1 Kings 19:1

¶ And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.

And Ahab {H256} told {H5046} Jezebel {H348} all that Elijah {H452} had done {H6213}, and withal how he had slain {H2026} all the prophets {H5030} with the sword {H2719}.

Ach'av told Izevel everything Eliyahu had done and how he had put all the prophets to the sword.

Now Ahab told Jezebel everything that Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.

And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword.

1 Kings 19:1 marks a pivotal moment following one of the most dramatic confrontations in the Old Testament. This verse serves as a crucial bridge, detailing King Ahab's report to his powerful and idolatrous wife, Queen Jezebel, about the recent events on Mount Carmel.

Context

This verse immediately follows the monumental showdown described in 1 Kings chapter 18. There, the prophet Elijah boldly challenged 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah to a contest on Mount Carmel to determine who was the true God. After the pagan prophets failed to evoke a response from their deity, God miraculously sent fire from heaven to consume Elijah's water-drenched sacrifice, definitively proving His supremacy. Following this divine demonstration, Elijah commanded the people to seize the prophets of Baal, and he executed them at the brook Kishon, as recounted in 1 Kings 18:40. King Ahab, who was present for much of this spectacle, now returns to report these astonishing and devastating developments to Jezebel, the primary patron of Baal worship in Israel.

Key Themes

  • The Aftermath of Divine Victory: The verse highlights the immediate fallout from God's powerful intervention on Mount Carmel. What was a triumph for God's prophet is perceived as a significant political and religious defeat for Jezebel's agenda.
  • Ahab's Subservience to Jezebel: Despite witnessing God's overwhelming power and Elijah's authority, Ahab's first action is to report to his queen. This underscores his continued weakness and his fear of Jezebel, who was the real power behind the throne in matters of religious policy and persecution.
  • The Seeds of Persecution: Ahab's report, particularly the slaying of "all the prophets with the sword," is the direct catalyst for Jezebel's enraged response in the very next verse (1 Kings 19:2), where she vows to kill Elijah. This sets the stage for Elijah's flight into the wilderness.

Linguistic Insight

The KJV phrase "and withal" simply means "and in addition" or "at the same time." It emphasizes that Ahab's report covered not only Elijah's overall actions (like the fire from heaven) but specifically highlighted the execution of the Baal prophets, which would have been particularly galling to Jezebel.

Reflection and Application

This verse reminds us that even after a great spiritual victory, challenges and opposition often arise. Elijah's bold stand for God, though divinely empowered, provoked a strong, hostile reaction from those entrenched in idolatry and rebellion against God. It illustrates the enduring conflict between God's truth and worldly power, particularly when that power is dedicated to opposing God. For believers today, it serves as a reminder that faithfulness can often draw the ire of those who reject divine authority, and that even powerful spiritual experiences do not exempt us from facing human opposition and the need for divine strength in the face of fear or persecution. Understanding the full context of Elijah's journey helps us appreciate the depth of his faith and the reality of spiritual warfare.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • 1 Kings 18:40

    And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

  • 1 Kings 21:5

    ¶ But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?

  • 1 Kings 21:7

    And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, [and] eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

  • 1 Kings 21:25

    But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

  • 1 Kings 16:31

    And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.
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