house.” ( 1 Kings xviii. 18 .) Again, Elias spake with boldness to the whole people, saying, “How long will ye go lame on both your thighs?” (
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on 2 Timothy 8
Cease, then, from this madness, I beseech you, if at least you believe in Christ; and if you believe not, why do you expose yourselves? Why do you deceive? “How long will ye halt on both your hips?” (
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On Baptism, Against the Donatists 7.8
Chapter 8.— 14. Pelagianus of Luperciana said: "It is written, ‘Either the Lord is God, or Baal is God.’
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 2.3
12. “But when ye pray,” says He, “do not speak much,
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 1.11.4
… Along with this Cucumber exists a power of the same essence, which again I call a Melon . These powers, the Gourd, Utter-Emptiness, the Cucumber, and the Melon, brought forth the remaining multitude of the delirious melons of Valentinus.
Arnobius † AD 327 The Seven Books of Arnobius Against the Heathen. (Adversus Gentes.) 4.4
… and where, I pray you, was this goddess Pellonia long ago, when the national honour was brought under the yoke at the Caudine Forks? when at the Trasimene lake the streams ran with blood? when the plains of Diomede were heaped up with dead Romans when a thousand other blows were sustained in countless disastrous battles? Was she snoring and sleeping;
St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Homilies on Ephesians 12
… So great is the absurdity, and yet look again at another absurdity. Why extinguish the object of thy worship? Why destroy, why annihilate thy god? Wherefore dost thou not suffer thy house to be filled with him? For if the fire be god, let him feed upon thy body. Put not thy god under the bottom of thy kettle, or thy cauldron.
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St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Duties of the Clergy 3.18
106. In the time of Elijah, also, fire came down when he challenged the prophets of the heathen to light up the altar without fire. When they could not do so, he poured water thrice over his victim, so that the water ran round about the altar; then he cried out and the fire fell from the Lord from heaven and consumed the burnt-offering.
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 1.18.4
… which bore twelve precious stones and twelve little bells, —the twelve stones which were placed by Moses at the foot of the mountain, —the same number which was placed by Joshua in the river, and again, on the other side, the bearers of the ark of the covenant, —those stones which were set up by Elijah when the heifer was offered as a burnt-offering;
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Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 6.13
… The mysteries which belong to this point are all hidden to you; for Jesus being, whether you will or not, the Christ, did not Himself baptize but His disciples, He who was Himself the prophet. And how have you come to believe that Elijah who is to come will baptize?” He did not baptize the logs upon the altar in the times of Ahab,
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 40
… but join with your defender in prayer, and give me your hand by the Faith. I have three stones which I will sling at the Philistine; I have three inspirations against the son of the Sareptan, with which I will quicken the slain; I have three floods against the faggots with which I will consecrate the Sacrifice with water, raising the most unexpected fire;
St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 41
… And so too the seven compassings of the City; in the same way as there is a mystery in the threefold breathings of Elias, the Prophet, by which he breathed life into the son of the Sareptan widow, and the same number of his floodings of the wood,
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St John Chrysostom † AD 407 Treatise Concerning the Christian Priesthood 1.8
… For I would not call Phinees a murderer, although he slew two human beings with one stroke: nor yet Elias after the slaughter of the 100 soldiers, and the captain, and the torrents of blood which he caused to be shed by the destruction of those who sacrificed to devils.
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 3.6.3
… He directed them to that God upon whom he believed, and who was truly God; whom invoking, he exclaimed, “ Lord God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, hear me to-day, and let all this people know that Thou art the God of Israel.”
St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 3.11.4
… [that God] who also had promised by the prophets that He would send His messenger before the face of His Son, who should prepare His way, that is, that he should bear witness of that Light in the spirit and power of Elias. But, again, of what God was Elias the servant and the prophet? Of Him who made heaven and earth,
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St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Mysteries 5
… When David, too, speaks: “The voice of the Lord is above the waters, the God of glory thundered, the Lord above many waters”? When Scripture testifies that at the prayer of Jerubbaal, fire came down from heaven, and again, when Elijah prayed, fire was sent forth and consecrated the sacrifice.
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St Jerome † AD 420 The Letters of St. Jerome 109.3
3. You may perhaps in your secret thoughts find fault with me for thus assailing a man behind his back. I will frankly admit that my indignation overpowers me; I cannot listen with patience to such sacrilegious opinions. I have read of the javelin of Phinehas, of the harshness of Elijah,
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 The Confessions 3.7
12. For I was ignorant as to that which really is, and was, as it were, violently moved to give my support to foolish deceivers, when they asked me, “Whence is evil?” —and, “Is God limited by a bodily shape, and has He hairs and nails?”—and, “Are they to be esteemed righteous who had many wives at once and did kill men, and sacrificed living creatures?”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 44.9
… Nevertheless, in order to show him what was the true question before us, I answered by inquiring whether Elijah seemed to him to be a righteous man; to which he could not but assent. Thereupon I reminded him how many false prophets Elijah slew with his own hand.
