1 Kings 19:4

Contextual Overview

¹Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets [of Baal] with the sword. ¹Forsothe Achab telde to Jezabel alle thingis whiche Elie hadde do, and how he hadde slayn by swerd alle the prophetis of Baal. ¹ And Achaab told Jezabel his wife all that Eliu had done, and how he had slain the prophets with the sword. ¹ And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. ¹ And Ahab told Iezebel all that Eliiah had done, and withall, how hee had slaine all the Prophets with the sword. ¹Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. ¹ When Ahab got home, he told Jezebel everything Elijah had done, including the way he had killed all the prophets of Baal. ¹ And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and in detail how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. ¹ King Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah did and how Elijah had killed all the prophets of Baal with a sword. ¹ Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done. He told her how Elijah had killed with the sword all the men who spoke for Baal.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

sat down 13:14; Genesis 21:15,16; John 4:6

he requested

3; Numbers 11:15; 2 Kings 2:11; Job 3:20-22; Jeremiah 20:14-18; Jonah 4:3,8; Philippians 1:21-24

for himself

Heb. for his life. better.

Amos 6:2; Nahum 3:8; Matthew 6:26; Romans 3:9

Reciprocal: Genesis 27:46 - I am;  Genesis 30:1 - or else I die;  Exodus 4:13 - send;  Exodus 5:22 - why is it;  Numbers 14:2 - Would;  2 Samuel 24:16 - It is enough;  1 Chronicles 21:15 - It is enough;  Job 3:21 - long;  Job 6:9 - that it would;  Job 7:16 - I loathe it;  Job 10:1 - My soul;  Job 40:4 - Behold;  Ecclesiastes 2:17 - I hated;  Isaiah 15:4 - his;  Jeremiah 8:3 - death;  Jeremiah 20:9 - I will;  Jonah 4:2 - he prayed;  Luke 4:1 - wilderness;  Revelation 12:6 - that

Cross-References

Genesis 13:13
But the men of Sodom were extremely wicked and sinful against the Lord [unashamed in their open sin before Him].

Genesis 13:13
Now the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners against Jehovah exceedingly.

Genesis 13:13
Forsothe men of Sodom weren ful wickid, and synneris greetly bifore the Lord.

Genesis 13:13
Now the men of Sodom were wicked and exceeding sinners against the Lord.

Genesis 13:13
But the men of Sodom were evil, and exceedingly sinful before God.

Genesis 13:13
Now the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners against the LORD exceedingly.

Genesis 13:13
But the men of Sodom were wicked, sinning greatly against the LORD.

Genesis 13:13
But the men of Sodome were wicked, and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.

Genesis 13:13
But the men of Sodom [were] wicked, and sinners before the LORD, exceedingly.

Genesis 13:13
And the people of Sodom were wicked, and great sinners before Jehovah.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness,.... 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.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Elijah did not feel himself safe until he was beyond the territory of Judah, for Ahab might demand him of Jehoshaphat 1 Kings 18:10, with whom he was on terms of close alliance 1 Kings 22:4. He, therefore, proceeds southward into the desert, simply to be out of the reach of his enemies.

A juniper-tree - The tree here mentioned רתם rethem is not the juniper but a species of broom (Genista monosperma ), called “rethem” by the Arabs, which abounds in the Sinaitic peninsula. It grows to such a size as to afford shade and protection, both in heat and storm, to travelers.

Requested for himself that he might die - Like Moses and Jonah (marginal references). The prophet‘s depression here reached its lowest point. He was still suffering from the reaction of overstrained feeling; he was weary with nights and days of travel; he was faint with the sun‘s heat; he was exhausted for want of food; he was for the first time alone - alone in the awful solitude and silence of the great white desert. Such solitude might brace the soul in certain moods; but in others it must utterly overwhelm and crush. Thus the prophet at length gave way completely - made his prayer that he might die - and, exhausted sank, to sleep.

I am not better than my fathers - i. e., “I am a mere weak man, no better nor stronger than they who have gone before me, no more able to revolutionize the world than they.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

A day's journey into the wilderness - Probably in his way to Mount Horeb. See 1 Kings 19:8.

Juniper tree - A tree that afforded him a shade from the scorching sun.

It is enough - I have lived long enough! I can do no more good among this people; let me now end my days.