I Kings 19:3
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And Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
We left Elijah at the entrance of Jezreel, still appearing publicly, and all the people's eyes upon him. In this chapter we have him again absconding, and driven into obscurity, at a time when he could ill be spared; but we are to look upon it as a punishment to Israel for the insincerity and inconstancy of their reformation. When people will not learn it is just with God to remove their teachers into corners. Now observe, I. How he was driven into banishment by the malice of Jezebel his sworn enemy (Kg1 19:1-3). II. How he was met, in his banishment, by the favour of God, his covenant-friend. 1. How God fed him (Kg1 19:4-8). 2. How he conversed with him, and manifested himself to him (Kg1 19:9, Kg1 19:11-13), heard his complaint (Kg1 19:10-14), directed him what to do (Kg1 19:15-17), and encouraged him (Kg1 19:18). III. How his hands were strengthened, at his return out of banishment, by the joining of Elisha with him (Kg1 19:19-21).
Open source ↗19:3 Elijah was afraid: The NLT follows the Greek Old Testament and a majority of scholars in translating Elijah’s reaction as one of fear, proposing a reading of wayyira’ (“he feared”) in the original Hebrew. The Hebrew text as we have it reads, “he saw it” (wayyare’)—i.e., the danger in Jezebel’s threat. Rather than a warm reception after the spectacular victory, and a hoped-for repentance beginning with the royal house, Elijah faced a death threat. • Beersheba lay at the southern end of the country. A familiar formula described the limits of the land as “from Dan . . . to Beersheba” (4:25; 2 Sam 24:2).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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So that place was called Beersheba, because it was there that the two of them swore an oath.
But this has all happened so that the writings of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled.
or because of these surpassingly great revelations. So to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
David, however, said to himself, “One of these days now I will be swept away by the hand of Saul. There is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will stop searching for me all over Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.”
Throughout the days of Solomon, Judah and Israel dwelt securely from Dan to Beersheba, each man under his own vine and his own fig tree.
When Pharaoh heard about this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, where he sat down beside a well.