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount 1.20
… They did not judge rashly on whom God had bestowed such a power of judging. Hence it is that Elijah inflicted death on many, both with his own hand
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St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 42.5
5. But since God, Who maketh poor and maketh rich, Who killeth and maketh alive; Who maketh and transformeth all things; Who turneth night into day, winter into spring, storm into calm, drought into abundance of rain; and often for the sake of the prayers
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St Gregory of Nazianzus † AD 389 Select Orations of Saint Gregory Nazianzen 28
… and He who cannot lie is not forgetful of His own covenant);…nor yet restraineth it entirely that we should not again stand in need of an Elias
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Answer to the Letters of Petilian, the Donatist 2.93
… The daughter of a king adopted Moses. David took refuge with a king of another race, compelled thereto by the unrighteousness of the king of Israel. Elijah ran before the chariot of a most wicked king,—not by the king’s command, but from his own loyalty.
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St Ambrose of Milan † AD 397 On the Holy Spirit 2.7
63. In like manner the Lord Himself also testifies that we are born again of the Spirit according to grace, saying: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, because it is born of flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit, because God is Spirit. Marvel not that I said unto you, Ye must be born again. The Spirit breatheth
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 On the Holy Trinity 3.5
… and because at that very hour, in which the servant of God prayed, the air itself had not, by any moist aspect, put forth signs of the coming rain; the divine power was apparent in the great and rapid showers that followed, and by which that miracle was granted and dispensed.
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saw him, he said: Art thou he that troublest Israel? 18. And he said: I have not troubled Israel, but thou, and thy father's house, who have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and have followed Baalim. 19. But now send, and gather unto me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, who eat of the table of Jezabel. 20. And Achab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered together the prophets unto mount Carmel. 21. And Elias came to all the people, and said: How long do you halt between two sides? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. 22. And Elias said again to the people: I alone am left a prophet of the Lord: and the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty men. 23. Let two bullocks be given us, and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it upon wood, but put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it upon wood, and put no fire under it. 24. Call ye upon the names of your gods, and I will call upon the name of my Lord: and the God that shall answer by fire, he is God. And all the people answered, and said: A very good proposal. 25. And Elias said to the prophets of Baal: Choose you one bullock, and dress it first, because you are many: and call upon the names of your gods, but put no fire under. 26. And they took the bullock which was given them, and dressed it: and they called upon the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying: O Baal, hear us. And there was no voice, nor any that answered: and they leaped over the altar that they had made. 27. And when it was now noon, Elias jested at them, saying: Cry with a louder voice: for he is a god, and perhaps he is talking, or is in an inn, or on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep, that he may awake. 28. So they cried with a loud voice, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till they were all covered with blood. 29. And after midday was past, and whilst they were prophesying, the time came when the sacrifice is wont to be offered, and there was no voice heard, nor any one that answered, nor regarded the prayers; 30. Then Elias said to all the people: Come ye unto me. And the people coming to him, he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down. 31. And he took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the children of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying: Israel shall be thy name. 32. And he built with the stones an altar to the name of the Lord: and he made a trench capable of holding two measures of seed, round about the altar. 33. And he laid the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid it upon the wood. 34. And he said: Fill four barrels with water, and pour it upon the burnt offering, and upon the wood. And again he said: Do it the second time. And when they had done it the second time, he said: Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. 35. And the water ran round about the altar, and the trench was filled with water. 36. And when it was now the time of offering the holocaust, Elias the prophet came near and said: O Lord God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Israel, shew this day that thou art the God of Israel, and I am thy servant, and have done all these things by thy commandment. 37. Hear me, O Lord, hear me: that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. 38. Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the holocaust, 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 this, they fell on their faces, and said: The Lord, he is God, the Lord, he is God. 40. And Elias said to them: Take the prophets of Baal, and let not one of them escape. And they took them. And Elias brought them down to the brook Cison, and killed them there. 41. And Elias said to Achab: Go up, eat, and drink: for there is a sound of abundance of rain. 42. So Achab went up to eat and to drink: and Elias went up to the top of Carmel, and bowed himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, 43. And said to his servant: Go up, and look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said: There is nothing. And he said again: Return seven times. 44. And at the seventh time, behold a little cloud arose out of the sea like a man's foot. And he said: Go up, and say to Achab: Prepare thy chariot, and go down, lest the rain prevent thee. 45. And whilst he turned himself here and there, behold the sky grew dark, and the clouds,
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and wind, and there was a great rain. And Achab went up and departed into Jezrahel: 46. And the hand of the Lord was upon Elias, and he girded up his loins and ran before Achab, till he came to Jezrahel.
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1. In the third year, — of the drought and famine brought upon Israel by Elias.
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3. NOW OBADIAH FEARED THE LORD EXCEEDINGLY. — The Hebrews, Lyra and Rupert think this "Obadiah" to be the prophet Obadiah, who is the fourth in order among the minor prophets. Lyra adds that Obadiah deservedly received the gift of prophecy from God as a reward for this kindness toward the prophets: but St. Epiphanius, in the book On the Prophets, holds that this Obadiah was that fifty-year-old man who in Book IV, chapter 1, escaped death as a suppliant to Elisha. But that this Obadiah is different from both of these, I have shown in the preface to Obadiah.
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4. HE TOOK A HUNDRED PROPHETS, AND HID THEM. — Abulensis thinks these prophets were prophets properly so called. More clearly Lyra and Cajetan hold that they were religious men who, having renounced earthly cares, dwelling apart together devoted themselves to divine praises, as the Cenobites do now. In like manner we read in I Kings chapter XIX, verse 20, that a choir of prophets praised God not only with vocal song, but also with musical instruments together with Samuel and Saul. Thus Heman and Idithun, singers, are said to have "prophesied," that is, to have sung psalms on harps and psalteries, I Paralipomenon chapter XXV.
