John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 8. And he arose, and did eat and drink , etc.] Of what was left of the cake and cruse of water, before provided for him: and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God ; for so long he was going to that place, though it might have been gone in three or four days; but he went in byways, and wandered about in the wilderness, as the Israelites did, and that for the space of forty days, as they did near forty years; and all this while he had no other sustenance than what he had taken under the juniper tree, from whence he set out, which must be supernatural; for it is said f415 , a man cannot live without food beyond seven days, (see Gill on “ Exodus 24:18”) the food either staying in his stomach all this while, or however the nutritive virtue of it, by which he was supported, and held out till he came to Horeb or Sinai; called the mount of the Lord, because here he had appeared to Moses in the bush, and from hence gave the law to the children of Israel. Abarbinel is of opinion that this term of forty days was consumed in his whole journey to Horeb, his stay there, and return to the land of Israel.
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 ויקם6965 ויאכל398 וישׁתה8354 וילך1980 בכח3581 האכילה396 ההיא1931 ארבעים705 יום3117 וארבעים705 לילה3915 עד5704 הר2022 האלהים430 חרב׃2722
