109
* The Jewish interpreters think of a grating in the floor by which light was admitted into the apartments beneath, or
else of a winding stair which he had fallen down (see Mikraoth gedol. on the passage).
110
Hence the names Hanniba'l, "the favor of Baal," Esdruba'l, "the help of Baal," and others.
111
The reader who wishes to study the history of Ekron is directed to the following passages, which refer either to its
geographical situation, its history, or its future: Joshua 13:3; 15:11, 45, 46; 19:43; Judges 1:18; 1 Samuel 5:10; 6:1-18;
7:14; 17:52; Jeremiah 25:20; Amos 1:8; Zephaniah 2:4; but especially Zechariah 9:5, 7. For its later history see 1
Maccabbees 10:89.
112
See the description in Robinson's Palestine, 1., pp. 227, 228.
113
It is a mistake to identify Baal-zebub with the Beel-zebul (for this is the correct reading) of Matthew 10:25. For the
explanation of that term see Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Vol. 1., p. 648.
114
The same deity was worshipped by the Greeks as Zeus apomyios, and in Rome as Myiagros.
115
The word "messenger" in Hebrew is the same as that for "angel."
116
"Thou sendest to inquire" (ver. 6), instead of Elijah's "ye go to inquire" (ver. 3).
117
Literally "the judgment." If I mistake not, there is in our northern dialect also such an expression as "the right" of a
man - in the sense of not only his bearing, but that which is behind it.
118
The original has here some noteworthy peculiarities. First: the captain addresses Elijah as "man of the Elohim" (with
the definite article) - that is, of the national Deity of Israel - not Jehovah. Secondly: Elijah in taking up the challenge
does not use the term Jehovah - which would have been unfitting in this connection, but in repeating the words of the
captain he omits the definite article before Elohim: "And if man of Elohim I."
119
According to ancient arrangement the host was divided into comp anies of 1000, of 100, and of 50, each with its
leader (comp. Numbers 31:14, 48; 1 Samuel 8:12).
120
It is surely a foolish as well as an idle question, how the king had learned the destruction of these companies. Is it
supposed that Elijah was quite alone on Mount Carmel, without any disciples or followers - or that such expeditions
would not attract sufficient notice to lead any one to inquire into the fate of those who went to Carmel, but never
returned?
121
* Canon Rawlinson remarks on the words, "fell on his knees:" "Not as a worshipper, but as a suppliant." (Speaker's
Commentary, ad loc.)
122
Canon Rawlinson (u.s.) aptly remarks that the phrase: "Let my life... be precious," "is exactly the converse of our
common expression, 'to hold life cheap.'"
123
The reference here seems to the captain, not to King Ahaziah.
124
The expression (1:17): "in the second year of Jehoram" marks some corruption in the text, which we have not now
the means of clearing up. The same corruption - or rather probably the attempt o f the copyist to remove it - appears in
the chronological notice of 1 Kings 22:51, as compared with 2 Kings 8:16. It has been sought to remove the difficulty
by assuming a coregency of either five or two years of Jehoram, king of Judah, with his father Jehoshaphat, and this
suggestion has been indicated in the chronological table appended to Vol. 5. of this History. But there really is no
evidence of such coregency, and much against the assumption of it - while it would still leave some difficulties
unremoved. Under these circumstances it is critically more honest and better to regard these notices as the outcome and
sequence of some corruption in the text.