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18. Not I have troubled Israel, but thou, and the house of THY FATHER, WHO HAVE LEFT THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE LORD, AND FOLLOWED BAALIM, — namely idols, and the gods of the gentiles. See here the boldness of Elijah with which he casts in the face of King Ahab the blame and the cause of the drought and famine which he had brought upon himself. The same did Lucifer of Cagliari, St. Athanasius and St. Jerome in letters and books written to the Emperor Constantius the Arian. 19. GATHER TO ME ALL ISRAEL ON MOUNT CARMEL, AND THE PROPHETS OF BAAL FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY, AND THE PROPHETS OF THE GROVES FOUR HUNDRED. — Elijah asked for this, that he might kill all of them; and when they were killed, he might likewise destroy the idols of Baal, and "of the groves," that is of other gods, who were worshipped in woods and groves. There were therefore universally false prophets, or false teachers of heresy and idolatry 850; all of whom Elijah killed partly by himself, partly through the people. For although the Baalites alone are sometimes named as it were the principal ones, yet it is plain that the others also were killed, from chapter XIX, verse 1.
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23. And I will make ready another bullock, — "will make," that is, will sacrifice. For the highest and noblest work which man performs is sacrifice. Thus Virgil: When I shall make (that is, shall sacrifice) to the heifer for the fruits, come yourself. 24. GOD, WHO SHALL ANSWER BY FIRE, HE IS GOD, — namely, he who shall send down fire from heaven upon the victim offered to him. For by this very thing he will show himself to be the Lord of fire and of heaven and earth, and that sacrifice to be his, that is, true and divine. For God was accustomed to appear in fire, and by fire sent from heaven to consume the sacrifices offered to him, as he did in the sacrifice of Abel, Genesis IV, 4; of Aaron, Leviticus IX, 24; of Solomon, II Paralipomenon VII, 1; of David, I Paralipomenon XXI, 20; of Gideon, Judges VI, 21; of Manoah, Judges XIII, 20, and of others. For fire represents the majesty of God. Whence in Deuteronomy IV, 24, Moses says to the Hebrews: "The Lord thy God is a consuming fire." For fire is a symbol of chastity and purity, as well as of divine efficacy, as I have shown through 17 analogies in Leviticus IX, 23. Hence also the Holy Spirit descended in the form of fire upon the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, Acts II. See the things said there.
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And the people knew this, and had heard it both from the Scriptures and from the Levites at that time; wherefore immediately they cried out and said: "An excellent proposal." For by a miracle was this dispute concerning the true God to be decided, as God here suggested to Elias, because Achab, Jezabel and the Baalites were obstinate in the worship of Baal, and would not admit any arguments to the contrary into their ears. 26. WHO WHEN THEY HAD TAKEN THE BULLOCK, WHICH HE HAD GIVEN THEM, MADE — that is, sacrificed to Baal. The Rabbis relate, or rather after their manner fabricate (as Lyran and Abulensis testify), that this bullock fled from the Baalites to Elias, as if it disdained to be sacrificed to Baal and wished to be sacrificed by Elias to the true God, so that by this prodigy the people might perceive that Baal was not God, and might return to the true God, whom Elias worshipped. AND THEY LEAPED OVER THE ALTAR WHICH THEY HAD MADE. — Thus also the Septuagint; but the Hebrew and Chaldean have, which he had made, namely Elias, as Serarius and Sanchez say, who think that the Baalites here insulted the altar of Elias and destroyed it by leaping upon it, and therefore shortly after Elias in verse 30 restored it. The Chaldean favours this, which translates: They raged upon the altar, which he had made, namely Elias. But truly in verse 30, the contrary is rather signified, namely that Elias had not yet erected his altar. Wherefore Vatablus, the Hebrew which he had made, explains by understanding one of them, namely of the Baalites, or their leader, king Achab. The Baalites therefore leaped about in disorder like madmen, as the Chaldean translates, when they saw that Baal, whom they invoked, did not answer; then from shame and anxiety, lest they should be severely punished by Elias, as indeed soon befell them; then in order to appease Baal by this anxious leaping of theirs, to move and as it were compel him to answer: for by this gesture they signified their zeal and devotion towards Baal and his altar, as if they wished themselves to become victims and to sacrifice themselves to Baal upon the altar, and therefore cutting themselves with lancets, they stained the altar with their blood, as
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follows. Similar leaps and disorderly gestures after the manner of Bacchants did the Corybantes, Luperci and Salii among the Romans perform. Thus Salianus, Vatablus and others.
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27. AND PERHAPS HE SPEAKS, — converses with someone, so that he cannot attend to your prayers. OR HE IS IN A JOURNEY, — so that he may eat, drink and feast. For the Gentiles thought that gods, like men, ate and drank, and fed on nectar and ambrosia. Whence Homer, Iliad II, introduces Jupiter among the Egyptians and Ethiopians, feasting with the other gods. 28. THEY CUT THEMSELVES ACCORDING TO THEIR MANNER WITH KNIVES AND LANCETS, — so that they might offer themselves and their own blood to Baal, and thus bend him to answer them. The Syrians, Greeks and Romans did the same, as Apuleius testifies, lib. VIII, Lucian in the Goddess of Syria, Plutarch, lib. On Superstition. Hear Lactantius, lib. I On False Religion, cap. XXI: "Another kind of sacrifice (which they call the same Bellona), in which the priests themselves sacrifice not with another's but with their own blood. For with shoulders cut open and swords drawn in both hands they run about, are carried away, rage." Concerning this Tibullus, where he introduced a woman sacrificing: She herself with the double axe violently strikes her own arms, And with blood poured forth sprinkles the inept Goddess. And her side stands pierced with a spit, her breast stands wounded, And she sings the outcomes which the great Goddess moves. Assuredly the demon, rival of God and envious of man, delights in divine honours, and therefore wishes to be sacrificed to as a god with human blood; thus at the same time he torments those men who are hateful to him, wounds them and often kills them.
