7. Of course this is the Hebrew word used in Is. lii. 7 ('that published salvation'). None
the less significant, however, in this connection, is the fact that the word is pronounced
like the Name of Jesus.
The period of Elijah's advent would, according to one opinion (Pirqé de R. Eliez. 43), be
a time of genuine repentance by Israel, although it is not stated that this change would be
brought about by his ministry. On the other hand, his peculiar activity would consist in
settling ceremonial and ritual questions, doubts, and difficulties, in making peace, in
restoring those who by violence had been wrongfully excluded from the congregation and
excluding those who by violence had been wrongfully introduced (Bab. Mets. i. 8; ii. 8;
iii. 4, 5; Eduy. vii. 7). He would also restore to Israel these three things which had been
lost: the golden pot of Manna (Ex. xvi. 33), the vessel containing the anointing oil, and
that with the waters of purification - according to some, also Aaron's rod that budded and
bore fruit.8 Again, his activity is likened to that of the Angel whom God had sent before
Israel to drive out and to vanquish the hostile nations (Tanch. on Ex. xxiii. 20, § 18 at the
close; ed. Warsh. p. 106 b ). For. Elijah was to appear, then to disappear, and to appear
again in the wars of Gog and Magog9 (Seder Olam R. xvii.). But after that time general
peace and happiness would prevail, when Elijah would discharge his peculiar functions.
Finally, to the ministry of Elijah some also ascribed the office of raising the dead (Sotah
ix. 15, closing words).10
8. The reader will find, in our remarks on Ps. ex. 2 in Append. IX. the curious traditions
about this rod of Aaron, as given in Bemid. R. 18 and Yalkut on Ps. cx. 2. The story of
the wonder-working rod is told somewhat differently in the Targum Pseudo-Jon. on Ex.
ii. 20, 21 and iv. 20; and again, with other variations, in Pirké de R. Eliez. 40. In the latter
passage we are told, that this rod had passed from the possession of Joseph (after his
death) into the palace of Pharaoh. Thence Jethro, who was one of the magicians of Egypt,
had removed it to his own home. The ability of Moses to read the writing on the rod -
according to other traditions, to uproot it out of the garden - indicated him to Jethro as the
future deliverer of Israel, and determined him to give to Moses Zipporah for his wife (in
preference to all other suitors). According to other traditions, Noses had been for many
years imprisoned, and ministered to by Zipporah, who loved him. It may be added, that,
according to very ancient tradition, the rod of Aaron was one of the things created on the
eve of the world's first Sabbath (Siphré, ed. Friedmann, p. 147 a, last line).
9. We have purposely omitted all reference to the connection between Elijah and the
'second' Messiah, the son of Ephraim, because that line of tradition belongs to a later
period than that of Christ.
10. The view of the Apocrypha on the Mission of Elijah may be gathered from Ecclus.
xlv iii. 1-12. Some additional Talmudic notices about Elijah will be found at the close of
Append. IX. The Sepher Eliyahu (Apocalypse of Elijah), published in Jellinek's Beth
haMidr. part ii. pp. 65 -68, adds nothing to our knowledge. It professes to be a revelation
by the Angel Michael to Elijah of the end and the last days, at the close of the fourth
monarchy. As it is simply an Apocalyptic account of the events of those days, it cannot
here find a place, however interesting the Tractate. I have purposely not referred to the
abominable story about Elijah told in Yoma 19 b, last lines.
Such is a summary of ancient Jewish tradition concerning Elijah as the forerunner of the
Messiah. Comparing it with the New Testament description of John the Baptist, it will at
least be admitted that, from whatever source the sketch of the activity and mission of the