EkaYakobi 5:17

Izhibhalo Ezingcwele

17 UEliya wayengumntu oluvo lunjengolwethu, wathandaza umthandazo ukuba ingani; ayana emhlabeni iminyaka emithathu eneenyanga ezintandathu.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Elias: 1 Kings 17:1, Elijah

subject: Acts 10:26, Acts 14:15

and he: Romans 11:2, Revelation 11:6

earnestly: or, in prayer

and it rained not: Luke 4:25

Reciprocal: Genesis 18:23 - drew Genesis 41:30 - seven years Exodus 9:33 - and the thunders Leviticus 26:4 - Then I Deuteronomy 9:19 - But the 2 Samuel 18:33 - would God 1 Kings 8:36 - give rain 1 Kings 18:1 - after many days 1 Kings 18:37 - Hear me 2 Kings 19:4 - lift up 2 Chronicles 6:27 - send rain Job 12:15 - Behold Job 37:12 - that Psalms 147:8 - prepareth Jeremiah 5:24 - that giveth Amos 4:7 - I have Zechariah 14:17 - even Luke 9:30 - Elias Acts 14:17 - and gave 2 Corinthians 7:7 - earnest

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are,.... The apostle gives an instance of earnest and fervent prayer, and of the efficacy of it in Elias; who is the same with the prophet Elijah, or Elijah the Tishbite; who, by the Septuagint in Malachi 4:5 is called Elias, as here, and elsewhere, in the New Testament: of him James says, that he was a "man", contrary to the notion of some of the Jewish writers, who affirm, that Elijah was not born of a father and mother, but was an angel, who was clothed with the four elements of the world e; but he was not only born, but born in sin, as others are, and was by nature no better than others; and he himself confesses that he was no better than his fathers, 1 Kings 19:4. And the apostle further observes; concerning him, that be was "subject to like passions as we are"; both in body and soul; he was subject to hunger and weariness, and was fed by ravens, and by the widow of Zarephath, and by an angel; and he was subject to reproach, affliction, and persecution, being charged by Ahab as a troubler of Israel, and persecuted by Jezebel, who sought his life; he was a mortal man, and liable to death, and requested to die, and must have died, had it not been for the wonderful power of God, which translated him, that he should not see death; and he was not free from sinful passions, as impatience, fear, and unbelief,

1 Kings 17:20. And he prayed earnestly; or prayed in prayer; an Hebraism: it is said f of one, that צלי צלותיה, "he prayed his prayer"; and of others, that צלאן צלותין, "they prayed prayers"; though the phrase here seems to design something more than bare praying; a praying, not merely externally, or formally, and with the lip only, but with the Spirit, and with the understanding, and with the heart engaged in it, with inwrought prayer. The prophet prayed with much earnestness, with great vehemence and intenseness of Spirit, as this Hebraism denotes; his prayer was fervent, and it was constant, and importunate, and was continued till he had an answer: he may be thought to have prayed each of the seven times he sent his servant to look out for a sign of rain, 1 Kings 18:43, he first prayed,

that it might not rain; this is not recorded in express words, but may be gathered from 1 Kings 17:1 where he says, "as the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew, nor rain, these years, but according to my word"; so the passage is understood by the Jewish interpreters: the phrase, "before whom I stand", is paraphrased by one of them g thus; before whom I am used to stand, בתפילה, "in prayer"; and it is a common saying with the Jews, there is no standing ever mentioned, but prayer is intended;

1 Kings 17:1- : And the other phrase, "according to my word", is, by another h, interpreted to this sense, that the rain should not descend naturally, according to the custom of the world, but it should descend when Elijah יתפלל עליו, "prayed for it", and so it was:

and it rained not on the earth: on the land of Israel, which is only meant; it rained in other parts of the world, for the drought in those times was not universal: and this was,

by the space of three years and six months; which exactly agrees with the words of Christ, Luke 4:25 and this was in judgment upon the land of Israel, for the idolatry it was filled with in the times of Ahab: and this instance of prayer is mentioned, not with a view that it should be imitated; we are not to pray for judgments, unless we have a divine order for it, as Elijah had; but to show the efficacy of prayer made according to the will of God.

e Zohar in Gen. fol. 31. 1. & Imre Binah in ib. f Ib. in Exod. fol. 4. 2. & in Numb. fol. 79. 2. g R. David, Kimchi in loc. h Vid. Laniado in loc.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Elias - The common way of writing the word “Elijah” in the New Testament, Matthew 11:14; Matthew 16:14; Matthew 17:3, etc.