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29. AND WHEN THEY (the Baalites) PROPHESIED, — that is, praised and invoked Baal, in Chaldean, raged.
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30. HE REPAIRED (Elias) THE ALTAR (of the Lord) WHICH HAD BEEN DESTROYED. Abulensis, Question XXVII, thinks that this altar was first erected by Saul, I Kings XV, 12, but Saul there erected a triumphal arch, not an altar. I say therefore that Elias, in order to turn the people away from the altar and worship of Baal, had already at God's instigation erected an altar on Mount Carmel, and had summoned the people to it, so that they might sacrifice to the true God upon it: wherefore Jezabel and the Baalites, being angry at Elias, destroyed this altar of his; but Elias here again restored and repaired it.
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31. AND HE TOOK TWELVE STONES ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF THE TRIBES OF THE SONS OF JACOB. — For the twelve sons of Jacob through their sons, grandsons and great-grandsons constituted the 12 tribes of Israel. Elias did this in order to show that he worshipped the true God, and sacrificed to Him whom Jacob and the other Patriarchs and the ancient Israelites had worshipped, and therefore the present Israelites also, as their descendants, ought to follow in the same footsteps and worship the same God. Whence it is added: TO WHOM THE WORD OF THE LORD WAS MADE, SAYING: ISRAEL SHALL BE THY NAME. — Fittingly, as if to say: Just as Jacob, wrestling with God (that is, with the Angel of God as His vicar) and wishing to overcome Him, was called Israel, that is, one who rules over God, Genesis XXXII, so likewise you, if you shall have imitated the faith and worship of your Patriarch Jacob of the true God, shall become true Israelites, that is, ruling over God, and shall obtain all things which you shall have asked of Him: that you may do this, behold ישראל Israel, that is, God shall rule in this my sacrifice, by fire sent down from heaven upon it, and shall prostrate the Baalites: for although they themselves by the aid of their Baal, that is, the demon, could have sent fire from heaven upon their ox (for the Antichrist will do this by the aid of the demon, Apocalypse XIII, 13), nevertheless Elias knew from God's revelation that God would not permit this, in order that He might confound Baal and show Himself alone to be the true God.
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32. AND HE MADE A TRENCH AS IT WERE FOR TWO FURROWS, ROUND ABOUT THE ALTAR, — namely as it were for two furrows, or for two spaces which could be ploughed. In the Hebrew it is signified that the trench was so large that it could hold two measures of seed. For it has according to the house: that is, a sack or measure of two measures of seed, as if to say: He made a channel or small bed dug around the altar so large that it could hold a sack containing two measures, that is, two modii of seed. Thus Vatablus. Therefore some expound it wrongly, as if to say: He made such a channel as that in which two measures of seed are sown. For in this way this channel would have been larger than the channel of the Tiber or the Rhine. For a measure is a Hebrew measure holding only as much as a modius among the Romans. Now a modius, when sown, fills an entire field. Moreover the Hebrews call a sack or any vessel which contains seed or another thing a house. Elias did this, and poured so much water around the altar, lest anyone should think that he had hidden fire beneath the altar, and therefore the fire called down by him from heaven did not descend from heaven, but was hidden in the earth by him, and from there ascended into the altar in his usual manner. Hear St. Chrysostom, homily On Peter and Elias, which Surius recites from the Metaphrast, on the 1st of August: "Attend to what I am about to say, for I myself have seen what I shall say. In the altars of idols there are certain holes in the lower part of the altar, and a certain dark pit; and the artificers of error descend into that pit, and blow fire from the holes onto the sacrifice to accomplish it, so that many deceived think that fire to be heavenly. Lest therefore Elias also come under suspicion that he himself had contrived something of the sort, he poured out water, so that that water might show that there were no holes beneath the altar; for where water finds a hole, water does not remain there, but it is necessary that it flow out through the holes themselves." R. Solomon fables that Elias, since he could not fill so large a channel with water brought in a water-jar, made it so that part of the water poured out from the water-jar touched his hands, and thus by a new miracle from Elias's hands, as if from two fountains, the most abundant waters flowed forth, which filled the entire channel, and therefore in IV Kings I, 41, it is said by Eliseus that water was poured out into Eliseus's hands.
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38. AND THE FIRE OF THE LORD FELL, AND DEVOURED THE HOLOCAUST, — as if the food of God. For victims are as it were the food of God. Josephus writes, in book VIII of the Antiquities, chapter XIII, that this place was consumed by the fire of God even until his own times. See the things said to Isaiah LXIV, 2, to those words: "The waters would burn with fire."
