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Elijah

January 08, 2024

This article is about the prophet. For other uses, see Elijah (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Elisha or Elishah.

Elijah (/ɪˈlaɪdʒə/ il-EYE-jə; Hebrew: אֵלִיָּהוּ, romanized: ʾĒlīyyāhū, meaning "My God is Yahweh[9]/YHWH";[10][11] Greek form: Elias[a] /ɪˈlaɪəs/ il-EYE-əs) was, according to the Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible, a prophet and a miracle worker who lived in the northern kingdom of Israel[12] during the reign of King Ahab (9th century BC).

Elijah
Prophet Elijah detailed in the Madonna and Child with Saints by Andrea di Bonaiuto
  • Prophet
  • Father of Carmelites
Bornc. 900 BC
possibly Tishbe
Diedc. 849 BC[1]
near Jericho
Venerated in
Feast20 July (Catholic Church,[3] Eastern Orthodox Church,[4] and the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod[5])
Patronage

In 1 Kings 18, Elijah defended the worship of the Hebrew God over that of the Canaanite deity Baal. God also performed many miracles through Elijah, including resurrection, bringing fire down from the sky, and entering heaven alive "by fire."[13] He is also portrayed as leading a school of prophets known as "the sons of the prophets."[14] Following his ascension, Elisha, his disciple and most devoted assistant, took over his role as leader of this school. The Book of Malachi prophesies Elijah's return "before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD,"[15] making him a harbinger of the Messiah and of the eschaton in various faiths that revere the Hebrew Bible. References to Elijah appear in Sirach, the New Testament, the Mishnah and Talmud, the Quran, the Book of Mormon, and Baháʼí writings.

In Judaism, Elijah's name is invoked at the weekly Havdalah rite that marks the end of Shabbat, and Elijah is invoked in other Jewish customs, among them the Passover Seder and the brit milah (ritual circumcision). He appears in numerous stories and references in the Haggadah and rabbinic literature, including the Babylonian Talmud. According to some Jewish interpretations, Elijah will return during the End of Times.[16]

The Christian New Testament notes that some people thought that Jesus was, in some sense, Elijah,[17] but it also makes clear that John the Baptist is "the Elijah" who was promised to come in Malachi 3:1; 4:5.[18] According to accounts in all three of the Synoptic Gospels, Elijah appeared with Moses during the Transfiguration of Jesus.

Elijah in Islam appears in the Quran as a prophet and messenger of God, where his biblical narrative of preaching against the worshipers of Baal is recounted in a concise form.[19]

Due to his importance to Muslims, Catholics, and Orthodox Christians, Elijah has been venerated as the patron saint of Bosnia and Herzegovina since 1752.

Biblical accounts edit

 
Map of Israel as it was in the 9th century BC. Blue is the Kingdom of Israel. Golden yellow is the Kingdom of Judah.[20]

According to the Bible, by the 9th century BC, the Kingdom of Israel, once united under Solomon, had been divided into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah (which retained the historical capital of Jerusalem along with its Temple). Omri, King of Israel, continued policies dating from the reign of Jeroboam, contrary to religious law, that were intended to reorient religious focus away from Jerusalem: encouraging the building of local temple altars for sacrifices, appointing priests from outside the family of the Levites, and allowing or encouraging temples dedicated to Baal, an important deity in ancient Canaanite religion.[21][22] Omri achieved domestic security with a marriage alliance between his son Ahab and princess Jezebel, a worshipper of Baal and the daughter of the king of Sidon in Phoenicia.[b] These solutions brought security and economic prosperity to Israel for a time,[25] but did not bring peace with the Israelite prophets, who advocated a strict deuteronomic interpretation of the religious law.

Under Ahab's kingship tensions exacerbated. Ahab built a temple for Baal, and his wife Jezebel brought a large entourage of priests and prophets of Baal and Asherah into the country. In this context Elijah is introduced in 1 Kings 17:1 as Elijah "the Tishbite." He warns Ahab that there will be years of catastrophic drought so severe that not even dew will form, because Ahab and his queen stand at the end of a line of kings of Israel who are said to have "done evil in the sight of the Lord."

Books of Kings edit

No background for the person of Elijah is given except for his brief characterization as a Tishbite. His name in Hebrew means "My God is Yahweh," and may be a title applied to him because of his challenge to worship of Baal.[26][27][28][29][30]

As told in the Hebrew Bible, Elijah's challenge is bold and direct. Baal was the Canaanite god responsible for rain, thunder, lightning, and dew. Elijah thus, when he initially announces the drought, not only challenges Baal on behalf of God himself, but he also challenges Jezebel, her priests, Ahab and the people of Israel.[31]

 
Elijah in the wilderness, by Washington Allston

Widow of Zarephath edit

Main article: Raising of the son of the widow of Zarephath

After Elijah's confrontation with Ahab, God tells him to flee out of Israel, to a hiding place by the brook Chorath, east of the Jordan, where he will be fed by ravens.[32][20] When the brook dries up, God sends him to a widow living in the town of Zarephath in Phoenicia.

When Elijah finds her, he asks her for some water and a piece of bread, but she says that she does not have sufficient food to keep her and her own son alive. Elijah tells her that God will not allow her supply of flour or oil to run out, saying, "Do not be afraid ... For thus says the Lord the God of Israel: The jar of flour will not be used up, and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land."[33] She feeds him the last of their food, and Elijah's promise miraculously comes true.

 
Elijah reviving the Son of the Widow of Zarephath by Louis Hersent

Some time later the widow's son dies and the widow cries, "You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to cause the death of my son!"[34] Elijah prays that God might restore her son so that the trustworthiness of God's word might be demonstrated, and "[God] listened to the voice of Elijah; the life of the child came into him again, and he revived."[35] This is the first instance of raising the dead recorded in Scripture. The widow cried, "the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth."[36]

After more than three years of drought and famine, God tells Elijah to return to Ahab and announce the end of the drought. While on his way, Elijah meets Obadiah, the head of Ahab's household, who had hidden a hundred Jewish prophets from Jezebel's violent purge. Obadiah fears that when he reports to Ahab about Elijah's whereabouts, Elijah would disappear, provoking Ahab to execute him. Elijah reassures Obadiah and sends him to Ahab.

