Elijah was a Tishbite from the region of Gilead in Transjordan and is depicted as a lonely figure with no settled home, roaming through the kingdom, suddenly appearing and then disappearing. He belonged to the company of prophets in Judah and Israel, who were fighting for the pure worship of God and who bitterly opposed all manifestations of polytheism and idolatry. His zeal brought him into constant conflict with the establishment, especially the royal house.
King Ahab continued the policy of his father, Omri, which involved a close alliance with Tyre. Ahab himself was married to a Tyrian princess, Jezebel of Sidon, who introduced Tyrian Baal worship to Israel. While Ahab remained faithful to his people’s religion, he tolerated the paganism brought in by his wife, which attracted many of the people. Elijah first clashed with Ahab when he foretold a two-year drought as punishment for the widespread Baal worship. He had to flee for his life, but returned to challenge the 850 prophets of Baal to a famous confrontation on Mount Carmel.
The efforts of the Baal prophets went unanswered and Elijah mocked them while accusing the people of “hopping between two opinions,” i.e., between God and Baal. In answer to Elijah’s prayer, God sent fire from heaven to consume Elijah’s sacrifice and the wonderstruck people cried out in one voice “The Lord is God.” This was followed by a massacre of the false prophets.
However, when Jezebel learned of the events, Elijah had to flee from her anger and journeyed to the distant desert. He eventually reached Mount Horeb, the mount of God (identified with Mount Sinai) where he experienced a divine revelation parallel to that of Moses; but God came, not in thunder and lightning, but in a “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12). While on the mountain, he was commanded to anoint Hazael as king of Aram, Jehu as king of Israel, and to appoint Elisha as his own successor. He succeeded only in the last mission; the first two were accomplished by Elisha.
When the time came for Elijah to die, he appointed his disciple Elisha as his successor. Then “As they kept on walking and talking, a fiery chariot with fiery horses suddenly appeared and separated one from the other; and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind” (2 Kings 2:11).
Elijah fought for social justice. After his return to Samaria, he found that Jezebel had engineered the execution of the innocent Naboth on a false charge so that Ahab could obtain possession of his vineyard.
The prophet confronted the king with the words, “Would you murder and also take possession?” (1 Kings 2:19) This issue damaged the royal image among the people and Elijah forecast the end of the dynasty. His last recorded prophetic act was his rebuke to Ahab’s successor, the ailing Ahaziah, for consulting Baal-zebub, god of Ekron, concerning his recovery instead of the God of Israel. Elijah correctly foretold Ahaziah’s early death.
Elijah’s powerful personality, the miracles ascribed to him, and the manner of his death soon made him a legendary figure, in biblical times the prophet Malachi said, “Behold, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before the coming of the awesome, fearful day of the Lord. He shall reconcile parents with their children and children with their parents” (2 Kings 3:23-24).
Elijah assumed an important role in Jewish eschatology and was identified as the herald and even the partner of the Messiah. He is also an outstanding figure in Jewish folklore, who reappears in disguise to rescue the righteous in their hour of need and to see that justice is done. He also comes to synagogues to complete the prayer quorum of ten. In Jewish law, insoluble problems were put aside “until the Tishbite comes.” During the Passover Seder service a cup of wine is placed on the table for him and the door is kept open to welcome Elijah in the confidence that he would be arriving to announce the imminence of the messianic age.
He is also associated with the circumcision ceremony, where a special seat is provided for him. At the end of the Sabbath, a popular hymn Eliahu ha-Navi (Elijah the prophet) is sung to pray for his arrival, expressing the longing for redemption.
Elijah also plays a prominent role in Christian and Muslim legend.