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39. WHEN ALL THE PEOPLE SAW THIS, THEY FELL UPON THEIR FACES, AND SAID: THE LORD HIMSELF IS GOD, THE LORD HIMSELF IS GOD. — In Hebrew, Jehova himself is Elohim, Jehova himself is Elohim, that is to say יהוה Jehova, who first revealed this name of his to Moses, Exodus VI, 3, and by this name was invoked by him and the other Israelites, he himself is the sole and true Elohim, that is God, and the Divine Power governing all things, ruling heaven and earth, from whom therefore we and all other men ought to expect and seek all sustenance and every good; אלהים Elohim indeed signifies God, inasmuch as he has providence over all things, and rules, judges and avenges all things. Hence the Hebrews say the name of Elias was taken, or, as it is called in Hebrew, אליהו Eliahu, who was formerly called Jaberscuah. For Eliahu is the same as אל יה וה El Ia hu, that is, the strong God himself. Now El is an abbreviation of Elohim, Ia is a contraction of Jehova, hu is himself. Thus מכבי Machabi, that is, the name Maccabees was taken by Judas and his brothers from that passage in Exodus XV, מי כמוך נאלים Mi camocha Baelim Jehova, that is, Who is like unto thee among the strong, O Lord? For the Maccabees bore this as it were as a sign and emblem of their battle and victory, placing no hope in their own strength, but all in God. For Elias by the aid of God proved stronger than Ahab, Jezabel and the Baalites, not only passively, by bravely enduring their persecutions, but actively, by slaying them all; thus St. Liduina, who for more than thirty years in very many and most severe illnesses was a wonderful mirror of patience, received this name as it were an omen of future wisdom. For Liduina in the Flemish tongue means the same as broad patience, as her Life has it at the beginning in Surius, vol. VII, on the 4th of April. Thus Mars is called in Greek Ares, because he has a nature that is arrheton, that is, unbroken, unconquered and immutable, as Plato says in the Cratylus. Whence alluding to this etymology Virgil calls them: The unbroken Latins in adverse Mars. Thus Agamemnon, says Plato, received this name on account of the endurance of the labors which he was to suffer; for besieging Troy for ten years he suffered much. Whence ἀγαμέμνων is said as it were ἀγαμένος, that is, remaining greatly in the siege of Troy. Thus Elias the divine athlete is the same as the strong one of the Lord, or the strong Lord, in him and in his works. Benjamin notes in his Itinerary that on Carmel the cave of Elias is still seen, and the vestiges of a destroyed altar; which place was circular, with a diameter of about four cubits. 40. Take the prophets of Baal, — namely all 850 in all, as I said in verse 19, whom Elias by the command of God, as he himself says in verse 36, ordered to be slain; because they themselves were the high priests, teachers and authors of idolatry, and therefore blasphemers against God, whom God had commanded to be slain by Moses: thus Abulensis and others. Hear the Author of the Wonders of Holy Scripture, book II: "For indeed Elias was under that law, which says in Leviticus cap. XXIV, Thou shalt not suffer a blasphemer to live. No man worships an idol unless he has been a blasphemer against God. And through this he who had slain the worshippers of idolatry was purging blasphemers and sacrilegious men from the earth." And St. Basil, homily 20 On Anger: "Him who uses anger as a remedy, for those things which ought to be done, the Lord does not at all condemn. Moses, the gentlest of all men, condemning the idolatry of the calf, armed the hands of the Levites in the slaughter of their brothers. Phinees, using just anger against those publicly fornicating, as was fitting, straightway slew both. Samuel, dragging forth the king of Amalec with just anger, slew him. Thus anger often becomes the servant of good actions. But Elias, a zealot, more than four hundred and fifty priests of turpitude, and four hundred eaters of the table of Jezabel from the sacred groves, with just and wise indignation for the benefit of all Israel, brought it about that they were punished by death." AND LED THEM TO THE TORRENT CISON (where Barak slew Sisara with his forces, Judges IV, verse 7), AND SLEW THEM THERE, — lest the holy land be polluted by their wicked blood, and lest their corpses infect the air, for this reason he cast them into the torrent Cison, and buried them not in the earth, but in flowing waters.
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41. AND ELIAS SAID TO ACHAB: GO UP, EAT AND DRINK, BECAUSE THE SOUND OF ABUNDANCE OF RAIN IS, — that is to say, Now the just vengeance upon the impious idolaters injurious to God has been completed: wherefore God, now as it were appeased, desires to be reconciled with Israel, and to restore to it the rain and fertility that had been denied. For this reason now God has revealed to me rain about to come shortly, indeed I see it as it were coming, and the sound of wind or thunder, which is wont to precede great rain, I seem to myself to hear: for as yet no sign of rain appeared in the air, as is evident from what follows: "Go up" therefore, O Achab, "eat, drink," and exult at so joyful a message of rain and fertility, which I bring to you. 42. BUT ELIAS WENT UP TO THE TOP OF CARMEL, AND BOWED HIMSELF DOWN UPON THE GROUND AND PUT HIS FACE BETWEEN HIS KNEES, — that he might pray to God more attentively and ardently for the rain promised by him, that he might exhibit it immediately. For this gesture signified the humility and attentiveness of Elias praying, and imploring God's mercy with his whole affection: for in this position is the embryo in the womb of the mother, and thus as it were silently showing his misery, he implores God's mercy, that he might bring him forth into the light. Hear St. Isidore, lib. XI of the Origins, cap. 1: "The knees are the joinings of the thighs and legs, and called knees, because they are opposite to the knees in the womb; for they cohere with each other, and are akin to the eyes, the indices of tears and mercy; for from knees the knees are called. Finally they say that man is conceived and formed in a folded manner, so that the knees are upward, by which the eyes are formed, that they may be hollow and hidden. His knees compress the narrow cheek: hence it is that men, when they prostrate themselves upon their knees, immediately weep. For nature wished them to be reminded of the womb of the mother, where, as it were in darkness they sat, before they came to the light." This same thing Aristotle said, lib. VII of the History of Animals, cap. VIII: "Man folded together in himself is thus carried, that he has his nose between his knees, his ears outside his knees."