Challenge to Baal edit

 
Elijah's offering is consumed by fire from heaven in a stained glass window at St. Matthew's German Evangelical Lutheran Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

When Ahab confronts Elijah, he denounces him as being the "troubler of Israel" but Elijah retorts that Ahab himself is the one who troubled Israel by allowing the worship of false gods (shedim).

At Elijah's instruction, Ahab summons the people of Israel, 450 prophets of Baal, and 400 prophets of Asherah to Mount Carmel. Elijah then berates the people for their acquiescence in Baal worship: "How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him."[37]

Elijah proposes a direct test of the powers of Baal and Yahweh (both Asherah and her prophets disappear from the story entirely): he and Baal's prophets will each take one of two bulls, prepare it for sacrifice and lay it on wood, but put no fire to it. The prophets of Baal choose and prepare a bull accordingly. Elijah then invites them to pray for fire to light the sacrifice. They pray from morning to noon without success. Elijah ridicules their efforts. "At noon Elijah mocked them, saying, 'Cry aloud! Surely he is a god; either he is meditating, or he has wandered away, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.'"[38] They respond by shouting louder and slashing themselves with swords and spears. They continue praying until evening without success.

Elijah then repairs Yahweh's altar with twelve stones, representing the twelve tribes of Israel. Elijah digs a trench around it and prepares the other bull for sacrifice as before. He then orders that the sacrifice and altar be drenched with water from "four large jars" poured three times, filling also the trench.[39] He asks Yahweh to accept the sacrifice. Fire falls from the sky, consuming the sacrifice, the stones of the altar itself, the earth and the water in the trench as well. When the people see this, they declare, "The LORD—he is God; the LORD—he is God."[40] Elijah then orders them to seize the prophets of Baal, which they do, and Elijah kills them beside the River Kishon, at which the rains begin, signaling the end of the famine.

Mount Horeb edit

Jezebel, enraged that Elijah has killed the prophets of Baal, threatens to kill him.[41] Elijah flees to Beersheba in Judah, continues alone into the wilderness, and finally sits down under a shrub, praying for death and eventually falling asleep. At length an angel of the Lord rouses him gently, telling him to wake up and eat. When he awakens he finds bread and a jar of water, eats, drinks, and goes back to sleep. The angel then comes to him a second time, telling him to eat and drink afresh, because he has a long journey ahead of him.

Elijah travels for forty days and forty nights to Mount Horeb,[42] where Moses had received the Ten Commandments. Elijah is the only person described in the Bible as returning to Horeb, after Moses and his generation had left Horeb several centuries before. He seeks shelter in a cave. Elijah is told to "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."[43] There comes a mighty wind, then an earthquake and then fire, but Yahweh is not in any of these, choosing to come instead as a still, small voice, which bids Elijah go forth again - this time to Damascus to anoint Hazael as king of Aram, Jehu as king of Israel, and Elisha as the old prophet’s successor.

Vineyard of Naboth edit

Elijah encounters Ahab again in 1 Kings 21, after Ahab has acquired possession of a vineyard by murder. Ahab desires to have the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel. He offers a better vineyard or a fair price for the land. But Naboth tells Ahab that God has told him not to part with the land. Ahab accepts this answer with sullen bad grace. Jezebel, however, plots a method for acquiring the land. She sends letters, in Ahab's name, to the elders and nobles who lived near Naboth. They are to arrange a feast and invite Naboth. At the feast, false charges of cursing God and Ahab are to be made against him. The plot is carried out and Naboth is stoned to death. When word comes that Naboth is dead, Jezebel tells Ahab to take possession of the vineyard.

God again speaks to Elijah and sends him to confront Ahab with a question and a prophecy: "Have you killed, and also taken possession?" and, "In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will also lick up your blood."[44] Ahab begins the confrontation by calling Elijah his enemy. Elijah responds by throwing the charge back at him, telling him that he has made himself the enemy of God by his own actions. Elijah tells Ahab that his entire kingdom will reject his authority; that Jezebel will be eaten by dogs within Jezreel; and that his family will be consumed by dogs as well (if they die in a city) or by birds (if they die in the country). When Ahab hears this he repents so sincerely that God stays his hand in punishing Ahab, choosing instead to vent his wrath upon Jezebel and her son by Ahab, Ahaziah.

Ahaziah edit

 
Elijah destroying the messengers of Ahaziah (illustration by Gustave Doré from the 1866 La Sainte Bible)

Elijah's story continues now from Ahab to an encounter with Ahaziah (2 Kings 1). The scene opens with Ahaziah seriously injured in a fall. He sends to the priests of Baalzebub in Ekron, outside the kingdom of Israel, to know if he will recover. Elijah intercepts his messengers and sends them back to Ahaziah with a message "Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?"[42][45] Ahaziah asks the messengers to describe the person who gave them this message. They tell him he was a hairy man with a leather belt around his waist and he instantly recognizes the description as Elijah the Tishbite.

Ahaziah sends out three groups of soldiers to arrest Elijah. The first two are destroyed by fire which Elijah calls down from heaven. The leader of the third group asks for mercy for himself and his men. Elijah agrees to accompany this third group to Ahaziah, where he gives his prophecy in person. Ahaziah dies without recovering from his injuries in accordance with Elijah's word.[46]

Departure edit

 
Elijah Taken Up in a Chariot of Fire by Giuseppe Angeli, c. 1740
 
Elijah's chariot in the whirlwind. Fresco, Anagni Cathedral, c. 1250

According to 2 Kings 2:3–9, Elisha (Eliseus) and "the sons of the prophets" knew beforehand that Elijah would one day be assumed into heaven. Elisha asked Elijah to "let a double portion" of Elijah's "spirit" be upon him. Elijah agreed, with the condition that Elisha would see him be "taken".

Elijah, in company with Elisha, approaches the Jordan. He rolls up his mantle and strikes the water.[47] The water immediately divides and Elijah and Elisha cross on dry land. Suddenly, a chariot of fire and horses of fire appear[42] and Elijah is lifted up in a whirlwind. As Elijah is lifted up, his mantle falls to the ground and Elisha picks it up.

Books of Chronicles edit

Main article: Books of Chronicles

Elijah is mentioned once more in 2 Chronicles 21:12, which will be his final mention in the Hebrew Bible. A letter is sent under the prophet's name to Jehoram of Judah. It tells him that he has led the people of Judah astray in the same way that Israel was led astray. The prophet ends the letter with a prediction of a painful death.

