1-а царів 19:8

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).

19:8 Elijah’s determination to go to Mount Sinai took him on a journey of approximately 200 miles. The trip would not have required forty days and forty nights, so Elijah may have set a pace that was symbolic of Israel’s past. Moses spent forty days on Mount Sinai, and Israel subsequently wandered in the wilderness for forty years (Num 14:33-34; Deut 1:2-3). Forty sometimes represented a period of full testing (Gen 7:4; Ps 95:10; Jon 3:4; Matt 4:1-2).