18:41
Moreover Abulensis hence gathers that Elias, from that time when on Mount Carmel he devoured fire from heaven, and thereby prostrated the Baalites, fixed his dwelling on the same mountain to the memory of so great a benefit and miracle, and thenceforward flocked to him many religious men, who gave themselves wholly to God, to prayer, and to divine things and praises. Whom after Christ imitated those who religiously worshipped God on the same mountain; whence arose the ancient and holy religion and family of the Carmelites. Whence seven Supreme Pontiffs, Sixtus IV, John XXII, Julius III, Pius V, Gregory XIII, Sixtus V and Clement VIII, in Bulls granted to this Order, speak thus of the professors of this sacred institute: "Shining forth as a mirror of religion and an example in brightness, holding the hereditary succession of the holy prophets Elias and Eliseus, and of other fathers, who dwelt on the holy mountain of Carmel near the fountain of Elias." Whence also Sixtus granted to this Religion, that it should venerate Elias and Eliseus as the patrons of its institution, celebrating feast days in their honor, reciting proper offices in their memory, which the Religion itself diligently observes, and in the office itself they attribute the name and solemnity of the patron Elias.
18:42
Hence also Nicephorus, in book VIII, chapter III, asserts that Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, built a temple on Carmel for the prophet Elijah. Indeed, that there was an oratory or synagogue on Carmel in the time of Elijah and Elisha, to which the people would gather on feast days both for the sake of prayer and to hear Elijah, Elisha and similar preachers, is sufficiently indicated in IV Kings IV, 23; and this is taught there by Lyra, Abulensis and others. Moreover, the Carmelites still celebrate the solemn feast of Elijah on the 20th of July, on which day Elijah is inscribed in the Roman Martyrology. See Suarez, book II On Religion, chapter X. There exists in the Library of the Fathers, volume IV of the third Cologne edition, page 725, a book of John XLIV, Bishop of Jerusalem, addressed to Caprasius, on the institution of a monk, in which the institution of the Carmelites is shown to be derived in all respects from Elijah, which book some more recent scholars think to be ancient, and they make the author John, Bishop of the Jerusalemites, who lived in the time of St. Jerome, and was noted by him as an Origenist: but many Cologne Doctors refute this in the preface of the book: and Baronius, volume V, in the year of Christ 444, and Bellarmine, On Ecclesiastical Writers, page 95, who judge the style to be that of a Latin man and of later times. Finally, Solomon mentions this mountain in the Canticle, chapter VII, 5, saying: "Thy head is like Carmel." See the remarks there. Moreover, the name of Carmel aptly represents the state of Religion, both because it abounds in pious institutions and merits, just as Carmel abounds in fruits and produce; and because Carmel in Hebrew is the same as knowledge of circumcision, namely of mortification, sufferings, desires and earthly affections, which is called in Religion, as it were in the proper school of this matter. Wherefore rightly St. Jerome calls all those whom we have mentioned, of the Old Testament, "monks," and in another place numbering himself among monks: "Our," he says, "prince is Elijah, our Elisha, our leaders the sons of the prophets;" which in almost the same words Isidore says, book II, chapter XV, who in the book On Ecclesiastical Offices calls this one and the other and the other prophets "princes of monks." To whom also Cassian openly accedes, book I, chapter II, who says that from them the beginnings of monastic profession were founded. For Elijah without wife, without children, without family always lived a chaste and celibate life: moreover in such great poverty, that he is described as clothed in a leather girdle in place of garments; but he received his food now from a widow, now from a raven as if begging. Hence also St. Chrysostom says, homily 2 to the People: "What, tell me, was Elijah poorer? but for that reason he surpassed all the rich, because he was poor; he himself chose poverty from the abundance of mind, etc., a king had need of the poor man, and with words he had nothing more than a mantle and yearned for it." Adrichomius adds in Carmel: On this mountain there is a cave and a spring, where Elijah and Elisha dwelt, and the sons of the prophets: afterwards there dwelt (and still dwell) there the Carmelite Friars; whence they have both their origin and their name. 43. LOOK TOWARDS THE SEA — The Mediterranean: for from thence in the holy land clouds and rains are wont to arise from the vapors of the sea. Elijah knew from God's revelation that rain would soon come; but in order to comfort the king and people awaiting it most eagerly, and to strengthen them in hope of rain, and that it might appear that God through the prayers of Elijah gives this rain as a singular gift; hence he sends the boy seven times, that he might look toward the sea for a sign of rain, namely a cloud, and when it appeared, report it to himself and the people. 44. Behold a little cloud like the footprint (of a foot) OF A MAN ASCENDING FROM THE SEA. — The Hebrew, a little cloud like the palm of a man; Vatable, to the size of the palm of a man; the Chaldean, a small cloud like the palm of a man's hand ascends from the West, that is from the Mediterranean sea, for this is to the west of Judaea.