This letter is a puzzle to readers for several reasons. First, it concerns a king of the southern kingdom, while Elijah concerned himself with the kingdom of Israel. Second, the message begins with "Thus says YHVH, God of your father David..." rather than the more usual "...in the name of YHVH the God of Israel." Also, this letter seems to come after Elijah's ascension into the whirlwind.[48]

Michael Wilcock, formerly of Trinity College, Bristol, suggests a number of possible reasons for this letter, among them that it may be an example of a better known prophet's name being substituted for that of a lesser known prophet.[49] John Van Seters, however, rejects the letter as having any connection with the Elijah tradition.[50] However, Wilcock argues that Elijah's letter "does address a very 'northern' situation in the southern kingdom", and thus is authentic.[51]

In Malachi edit

While the final mention of Elijah in the Hebrew Bible is in the Book of Chronicles, the Christian Bible’s reordering places the Book of Malachi (which prophesies a messiah) as the final book of the Old Testament, before the New Testament gospels.[52] Thus, Elijah's final Old Testament appearance is in the Book of Malachi, where it is written, "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction."[53]

Historicity edit

Scholars generally agree that a prophet named Elijah existed in the Kingdom of Israel during the reigns of Kings Ahab and Ahaziah, that he was a religious figure of great personal dynamism and conservative zeal and the leader of resistance to the rise of Baal worship in Israel in the ninth century BC.[54]

In the opinion of some scholars, however, the biblical presentation of the prophet cannot be taken as historical documentation of his activity. The biblical texts present his career through the eyes of popular legend and subsequent theological reflection, which consider him a personality of heroic proportions. In this process his actions and relations to the people and the King became stereotyped, and the presentation of his behavior paradigmatic.[55]

In the Aggadah, Talmud, and extra-canonical books edit

Jewish legends about Elijah abound in the Aggadah, which is found throughout various collections of rabbinic literature, including the Babylonian Talmud. This varied literature does not merely discuss his life, but has created a new history of him, which, beginning with his death—or "translation"—ends only with the close of the history of the human race. The volume of references to Elijah in Jewish Tradition stands in marked contrast to that in the Canon. As in the case of most figures of Jewish legend, so in the case of Elijah, the biblical account became the basis of later legend. Elijah the precursor of the Messiah, Elijah zealous in the cause of God, Elijah the helper in distress: these are the three leading notes struck by the Aggadah, endeavoring to complete the biblical picture with the Elijah legends. His career is extensive, colorful, and varied. He has appeared the world over in the guise of a beggar and scholar.

From the time of Malachi, who says of Elijah that God will send him before "the great and dreadful day",[56] down to the later stories of the Chasidic rabbis, reverence and love, expectation and hope, were always connected in the Jewish consciousness with Elijah.

Origin edit

Three different theories regarding Elijah's origin are presented in the Aggadah literature: (1) he belonged to the tribe of Gad,[57] (2) he was a Benjamite from Jerusalem, identical with the Elijah mentioned in 1 Chronicles 8:27, and (3) he was a priest.

Many Christian Church fathers also[58] have stated that Elijah was a priest. Some rabbis have speculated that he should be identified with Phinehas.[59]

According to later Kabbalistic literature, Elijah was really an angel in human form,[42] so that he had neither parents nor offspring.[60]

The Midrash Rabbah Exodus 4:2 states "Elijah should have revived his parents as he had revived the son of the Zarephathite" indicating he surely had parents.

The Talmud states "Said he [Rabbah] to him (Elijah): Art thou not a priest: why then dost thou stand in a cemetery?"[61]

Zeal for God edit

 
The statue of Elijah at the Saint Elias Cathedral, Aleppo, Syria

A midrash[which?] tells that they even abolished the sign of the covenant, and the prophet had to appear as Israel's accuser before God.[62][clarification needed]

In the same cave where God once appeared to Moses and revealed Himself as gracious and merciful, Elijah was summoned to appear before God. By this summons he perceived that he should have appealed to God's mercy, instead of becoming Israel's accuser. The prophet, however, remained relentless in his zeal and severity, so that God commanded him to appoint his successor.[63]

The vision in which God revealed Himself to Elijah gave him at the same time a picture of the destinies of man, who has to pass through "four worlds." This world was shown to the prophet by God through symbolism: in the form of the wind, since the world disappears as the wind; storm is the day of death, before which man trembles; fire is the judgment in Gehenna; and the stillness is the last day.[64]

Three years after this vision, Elijah was "translated."[65] Concerning the place to which Elijah was transferred, opinions differ among Jews and Christians, but the old view was that Elijah was received among the heavenly inhabitants, where he records the deeds of men.[66]

But as early as the middle of the 2nd century, when the notion of translation to heaven underwent divergent possible interpretations by Christian theologians, the assertion was made that Elijah never entered into heaven proper.[67] In later literature paradise is generally designated as the abode of Elijah,[68] but since the location of paradise is itself uncertain, the last two statements may be identical.

Ecclesiasticus edit

At the appointed time, it is written, you are destined to calm the wrath of God before it breaks out in fury, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.

— A line in the Book of Sirach describing Elijah's mission (Ecclesiasticus 48:10).

Elijah's glory is honoured in the Book of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus). His designated tasks are altered to:

In Judaism edit

Elijah's chair edit

See also: Brit milah
 
"Chair of Elijah" used during the brit milah (circumcision) ceremony. The Hebrew inscription reads "This is the chair of Elijah, remembered for Good."

At Jewish circumcision ceremonies, a chair is set aside for the use of the prophet Elijah. Elijah is said to be a witness at all circumcisions when the sign of the covenant is placed upon the body of the child. This custom stems from the incident at Mount Horeb:[70] Elijah had arrived at Mount Horeb after the demonstration of God's presence and power on Mount Carmel.[71] God asks Elijah to explain his arrival, and Elijah replies: "I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the people of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thy altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away".[72] According to Rabbinic tradition, Elijah's words were patently untrue,[73] and since Elijah accused Israel of failing to uphold the covenant, God would require Elijah to be present at every covenant of circumcision.[74][75]

Elijah's cup edit

See also: Passover Seder

In the Talmudic literature, Elijah would visit rabbis to help solve particularly difficult legal problems. Malachi had cited Elijah as the harbinger of the eschaton. Thus, when confronted with reconciling impossibly conflicting laws or rituals, the rabbis would set aside any decision "until Elijah comes".[76]

One such decision was whether the Passover Seder required four or five cups of wine. Each serving of wine corresponds to one of the "four expressions of redemption" in the Book of Exodus:

I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an out-stretched arm and with great acts of judgment, and I will take you for my people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians."[77]

The next verse, "And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord."[78] was not fulfilled until the generation following the Passover story, and the rabbis could not decide whether this verse counted as part of the Passover celebration (thus deserving of another serving of wine). Thus, a cup was left for the arrival of Elijah.

