ELIJAH, who is sometimes denominated Elias, was one of the most distinguished of the Jewish prophets, and surnamed the Tishbite, probably from the district in which he was born. He entered upon his prophetic office about 920 years before Christ, in the reign of wicked Ahab, by whom the Sidonian idolatry was introduced amongst the Israelites. The prophet was commissioned to appear before this impious prince, and to threaten the country with a long drought as a punishment for his crimes. The indignation of Ahab was so great against the prophet for this prediction, that he resolved to punish him in a signal manner; but Elijah eluded his vengeance by withdrawing at the divine command, to a secret place, where he was supplied with provisions by a raven commissioned by heaven. He was afterwards ordered to go to Sarepta, in the territory of Sidon, where, in the house of an indigent widow, whose son he restored to life, the prophet was again supported in a miraculous manner.

When the three years of famine, occasioned by the continued drought, had expired, Elijah was commanded to appear before the king, and exhort him to that genuine repentance which an interposition of the deity so very remarkable unquestionably called for. He had an interview with Obadiah, the governor of the king’s house, who was a religious man, and had frequently, at the hazard of his own life, screened many from the vengeance of Jezebel the queen. Inspired with dauntless fortitude, the prophet said to Obadiah, “Go, tell thy lord, behold Elijah is here.” The good man’s regard for the prophet was so great that he was afraid to deliver this message, alleging that Ahab had used every effort to discover the prophet’s retreat. The king was however informed of his coming; and the first interview was distinguished by invectives on the part of the intrepid prophet and the proud sovereign, the formcr giving a promise of rain on the following terms: The priests of the Sidonian gods, and an assembly of the people of Israel, were to meet on Mount Carmel, where the prophet Elijah intended to give an incontestible proof of the almighty power of the God of Israel, and the total insignificance of the Sidonian divinities. For a detailed account of this memorable experiment, we must refer our readers to the book of Kings, as an abridgment of such a beautiful narration would do it manifest injury. It produced the fullest conviction in the minds of the Israelites that Jehovah alone was entitled to adoration; and the priests of Baal were instantaneously put to death, as the most abominable perverters of the divine law.

This was followed by abundance of rain, in answer to the devout prayers of the prophet; but his glorious triumph over idolatry so exasperated Jezebel, that she resolved to murder the prophet, who, in order to avoid her rage, fled into the wilderness, till the deity again employed him in the honourable but often hazardous duties of a prophet. He afterwards foretold that Hazael should be king of Syria, and Jehu king over Israel; and he appointed Elisha the son of Shaphat to be his own successor. He denounced dreadful judgments against Ahab and his wicked queen Jezebel; but those which respected the king were not executed during his life, on account of the genuine repentance which he discovered. The successor of Ahab having been confined to bed in consequence of an accident, the god of Ekron was consulted relative to his recovery, a circumstance which induced the prophet to declare that he should assuredly die. The king being informed that it was Elijah who dared to send such a message, dispatched a captain and fifty men to bring him by force into the royal presence; but they were destroyed by fire from heaven, and a second company shared the same fate. A third company confessed the visible interference of heaven in the prophet’s behalf, the captain throwing himself on the mercy of Elijah, who went with him to the king. In the royal presence he undauntedly repeated the same denunciation against the idolatrous monarch, which was very soon accomplished; and not long after this the holy prophet, having, by the divine command, divided asunder the waves of Jordan, dropped his prophetic mantle to the astonished Elisha, took the flaming chariot commissioned for his reception, and ascended in majesty to heaven.