18:43
Note: palm is said both of feet and of hands: for in Hebrew כף caph, that is palm, properly is curvature, or concavity both of feet,
18:44
than of hands, indeed even of spoons and other curved things; the Chaldean here takes the palm of the hand: but our translator renders it "the sole of the feet." Whence he translates, "the footprint of a man;" and that more fittingly: for God seemed here to descend in a cloud, as it were with feet, to give rain to Israel and to make the land fruitful. Allegorically St. Augustine, sermon 201 On the Seasons: "Elias," he says, "was a figure of the Lord Saviour. Elias prayed and offered sacrifice, and Christ offered himself an immaculate sacrifice for the whole world. Elias prayed on Mount Carmel and Christ on the Mount of Olives. Elias prayed that rain might come upon the earth, and Christ that divine grace might descend in human hearts. But when Elias said to his servant: Go and look seven times, he was designating the sevenfold grace of the Holy Spirit which was to be given to the Church. And because he himself said he had seen a little cloud rising from the sea, he was figuring the flesh of Christ, which was to be born in the sea of this world." He proves the same thing from the Gospel, when he adds: "Wherefore lest perhaps someone doubt, he said that cloud had the footprint of a man, namely of that man who said: Whom do men say that the Son of Man is? Just as therefore when Elias prayed, after three years and six months rain came down from heaven: so also in the coming of the Saviour, in three years and six months, during which he deigned to preach, the rain of the word of God happily irrigated the whole world. And just as then at the coming of Elias all the priests of idols were slain and destroyed, so at the coming of the true Elias, that is our Lord Jesus Christ, the sacrilegious observance of the Pagans was destroyed." The same things from St. Augustine were transcribed by Bede, Angelomus, and Eucherius. Similar and as it were parallel to Elias was the deed of Anianus the Bishop. For when Attila king of the Huns besieged Orleans on the Loire, Anianus exhorted the citizens to hope in God and to implore his aid, which when they did prostrate on the ground, then turning to them he said: "Look from the walls whether aid is coming." For he expected Aetius to arrive. But looking, they saw no one. But he said: "Pray again with faith: for the Lord will deliver you today." And when they had done so: "Look again," he said. But when no one appeared he said to them: "If you pray with faith, the Lord will surely be with us." But they began to invoke God's mercy with great weeping. Then looking again by command of the holy Bishop, they saw a cloud as it were rising from the earth; which when they reported he said to them: "Indeed this is the aid of the Lord." When the Huns therefore were attacking that city, such a force of water fell from heaven that they were forced to return to their camps. On the following day, while they were trembling and growing weak from the continuous blows of the battering rams against the walls, behold Aetius the general of Valentinian III, and Theodoric king of the Goths, and Thorismund his son came forth each with their own armies, and battle being joined they drove Attila from the city. Gregory of Tours relates these things thus accomplished, in book II, chapter VII. 46. AND THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS UPON ELIAS, AND HE GIRDED UP HIS LOINS AND RAN BEFORE ACHAB. — "Hand," that is strength, power, alacrity, agility for running, as if to say God gave strength, vigor and alacrity to Elias, so that although he himself was fasting, weary and weak from the long contest with the Baalites, likewise from the lengthy prayer, sacrifice and obtaining of rain, nevertheless he ran, indeed he ran before the chariot of Achab, who was driving with horses urged on, to escape the rain. "Elias ran" therefore, so that Achab and the Israelites might recognize that the rain was given by God through the prayers of Elias; likewise so that he might render an honorable service to his king Achab, attending him, going before him and running ahead of him. Similar and as it were parallel to Elias was the deed of Anianus the Bishop. For when Attila king of the Huns besieged Orleans on the Loire, Anianus exhorted the citizens to hope in God and to implore his aid, which when they did prostrate on the ground, then turning to them he said: "Look from the walls whether aid is coming." For he expected Aetius to arrive. But looking, they saw no one. But he said: "Pray again with faith: for the Lord will deliver you today." And when they had done so: "Look again," he said. But when no one appeared he said to them: "If you pray with faith, the Lord will surely be with us." But they began to invoke God's mercy with great weeping. Then looking again by command of the holy Bishop, they saw a cloud as it were rising from the earth; which when they reported he said to them: "Indeed this is the aid of the Lord." When the Huns therefore were attacking that city, such a force of water fell from heaven that they were forced to return to their camps. On the following day, while they were trembling and growing weak from the continuous blows of the battering rams against the walls, behold Aetius the general of Valentinian III, and Theodoric king of the Goths, and Thorismund his son came forth each with their own armies, and battle being joined they drove Attila from the city. Gregory of Tours relates these things thus accomplished, in book II, chapter VII.