In practice the fifth cup has come to be seen as a celebration of future redemption. Today, a place is reserved at the seder table and a cup of wine is placed there for Elijah. During the seder, the door of the house is opened and Elijah is invited in. Traditionally, the cup is viewed as Elijah's and is used for no other purpose.[79][80]

Havdalah edit

See also: Havdalah

Havdalah is the ceremony that concludes the Sabbath Day (Saturday evening in Jewish tradition). As part of the concluding hymn, an appeal is made to God that Elijah will come during the following week. "Elijah the Prophet, Elijah the Tishbite, Elijah from Gilead. Let him come quickly, in our day with the messiah, the son of David."[79]

In Jewish folklore edit

The volume of references to Elijah in folklore stands in marked contrast to that in the canon. Elijah's miraculous transferral to heaven led to speculation as to his true identity. Louis Ginzberg equates him with Phinehas the grandson of Aaron.[81][82] Because of Phinehas' zealousness for God, he and his descendants were promised, "a covenant of lasting priesthood."[83] Therefore, Elijah is a priest as well as a prophet. Elijah is also equated with the Archangel Sandalphon,[84] whose four wing beats will carry him to any part of the earth. When forced to choose between death and dishonor, Rabbi Kahana chose to leap to his death. Before he could strike the ground, Elijah/Sandalphon had appeared to catch him.[85] Yet another name for Elijah is "Angel of the Covenant"[86]

Rabbi Joshua ben Levi edit

References to Elijah in Jewish folklore range from short observations (e. g. It is said that when dogs are happy for no reason, it is because Elijah is in the neighborhood)[87] to lengthy parables on the nature of God's justice.

One such story is that of Rabbi Joshua ben Levi. The rabbi, a friend of Elijah's, was asked what favor he might wish. The rabbi answered only that he be able to join Elijah in his wanderings. Elijah granted his wish only if he refrained from asking any questions about any of the prophet's actions. He agreed and they began their journey. The first place they came to was the house of an elderly couple who were so poor they had only one old cow. The old couple gave of their hospitality as best they could. The next morning, as the travelers left, Elijah prayed that the old cow would die and it did. The second place they came to was the home of a wealthy man. He had no patience for his visitors and chased them away with the admonition that they should get jobs and not beg from honest people. As they were leaving, they passed the man's wall and saw that it was crumbling. Elijah prayed that the wall be repaired and it was so. Next, they came to a wealthy synagogue. They were allowed to spend the night with only the smallest of provisions. When they left, Elijah prayed that every member of the synagogue might become a leader.

Finally, they came to a very poor synagogue. Here they were treated with great courtesy and hospitality. When they left, Elijah prayed that God might give them a single wise leader. At this Rabbi Joshua could no longer hold back. He demanded of Elijah an explanation of his actions. At the house of the old couple, Elijah knew that the Angel of Death was coming for the old woman. So he prayed that God might have the angel take the cow instead. At the house of the wealthy man, there was a great treasure hidden in the crumbling wall. Elijah prayed that the wall be restored thus keeping the treasure away from the miser. The story ends with a moral: A synagogue with many leaders will be ruined by many arguments. A town with a single wise leader will be guided to success and prosperity. "Know then, that if thou seest an evil-doer prosper, it is not always unto his advantage, and if a righteous man suffers need and distress, think not God is unjust."[88]

Rabbi Eliezer edit

The Elijah of legend did not lose any of his ability to afflict the comfortable. The case of Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Simon ben Yohai is illustrative. Once, when walking on a beach, he came upon a hideously ugly man—the prophet in disguise. The man greeted him courteously, "Peace be with thee, Rabbi." Instead of returning the greeting, the rabbi could not resist an insult, "How ugly you are! Is there anyone as ugly as you in your town?" Elijah responded with, "I don't know. Perhaps you should tell the Master Architect how ugly is this, His construction." The rabbi realized his wrong and asked for pardon. But Elijah would not give it until the entire city had asked for forgiveness for the rabbi and the rabbi had promised to mend his ways.[89]

Lilith edit

Elijah was always seen as deeply pious, it seems only natural that he would be pitted against an equally evil individual. This was found in the person of Lilith. Lilith in legend was the first wife of Adam. She rebelled against Adam, the angels, and even God. She came to be seen as a demon and a witch.[90][91]

Elijah encountered Lilith and instantly recognized and challenged her, "Unclean one, where are you going?" Unable to avoid or lie to the prophet, she admitted she was on her way to the house of a pregnant woman. Her intention was to kill the woman and eat the child.

Elijah pronounced his malediction, "I curse you in the Name of the Lord. Be silent as a stone!" But, Lilith was able to make a bargain with Elijah. She promises to "forsake my evil ways" if Elijah will remove his curse. To seal the bargain she gives Elijah her names so that they can be posted in the houses of pregnant women or new born children or used as amulets. Lilith promises, "where I see those names, I shall run away at once. Neither the child nor the mother will ever be injured by me."[92]

In Christianity edit

New Testament edit

 
A Northern Russian icon from ca. 1290 showing the ascent of Elijah toward heaven

In the New Testament, Jesus would say for those who believed, John the Baptist was Elijah, who would come before the "great and terrible day" as predicted by Malachi.

Some English translations of the New Testament use Elias, a Greek form of the name. In the King James Version, "Elias" appears only in the texts translated from Greek.

John the Baptist edit

John the Baptist preached a message of repentance and baptism. He predicted the day of judgment using imagery similar to that of Malachi. He also preached that the Messiah was coming. All of this was done in a style that immediately recalled the image of Elijah to his audience. He wore a coat of camel's hair secured with a leather girdle.[93] He also frequently preached in wilderness areas near the Jordan River.

