John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness , etc.] Of Paran, which began near Beersheba, and was the wilderness of Arabia, in which the Israelites were near forty years; this day’s journey carried him about twenty miles from Beersheba southward, as the above writer reckons: and came and sat down under a juniper tree ; Abarbinel supposes that Elijah chose to sit under this tree, to preserve him from venomous creatures, which naturalists say will not come near it; and Pliny indeed observes, that it being burnt will drive away serpents, and that some persons anoint themselves with the oil of it, for fear of them; and yet Virgil represents the shade of a juniper tree as noxious; hence some interpreters take this to be a piece of carelessness and indifference of the prophet’s, where he sat: and he requested for himself that he might die ; for though he fled from Jezebel to preserve his life, not choosing to die by her hands, which would cause her prophets to exult and triumph, yet was now desirous of dying by the hand of the Lord, and in a place where his death would not be known: [it is] enough, now, O Lord, take away my life ; intimating that he had lived long enough, even as long as he desired; and he had done as much work for God as he thought he had to do; he supposed his service and usefulness were at an end, and therefore desired his dismission: for [I am not] better than my fathers that he should not die, or live longer than they; but this desire was not like that of the Apostle Paul’s, but like that of Job and of Jonah; not so much to be with God and Christ, as to be rid of the troubles of life. Ver. 5 . And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree , etc.] Being weary and fatigued with his journey, the same under which he sat; for there was but one, as that is said to be in the preceding verse: behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, arise, and eat ; so far was the Lord from granting his request to take away his life, that he made provision to preserve it; so careful was he of him, as to give an angel charge to get food ready for him, and then awake him to eat of it.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - Jezebel sent Elijah a threatening message. Carnal hearts are hardene and enraged against God, by that which should convince and conque them. Great faith is not always alike strong. He might be serviceabl to Israel at this time, and had all reason to depend upon God' protection, while doing God's work; yet he flees. His was not the deliberate desire of grace, as Paul's, to depart and be with Christ God thus left Elijah to himself, to show that when he was bold an strong, it was in the Lord, and the power of his might; but of himsel he was no better than his fathers. God knows what he designs us for though we do not, what services, what trials, and he will take car that we are furnished with grace sufficient.
Original Hebrew והוא1931 הלך1980 במדבר4057 דרך1870 יום3117 ויבא935 וישׁב3427 תחת8478 רתם7574 אחת259 וישׁאל7592 את853 נפשׁו5315 למות4191 ויאמר559 רב7227 עתה6258 יהוה3068 קח3947 נפשׁי5315 כי3588 לא3808 טוב2896 אנכי595 מאבתי׃1