18:46
46. AND THE HAND OF THE LORD WAS UPON ELIAS, AND HE GIRDED UP HIS LOINS AND RAN BEFORE ACHAB. — "Hand," that is, force, power, alacrity, agility for running, as if to say: God gave strength, vigor and alacrity to Elias, so that although he himself was fasting, weary and weak from the long contest with the Baalites, and also from the lengthy prayer, sacrifice and petition for rain, nevertheless he ran, indeed he ran before the chariot of Achab, who was driving forward with horses urged on, so as to escape the rain. "Ran" therefore Elias, so that Achab and the Israelites might recognize that the rain was given by God through the prayers of Elias; likewise so that he might render honorable service to his king Achab, attending upon him, going before him and running ahead of him.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
18:4
… The persecution raged above all against the most genuine exponents of the religious tradition, "the prophets of Yahweh," many of whom fell victim to the hatred of the cruel Phoenician woman, and only a hundred could be saved by a pious Israelite, Obadiah, who kept them hidden in caves (1 Kings 18:4).
18:8
… Israelites took the offensive: King Uzziah (8th century) dismantled the cities of Gath and Jabneh and built fortresses in the Philistine region (2 Chron. 26:6 ff.; cf. Amos 6:2), and Hezekiah struck the P. as far as Gaza and throughout all their border (1 Kings 18:8). By the Assyrians the P. too were made tributary; their cities fell into the hands of the invaders, Gaza under Tiglath-Pileser III (735), Ekron under Sennacherib. …
18:13
… to the so-called "schools" or congregations of the pious, directed by E. and by true prophets) and persecuted the Yahwist faithful, destroyed their altars, while she royally supported hundreds of prophets of the Phoenician deities (I Kings 16:23-34; 18:13-19; 19:14; etc.). …
… Many of them were killed by Jezebel (I Kings 18:13). The great prophets also use them for missions received from God (cf. I Kings 20:35-43; II Kings 9:14-11); they sometimes preside at their ecstatic manifestations, but never take …
18:19
… King Asa (1 Kings 15:12-13), the cult of A. developed in the northern kingdom of Israel, since King Ahab married Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians, who introduced into her new homeland the cult of Baal and of A. (1 Kings 16:31-33; 18:19). Jezebel's daughter, Athaliah, who became the wife of Jehoram, king of Judah, introduced anew into Jerusalem the cult of the goddess (2 Kings 8:18; 2 Chron. 24:7, 18), where it …
Baal (Ba'al = 'Lord, Master, Owner')
… Kings 10:21-27; 11:18) and especially on the bāmōth (v. BĀMĀH); cf. Jer. 19:5; 32:35; I Kings 18:20. Around the altars the ḥammānīm were erected and human victims were also offered to B. Such rites, cruel and most shameless, are execrated by the Bible (I Kings 18:19-25; II Kings 10:19; Jer. 19:5; 32:35).
Baal was erected in the capital, while at the queen's expense hundreds of priests of Baal and Astarte who had come from Phoenicia were maintained (1 Kings 18:19). Nor did the favor shown to pagan cults remain within the limits of a syncretistic policy, but it issued in violent persecution of Yahwism, which had already been partially shaken …
… On one of its flat summits (el-Muḥraqah, 514) the sacrifice of the prophet Elijah remained immortalized (I Kings 18:19-46). In vain the priests of Baal invoked fire from on high to burn the victim placed on the altar; whereas at Elijah's prayer the holocaust was completed on the altar erected on 12 stones.
18:20
Baal (Ba'al = 'Lord, Master, Owner')
B. was worshiped on the terraces of houses (Jer. 32:29; II Kings 23:12), in temples (I Kings 16:32; II Kings 10:21-27; 11:18) and especially on the bāmōth (v. BĀMĀH); cf. Jer. 19:5; 32:35; I Kings 18:20. Around the altars the ḥammānīm were erected and human victims were also offered to B. Such rites, cruel and most shameless, are execrated by the Bible (I Kings 18:19-25; II Kings …
M. was introduced into Samaria and the Kingdom of Israel, under the name hal-Ba'al, under Ahab and Jezebel; but he was opposed by the prophet Elijah, in the majestic assembly on Mount Carmel (I Kings 18:20-38). This account, ironically, alludes to certain of his properties, as god of lightning, god of the "awakening" and god of water.
18:26
The false prophets of Baal (properly Syro-Phoenician prophetism) are described in Elijah's challenge on Carmel (I Kings 18:26-29); the Egyptian account of Wenamon (ca. 1100 B.C.; Golénischeff papyrus) and the writer Heliodorus, of Syrian origin, agree with it. Among the manifestations of Canaanite liturgy, in …
18:29
… built in Jerusalem, it was recognized as the only legitimate place for sacrificing (except for exceptional cases of sacrifices offered by the prophets or in places consecrated by a special divine vision: cf. Judg. 6:20-28; 13:8-23; II Sam. 24:16-25; I Kings 18:29-38; other cases are to be considered abusive). …
18:40
Cison (Heb. Qîšōn, "Tortuous")
… Qîšōn, "Tortuous"). - Biblical name of the torrent that rolled in its murky whirlpools the corpses of the army of Sisera defeated by the troops of Deborah (Judg. 4:7, 13; Ps. 83:9) and those of the priests of Baal killed by order of the prophet Elijah in the vicinity of the torrent (1 Kings 18:40).
18:46
… called the Tishbite, Vulgate Theobites, as the Septuagint interprets (θεοβίτης ὁ ἐκ θεοβῶν τῆς Γαλακῆς, I Kings 17:1). Roughly clothed (II Kings 1:8), like John the Baptist afterward (Mt. 3:4), accustomed to the harsh life of the desert (I Kings 17:5; 18:46; 19:3), he carried out his mission under the reign of Ahab (873-854 B.C.) and of Ahaziah.
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.