In the Gospel of John, when John the Baptist was asked by a delegation of priests (present tense) "Art thou Elias", he replied "I am not".[94] Matthew 11:14 and Matthew 17:10–13 however, make it clear that John was the spiritual successor to Elijah. In the Nativity of St. John the Baptist in Luke, Gabriel appears to Zechariah, John's father, and told him that John "will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God," and that he will go forth "in the spirit and power of Elijah."[95]

 
Elijah appears at the Transfiguration of Jesus (as recounted in Matthew 17:1–8, Mark 9:2–8, Luke 9:28–36)

Transfiguration edit

Elijah makes an appearance in the New Testament during an incident known as the Transfiguration.[96]

At the summit of an unnamed mount, Jesus' face begins to shine. The disciples who are with Him hear the voice of God announce that Jesus is "My beloved Son." The disciples also see Moses and Elijah appear and talk with Jesus. This apparently relates to how both Elijah and Moses, the latter according to tradition but not the Bible, both were translated to heaven instead of dying. Peter is so struck by the experience that he asks Jesus if they should build three "tabernacles": one for Elijah, one for Jesus and one for Moses.

There is agreement among some Christian theologians that Elijah appears to hand over the responsibility of the prophets to Jesus as the woman by the well said to Jesus "I perceive thou art a prophet."[97] Moses also likewise came to hand over the responsibility of the law for the divinely announced Son of God.[98][99]

Other references edit

Elijah is mentioned four more times in the New Testament: in Luke, Romans, Hebrews, and James. In Luke 4:24–27, Jesus uses Elijah as an example of rejected prophets. Jesus says, "No prophet is accepted in his own country," and then mentions Elijah, saying that there were many widows in Israel, but Elijah was sent to one in Phoenicia. In Romans 11:1–6, Paul cites Elijah as an example of God's never forsaking his people (the Israelites). Hebrews 11:35 ("Women received their dead raised to life again...") refers to both Elijah raising the son of the widow of Zarephath and Elisha raising the son of the woman of Shunem, citing both Elijah and Elisha as Old Testament examples of faith.[100][101][102] In James 5:16–18, James says, "The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much," and then cites Elijah's prayers which started and ended the famine in Israel as examples.

Prophet saint edit

In Western Christianity, Elijah is commemorated as a saint with a feast day on 20 July by the Roman Catholic Church[103] and the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.[5] Catholics believe that he was unmarried and celibate.[104]

In the Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite, he is commemorated on the same date (in the 21st century, Julian Calendar 20 July corresponds to Gregorian Calendar 2 August). He is greatly revered among the Orthodox as a model of the contemplative life. He is also commemorated on the Orthodox liturgical calendar on the Sunday of the Holy Fathers (the Sunday before the Nativity of the Lord).

Elijah has been venerated as the patron saint of Bosnia and Herzegovina since 26 August 1752,[105] replacing George of Lydda at the request of Bishop Pavao Dragičević. The reasons for the replacement are unclear. It has been suggested that Elijah was chosen because of his importance to all three main religious groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina—Catholics, Muslims and Orthodox Christians.[106] Pope Benedict XIV is said to have approved Bishop Dragičević's request with the remark that a wild nation deserved a wild patron.[107]

Prophet Elias is commemorated by the Catholic Church on 17 June.[108] He is also commemorated by Eastern Orthodox Church on April 14 with all saint Sinai monks.[109]

Carmelite tradition edit

 
1690 Musée des Augustins

Elijah is revered as the spiritual Father and traditional founder of the Catholic religious Order of Carmelites.[110] In addition to taking their name from Mt. Carmel where the first hermits of the order established themselves, the Calced Carmelite and Discalced Carmelite traditions pertaining to Elijah focus upon the prophet's withdrawal from public life.[111][112] The medieval Carmelite Book of the First Monks offers some insight into the heart of the Orders' contemplative vocation and reverence for the prophet.

In the 17th century the Bollandist Society, whose declared aim was to search out and classify materials concerning the saints venerated by the Church, and to print what seemed to be the most reliable sources of information [113] entered into controversy with the Carmelites on this point. In writing of St. Albert, Patriarch of Jerusalem and author of the Carmelite rule, the Bollandist Daniel Papebroch stated that the attribution of Carmelite origin to Elijah was insufficiently grounded. The Carmelites reacted strongly. From 1681 to 1698 a series of letters, pamphlets and other documents was issued by each side. The Carmelites were supported by a Spanish tribunal, while the Bollandists had the support of Jean de Launoy and the Sorbonne. In November 1698, Pope Innocent XII ordered an end to the controversy.[114]

Liturgical commemorations edit

 
Elias on Mount Horeb, as depicted in a Greek Orthodox icon

Since most Eastern Churches either use Greek as their liturgical language or translated their liturgies from the Greek, Elias (or its modern iotacized form Ilias) is the form of the prophet's name used among most members of the Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite.

The feast day of Saint Elias falls on 20 July of the Orthodox liturgical calendar (for those churches which follow the traditional Julian Calendar, 20 July currently falls on 2 August of the modern Gregorian Calendar). This day is a major holiday in Lebanon and is one of a handful of holidays there whose celebration is accompanied by a launching of fireworks by the general public. The full name of St. Elias in Lebanon translates to St. Elias the Living because it is believed that he did not die but rode his fiery chariot to heaven. The reference to the fiery chariot is likely why the Lebanese celebrate this holiday with fireworks.

Elias is also commemorated, together with all of the righteous persons of the Old Testament, on the Sunday of the Holy Fathers (the Sunday before the Nativity of the Lord).

The Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone for St. Elias:

The incarnate Angel, the Cornerstone of the Prophets, the second Forerunner of the Coming of Christ, the glorious Elias, who from above, sent down to Elisha the grace to dispel sickness and cleanse lepers, abounds therefore in healing for those who honor him.

The Kontakion in the Second Tone for St. Elias:

O Prophet and foreseer of the great works of God, O greatly renowned Elias, who by your word held back the clouds of rain, intercede for us to the only Loving One.

