John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward , etc.] From the place where he was, being in danger from Ahab and Jezebel, provoked by his reproofs, threatenings, and prophecies: and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan ; in some wood or cave near it, or among the reeds and rushes that grew on the banks of it; and Bochart takes it to be the same with the river Kanah, on the borders of Ephraim, which has its name from reeds, ( Joshua 16:8 17:9), and Cherith by anticipation, from the prophet’s being fed there; and Adrichomius places this brook in the tribe of Ephraim; though Fuller f364 in the half tribe of Manasseh, beyond Jordan; but Bunting says it runs from Mount Ephraim between Bethel and Jericho, eight miles from Jerusalem towards the north, and so, passing along towards the east, falls into Jordan.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-7 - God wonderfully suits men to the work he designs them for. The time were fit for an Elijah; an Elijah was fit for them. The Spirit of the Lord knows how to fit men for the occasions. Elijah let Ahab know tha God was displeased with the idolaters, and would chastise them by the want of rain, which it was not in the power of the gods they served to bestow. Elijah was commanded to hide himself. If Providence calls us to solitude and retirement, it becomes us to go: when we cannot be useful we must be patient; and when we cannot work for God, we must sit stil quietly for him. The ravens were appointed to bring him meat, and di so. Let those who have but from hand to mouth, learn to live upo Providence, and trust it for the bread of the day, in the day. God could have sent angels to minister to him; but he chose to show that he can serve his own purposes by the meanest creatures, as effectually a by the mightiest. Elijah seems to have continued thus above a year. The natural supply of water, which came by common providence, failed; but the miraculous supply of food, made sure to him by promise, failed not If the heavens fail, the earth fails of course; such are all ou creature-comforts: we lose them when we most need them, like brooks in summer. But there is a river which makes glad the city of God, tha never runs dry, a well of water that springs up to eternal life. Lord give us that living water! (1Ki 17:8-16)
Original Hebrew לך1980 מזה2088 ופנית6437 לך קדמה6924 ונסתרת5641 בנחל5158 כרית3747 אשׁר834 על5921 פני6440 הירדן׃3383
