3 Kings 17:1
And Elias the Thesbite of the inhabitants of Galaad said to Achab: As the Lord liveth the God of Israel, in whose sight I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to the words of my mouth.
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- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Et dixit Elias Thesbites de habitatoribus Galaad ad Achab : Vivit Dominus Deus Israël, in cujus conspectu sto, si erit annis his ros et pluvia, nisi juxta oris mei verba.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- Καὶ εἶπεν Ἠλειοὺ ὁ προφήτης ὁ Θεσβείτης ἐκ Θεσβὼν τῆς Γαλαὰδ πρὸς Ἀχαάβ Ζῇ Κύριος ὁ θεὸς τῶν δυνάμεων, ὁ θεὸς Ἰσραὴλ ᾧ παρέστην ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ, εἰ ἔσται τὰ ἔτη ταῦτα δρόσος καὶ ὑετός· ὅτι εἰ μὴ διὰ στόματος λόγου μου.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וַיֹּאמֶר֩ אֵלִיָּ֨הוּ הַתִּשְׁבִּ֜י מִתֹּשָׁבֵ֣י גִלְעָד֮ אֶל אַחְאָב֒ חַי יְהוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָמַ֣דְתִּי לְפָנָ֔יו אִם יִהְיֶ֛ה הַשָּׁנִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה טַ֣ל וּמָטָ֑ר כִּ֖י אִם לְפִ֥י דְבָרִֽי
Haydock's commentary
Elias means, "the strong God." Some Greeks derive the name of the prophet from elios, "the sun," improperly. His parentage is not known, nor even his tribe. Thesbe was situated in the tribe of Gad. The Fathers agree that Elias never was married. He seems to have had no fixed abode; but was sent to the house of Israel, to maintain the cause of the true God, with the most active and generous zeal. He may have presided over the colleges of the prophets, (Calmet) which were then numerous in Israel, particularly at Mount Carmel, (Tirinus) notwithstanding the general corruption, chap. xviii. 13., and xix. 10. (Haydock)
I stand, to serve (Numbers iii. 6.) and pray, James v. 17., and Luke iv. 25. He calls God to witness, like St. Paul, Galatians i. 20.
Mouth. Stupendous power and assurance of the prophet, with which the pagans have nothing to compare. (Calmet)
God had threatened his people with drought, if they proved faithless, Deuteronomy xxviii. 24. Elias begs that this punishment may now serve to open their eyes. (Tirinus)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
Tertullian On Fasting, Chapter IX
I return likewise to Elijah. When the ravens had been wont to satisfy him with “bread and flesh ,” why was it that afterwards, at Beersheba of Judea, that certain angel, after rousing him from sleep, offered him, beyond doubt, bread alone , and water? Had ravens been wanting, to feed him more liberally? or had it been difficult to the “angel” to carry away from some pan of the banquet-room of the king some attendant with his amply-furnished waiter, and transfer him to Elijah, just as the breakfast of the reapers was carried into the den of lions and presented to Daniel in his hunger? But it behoved that an example should be set, teaching us that, at a time of pressure and persecution and whatsoever difficulty, we must live on xerophagies. …
Pseudo-Hippolytus Appendix to the Works of Hippolytus. Containing Dubious and Spurious Pieces, Section XXI
For through the Scriptures we are instructed in two advents of the Christ and Saviour. And the first after the flesh was in humiliation, because He was manifested in lowly estate. So then His second advent is declared to be in glory; for He comes from heaven with power, and angels, and the glory of His Father. His first advent had John the Baptist as its forerunner; and His second, in which He is to come in glory, will exhibit Enoch, and Elias, and John the Divine. Behold, too, the Lord’s kindness to man; how even in the last times He shows His care for mortals, and pities them. For He will not leave us even then without prophets, but will send them to us for our instruction and assurance, and to make us give heed to the advent of the adversary, as He intimated also of old in this Daniel. …
St Ambrose On the Duties of the Clergy, Chapter I. We are taught by David and Solomon how to take counsel with our own heart. Scipio is not to be accounted prime author of the saying which is ascribed to him. The writer proves what glorious things the holy prophets accomplished in their time of quiet, and shows, by examples of their and others' leisure moments, that a just man is never alone in trouble
4. Elijah spoke the word, and the rain ceased and fell not on the earth for three years and six months. Again he spoke, and the barrel of meal failed not, and the cruse of oil wasted not the whole time of that long famine.