Was a man subject to like passions as we are - This does not mean that Elijah was passionate in the sense in which that word is now commonly used; that is, that he was excitable or irritable, or that he was the victim of the same corrupt passions and propensities to which other men are subject; but that he was like affected; that he was capable of suffering the same things, or being affected in the same manner. In other words, he was a mere man, subject to the same weaknesses and infirmities as other men. Compare the notes at Acts 14:15. The apostle is illustrating the efficacy of prayer. In doing this, he refers to an undoubted case where prayer had such efficacy. But to this it might be objected that Elijah was a distinguished prophet, and that it was reasonable to suppose that his prayer would be heard. It might be said that his example could not be adduced to prove that the prayers of those who were not favored with such advantages would be heard; and especially that it could not be argued from his case that the prayers of the ignorant, and of the weak, and of children and of servants, would be answered. To meet this, the apostle says that he was a mere man, with the same natural propensities and infirmities as other men, and that therefore his case is one which should encourage all to pray. It was an instance of the efficacy of prayer, and not an illustration of the power of a prophet.

And he prayed earnestly - Greek, “He prayed with prayer” - a Hebraism, to denote that he prayed earnestly. Compare Luke 22:15. This manner of speaking is common in Hebrew. Compare 1 Samuel 26:25; Psalms 118:18; Lamentations 1:2. The reference here is undoubtedly to 1 Kings 17:1. In that place, however, it is not said that Elijah prayed, but that he said, “As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these three years, but according to my word.” Either James interprets this as a prayer, because it could be accomplished only by prayer, or he states what had been banded down by tradition as the way in which the miracle was effected. There can be no reasonable doubt that prayer was employed in the case, for even the miracles of the Saviour were accomplished in connection with prayer, John 11:41-42.

That it might not rain - Not to gratify any private resentment of his, but as a punishment on the land for the idolatry which prevailed in the time of Ahab. Famine was one of the principal methods by which God punished his people for their sins.

And it rained not on the earth - On the land of Palestine, for so the word earth is frequently understood in the Bible. See the notes at Luke 2:1. There is no reason to suppose that the famine extended beyond the country that was subject to Ahab.

By the space - For the time.

Of three years and six months - See this explained in the notes at Luke 4:25. Compare Lightfoot, Horae Hebraicae, on Luke 4:25.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 17. Elias was a man subject to like passions — This was Elijah, and a consistency between the names of the same persons as expressed in the Old and the New Testaments should be kept up.

The word ομοιοπαθης signifies of the same constitution, a human being just as ourselves are. See the same phrase and its explanation in Acts 14:15, and the note there. There was some reason to apprehend that because Elijah was translated, that therefore he was more than human, and if so, his example could be no pattern for us; and as the design of St. James was to excite men to pray, expecting the Divine interference whenever that should be necessary, therefore he tells them that Elijah was a man like themselves, of the same constitution, liable to the same accidents, and needing the same supports.

And he prayed earnestly — προσευχη προσηυξατο. He prayed with prayer; a Hebraism for, he prayed fervently.

That it might not rain — See this history, 1 Kings 17:1, c.

And it rained not on the earth — επι της γης. On that land, viz. the land of Judea for this drought did not extend elsewhere.

Three years and six months. — This is the term mentioned by our Lord, Luke 4:25; but this is not specified in the original history. In 1 Kings 18:1, it is said, In the third year the word of the Lord came to Elijah, that is, concerning the rain; but this third year is to be computed from the time of his going to live at Zarephath, which happened many days after the drought began, as is plain from this, that he remained at the brook Cherith till it was dried up, and then went to Zarephath, in the country of Zidon; 1 Kings 17:7-9. Therefore the three years and six months must be computed from his denouncing the drought, at which time that judgment commenced. Macknight.