Pagan associations and mountaintops edit

See also: Peryn § The cult of Peroun in Peryn and in Novgorod

Starting in the fifth century, Elias is often connected with Helios, the Sun. The two words have very similar pronunciations in post-classical Greek; Elijah rode in his chariot of fire to heaven[13] just as Helios drove the chariot of the sun across the sky; and the holocaust sacrifice offered by Elijah and burned by fire from heaven[115] corresponds to the sun warming the earth.[116]

Sedulius writes poetically in the fifth century that the "bright path to glittering heaven" suits Elias both "in merits and name", as changing one letter makes his name "Helios"; but he does not identify the two.[117] A homily entitled De ascensione Heliae, misattributed to Chrysostom, claims that poets and painters use the ascension of Elijah as a model for their depictions of the sun, and says that "Elijah is really Helios". Saint Patrick appears to conflate Helios and Elias.[118] In modern times, much Greek folklore also connects Elias with the sun.[119]

In Greece, chapels and monasteries dedicated to Prophet Elias (Προφήτης Ηλίας) are often found on mountaintops, which themselves are often named after him. Since Wachsmuth (1864),[120] the usual explanation for this has been that Elias was identified with Helios, who had mountaintop shrines. But few shrines of Helios were on mountaintops, and sun-worship was subsumed by Apollo-worship by Christian times, and so could not be confused with Elias.[121] The modern folklore is not good evidence for the origin of the association of the sun, Elias, and mountaintops.[122] Perhaps Elias is simply a "natural patron of high places".[123]

The association of Elias with mountaintops seems to come from a different pagan tradition: Elias took on the attributes and the locales associated with Zeus, especially his associations with mountains and his powers over rain, thunder, lightning, and wind. When Elias prevailed over the priests of Baal, it was on Mount Carmel[115] which later became known as Mount St. Elias. When he spent forty days in a cave, it was on Mount Horeb.[124] When Elias confronted Ahab, he stopped the rains for three years.[125][122]

A map of mountain-cults of Zeus shows that most of these sites are now dedicated to Elias, including Mount Olympus, Mount Lykaion, Mount Arachnaion, and Mount Taleton on the mainland, and Mount Kenaion, Mount Oche, and Mount Kynados in the islands. Of these, the only one with a recorded tradition of a Helios cult is Mount Taleton.[122]

Elias is associated with pre-Christian lightning gods in many other European traditions.

Among Albanians, pilgrimages are made to mountaintops to ask for rain during the summer. One such tradition that is gaining popularity is the 2 August pilgrimage to Ljuboten on the Sharr mountains. Muslims refer to this day as Aligjyn ("Ali Day"), and it is believed that Ali becomes Elias at midday.[126]

 
This common depiction of the prophet Elijah riding a flaming chariot across the sky resulted in syncretistic folklore among the Slavs incorporating pre-Christian motifs in the beliefs and rites regarding him in Slavic culture.

As Elijah was described as ascending into heaven in a fiery chariot, the Christian missionaries who converted Slavic tribes likely found him an ideal analogy for Perun, the supreme Slavic god of storms, thunder and lightning bolts. In many Slavic countries Elijah is known as Elijah the Thunderer (Ilija Gromovnik), who drives the heavens in a chariot and administers rain and snow, thus actually taking the place of Perun in popular beliefs.[127][128][129] Perun is also sometimes conflated with the legendary hero Elijah of Murom.[130][131] The feast of St. Elias is known as Ilinden in South Slavic, and was chosen as the day of the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising in 1903; it is now the holiday of Republic Day in North Macedonia.

In Estonian folklore Elijah is considered to be the successor of Ukko, the lightning spirit.[131]

In Georgian mythology, he replaces Elwa.[131] A Georgian story about Elijah:

Once Jesus, the prophet Elijah, and St. George were going through Georgia. When they became tired and hungry they stopped to dine. They saw a Georgian shepherd and decided to ask him to feed them. First, Elijah went up to the shepherd and asked him for a sheep. After the shepherd asked his identity Elijah said that, he was the one who sent him rain to get him a good profit from farming. The shepherd became angry at him and told him that he was the one who also sent thunderstorms, which destroyed the farms of poor widows. (After Elijah, Jesus and St. George attempt to get help and eventually succeed).[132]

Among other peoples of the Caucasus, including the Ossetians and Kabardians, Elijah is understood as a kind of thunder-divinity named Uac-illa, Ilia, or Yeli, and was traditionally invoked in "choppa" ritual associated with lightning strikes and certain mental illnesses.[133] If a person or animal was struck by lightning, a circle dance was performed immediately around the site, even if the storm was still ongoing, and Elijah's name was invoked alongside a nonsense word "choppa" or "coppay". If the victim had died, their family were forbidden from grieving and were required to bury them where they fell instead of in the village cemetery. If the victim survived, their lives were dedicated to Elijah: human survivors were prophets, while animals were released with a mark so that others would know not to take them home. In other versions of this tradition, the one venerated was not Elijah, but other traditional thunder-divinities like Shyble (Щыблэ), Afy (Афы), or Antswa (Анцуа).

Elias has other pagan associations: a modern legend about Elias mirrors precisely the legend of Odysseus seeking a place where the locals would not recognize an oar—hence the mountaintops.[134]

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints edit

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acknowledges Elijah as a prophet. The Church teaches that the Malachi prophecy of the return of Elijah was fulfilled on 3 April 1836, when Elijah visited the prophet and founder of the church, Joseph Smith, along with Oliver Cowdery, in the Kirtland Temple as a resurrected being.[135] This event is chronicled in Doctrine and Covenants 110:13–16. This experience forms the basis for the church's focus on genealogy and family history and belief in the eternal nature of marriage and families.

In Latter-day Saint theology, the name-title Elias is not always synonymous with Elijah and is often used for people other than the biblical prophet.[136] According to Joseph Smith,

The spirit of Elias is first, Elijah second, and Messiah last. Elias is a forerunner to prepare the way, and the spirit and power of Elijah is to come after, holding the keys of power, building the Temple to the capstone, placing the seals of the Melchizedek Priesthood upon the house of Israel, and making all things ready; then Messiah comes to His Temple, which is last of all.[137]

People to whom the title Elias is applied in Mormonism include Noah, the angel Gabriel (who is considered to be the same person as Noah in Mormon doctrine), Elijah, John the Baptist, John the Apostle, and an unspecified man who was a contemporary of Abraham.[138]

Detractors of Mormonism have often alleged that Smith, in whose time and place the King James Version was the only available English translation of the Bible, simply failed to grasp the fact that the Elijah of the Old Testament and the Elias of the New Testament are the same person.[139] Latter-day Saints deny this and say that the difference they make between the two is deliberate and prophetic. The names Elias and Elijah refer to one who prepares the way for the coming of the Lord. This is applicable to John the Baptist coming to prepare the way for the Lord and His baptism; it also refers to Elijah appearing during the transfiguration to prepare for Jesus by restoring keys of sealing power.[139] Jesus then gave this power to the Twelve saying, "Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."[140]

In Islam edit

 
Khizr and Elijah Praying in Mecca; Persian miniature from an illuminated manuscript of Stories of the Prophets (c. 427 AH/ 1036 AD)
Main article: Elijah in Islam

Elijah (Arabic: إلياس, romanized: Ilyās) is mentioned as a prophet in Quran 6:85. Elijah's narrative in the Quran and later Muslim tradition resembles closely that in the Hebrew Bible and Muslim literature records Elijah's primary prophesying as taking place during the reign of Ahab and Jezebel as well as Ahaziah.[c] He is seen by Muslims to be the prophetic predecessor to Elisha. While neither the Bible nor the Quran mentions the genealogy of Elijah, some scholars of Islam believe he may have come from the priestly family of the prophet Aaron.[143] While Elijah is associated with Islamic eschatology, Islam views Jesus as the Messiah.[144] However, Elijah is expected to come back along with the mysterious figure known as Khidr during the Last Judgment.[145] Elijah's figure has been identified with a number of other prophets and saints, including Idris, which is believed by some scholars to have been another name for Elijah,[146] and Khidr.[147] Islamic legend later developed the figure of Elijah, greatly embellishing upon his attributes, and some apocryphal literature gave Elijah the status of a half-human, half-angel.[148] Elijah also appears in later works of literature, including the Hamzanama.[149]

Quran edit

Elijah is mentioned in the Quran, where his preaching is recounted in a concise manner. The Quran narrates that Elijah told his people to come to the worship of God and to leave the worship of Baal, the primary idol of the area. The Quran states, "And Elias was indeed one of the messengers. ˹Remember˺ when he said to his people, “Will you not fear ˹Allah˺? Do you call upon ˹the idol of˺ Ba’l and abandon the Best of Creators— Allah, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers?” " [150]

The Quran makes it clear that the majority of Elijah's people denied the prophet and continued to follow idolatry. However, it mentions that a small number of devoted servants of God among them followed Elijah and believed in and worshiped God. The Quran states, "But they rejected him, so they will certainly be brought ˹for punishment˺. But not the chosen servants of Allah. We blessed him ˹with honourable mention˺ among later generations: "[151]

In the Quran, God praises Elijah in two places:

“Peace be upon Elias.” Indeed, this is how We reward the good-doers. He was truly one of Our faithful servants.

— Surah As-Saaffat 37:130-132

Likewise, ˹We guided˺ Zachariah, John, Jesus, and Elias, who were all of the righteous.

— Surah Al-An'am 6:85

Numerous commentators, including Abdullah Yusuf Ali, have offered commentary on VI: 85 saying that Elijah, Zechariah, John the Baptist and Jesus were all spiritually connected. Abdullah Yusuf Ali says, "The third group consists not of men of action, but Preachers of Truth, who led solitary lives. Their epithet is: "the Righteous." They form a connected group round Jesus. Zachariah was the father of John the Baptist, who is referenced as "Elias, which was for to come" (Matt 11:14); and Elias is said to have been present and talked to Jesus at the Transfiguration on the Mount (Matt. 17:3)."[152]

Literature and tradition edit

Muslim literature and tradition recounts that Elijah preached to the Kingdom of Israel, ruled over by Ahab and later his son Ahaziah. He is believed to have been a "prophet of the desert—like John the Baptist".[153] Elijah is believed to have preached with zeal to Ahab and his wife Jezebel, who according to Muslim tradition was partly responsible for the worship of false idols in this area. Muslims believe that it was because the majority of people refused to listen to Elijah that Elisha had to continue preaching the message of God to Israel after him.[154]

Elijah has been the subject of legends and folktales in Muslim culture, usually involving his meeting with Khidr, and in one legend, with Muhammad himself.[155] In Islamic mysticism, Elijah is associated closely with the sage Khidr. One hadith reported that Elijah and Khidr met together every year in Jerusalem to go on the pilgrimage to Mecca.[156] Elijah appears also in the Hamzanama numerous times, where he is spoken of as being the brother of Khidr as well as one who drank from the Fountain of Youth.[157]

Further, It is narrated in Kitab al-Kafi that Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq was reciting the prostration of Ilyas (Elijah) in the Syrian language and began to weep. He then translated the supplication in Arabic to a group of visiting scholars:

"O Lord, will I find that you punish me although you know of my thirst in the heat of midday? Will I find that you punish me although you know that I rub my face on Earth to worship you? Will I find that you punish me although you know that I give up sins for you? Will I find that you punish me although you know that I stay awake all night just for you?" To which Allah then inspired to Ilyas, "Raise your head from the Earth for I will not punish you".[158]

Although most Muslim scholars believed that Elijah preached in Israel, some early commentators on the Quran stated that Elijah was sent to Baalbek, in Lebanon.[159] Modern scholars have rejected this claim, stating that the connection of the city with Elijah would have been made because of the first half of the city's name, that of Baal, which was the deity that Elijah exhorted his people to stop worshiping. Scholars who reject identification of Elijah's town with Baalbek further argue that the town of Baalbek is not mentioned with the narrative of Elijah in either the Quran or the Hebrew Bible.[160]

In Druze Faith edit

 
The Druze maqam Al-Khidr in Kafr Yasif, Israel.

Druze tradition honors several “mentors” and “prophets”, and Elijah is honored as a prophet.[161] Druze venerate Elijah, and he is considered a central figure in Druzism.[162] And due to his importance in Druzism, the settlement of Druze on Mount Carmel had partly to do with Elijah's story and devotion. There are two large Druze towns on the eastern slopes of Mount Carmel: Daliyat al-Karmel and Isfiya.[162] The Druze regard the Cave of Elijah as holy,[163] and they identify Elijah as "al-Khidr", the green prophet who symbolizes water and life, a miracle who cures the sick.[163] He and Jethro (Shuaib) are considered patron saints of the Druze people.[7][164]

Druze, like some Christians, believe that Elijah came back as John the Baptist,[2][165] since they belief in reincarnation and the transmigration of the soul, Druze believe that El Khidr and John the Baptist are one and the same; along with Saint George.[165]

Due to the Christian influnce on the Druze faith, two Christian saints become the Druze's favorite venerated figures: Saint George and Saint Elijah.[166] Thus, in all the villages inhabited by Druze and Christians in central Mount Lebanon a Christian church or Druze maqam is dedicated to either one of them.[166] According to scholar Ray Jabre Mouawad the Druze appreciated the two saints for their bravery: Saint George because he confronted the dragon and Saint Elijah because he competed with the pagan priests of Baal and won over them.[166] In both cases the explanations provided by Christians is that Druzes were attracted to warrior saints that resemble their own militarized society.[166]

In Baháʼí Faith edit

In the Baháʼí Faith, the Báb, founder of the Bábí Faith, is believed to be the return of Elijah and John the Baptist.[167] Both Elijah and John the Baptist are considered to be Lesser Prophets, whose stations are below that of a Manifestation of God like Jesus Christ, Buddha, the Báb or Bahá'u'lláh. The Báb is buried on Mount Carmel, where Elijah had his confrontation with the prophets of Baal.[168]

Controversies edit

Miracle of the ravens edit

 
Elijah fed by the ravens, by Giovanni Lanfranco, Musée des beaux-arts de Marseille

That ravens fed Elijah by the brook Chorath has been questioned. The Hebrew text at 1 Kings 17:4–6 uses the word עֹרְבִים `ōrvīm, which means ravens, but with a different vocalization might equally mean Arabs. The Septuagint has κορακες, ravens, and other traditional translations followed.

Alternatives have been proposed for many years; for example Adam Clarke (d. 1832) treated it as a discussion already of long standing.[169] Objections to the traditional translation are that ravens are ritually unclean[170] as well as physically dirty; it is difficult to imagine any method of delivery of the food which is not disgusting. The parallelism with the incident that follows, where Elijah is fed by the widow, also suggests a human, if mildly improbable, agent.

Prof. John Gray chooses Arabs, saying "We adopt this reading solely because of its congruity with the sequel, where Elijah is fed by an alien Phoenician woman."[171] His translation of the verses in question is:

And the word of YHWH came to Elijah saying, Go hence and turn eastward and hide thyself in the Wadi Chorath east of the Jordan, and it shall be that thou shalt drink of the wadi, and I have commanded the Arabs to feed thee there. And he went and did according to the word of YHWH and went and dwelt in the Wadi Chorath east of the Jordan. And the Arabs brought him bread in the morning and flesh in the evening and he would drink of the wadi.

Fire on Mount Carmel edit

The challenge to the priests of Baal had the two-fold purpose of demonstrating that the God of Israel was greater than Baal, and that it was he who was the giver of rain. According to J. Robinson, "Some scholars have suggested that the pouring of water was a piece of sympathetic magic."[172]

Hugo Gressmann suggested that the fire that destroyed the offering and altar was lightning, while Ferdinand Hitzig and others[173] thought the water poured on the sacrifice and into the ditch might have been flammable naphtha. Baptist scholar H. H. Rowley rejects both views.[174] Robinson dismisses the suggestion of naphtha with the view that the priests of Baal would have been aware of the properties of naphtha.[172] Julian Morgenstern rejects the idea of sympathetic magic, but supports the interpretation of white naphtha possibly ignited by a glass or mirror to focus the sun's rays, citing other mentions of sacred fire, as in 2 Maccabees 1:18–22.[175]

Ascension into the heavens edit

Elijah's name typically occurs in Jewish lists of those who have entered heaven alive.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus says: "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, [even] the Son of man which is in heaven."[176] Traditionally Christianity interprets the "Son of Man" as a title of Jesus, but this has never been an article of faith and there are other interpretations. Further interpreting this quote, some Christians believe that Elijah was not assumed into heaven but simply transferred to another assignment either in heaven[177] or with King Jehoram of Judah.[177]

The question of whether Elijah was in heaven or elsewhere on earth depends partly on the view of the letter Jehoram received from Elijah in 2 Chronicles 21:12 after Elijah had ascended. Some have suggested that the letter was written before Elijah ascended, but only delivered later.[178] The rabbinical Seder Olam explains that the letter was delivered seven years after his ascension.[179] This is also a possible explanation for some variation in manuscripts of Josephus' Antiquities of the Jews when dealing with this issue.[180] Others have argued that Elijah was only "caught away" such as Philip in Acts 8[d] John Lightfoot reasoned that it must have been a different Elijah.[187]

Return edit

The Jewish nation awaits the coming of Elijah to precede the coming of the Messiah.

For Christians this prophecy was fulfilled in the gospel. After Elijah appears during the Transfiguration alongside Moses, Jesus explains to his disciples that John the Baptist, recently beheaded by Herod Antipas,[188] had been Elijah reincarnate.[189] Commentators have said that Moses' appearance represented the law, while Elijah's appearance represented the prophets.[190]The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes that Elijah returned on 3 April 1836 in an appearance to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, fulfilling the prophecy in Malachi.

The Baháʼí Faith believes Elijah returned as the biblical prophet John the Baptist and as the Báb who founded the Bábí Faith in 1844.[191][192] Druze, like Baháʼí Faith believes, believe that Elijah came back as John the Baptist,[2][165]

The American founded Nation of Islam believes Elijah returned as Elijah Muhammad, black separatist religious leader (who claimed to be a "messenger", not a prophet). This is considered less important than their belief that Allah himself showed up in the person of Fard Muhammad, the founder of the group. It differs notably from most beliefs about Elijah, in that his re-appearance is usually the precursor to a greater one's appearance, rather than an afterthought.[193]

In arts and literature edit

  • Perhaps the best-known representation of the story of Elijah is Felix Mendelssohn's oratorio "Elijah". The oratorio chronicles many episodes of Elijah's life, including his challenge to Ahab and the contest of the gods, the miracle of raising the dead, and his ascension into heaven. Composed and premiered in 1846, the oratorio was criticized by members of the New German School but nonetheless remains one of the most popular Romantic choral-orchestral works in the repertoire.
  • In his ethnography Waiting for Elijah: Time and Encounter in a Bosnian Landscape, anthropologist Safet HadžiMuhamedović discusses the syncretic harvest feast of Elijah's Day (Ilindan/Aliđun), shared by Christians and Muslims throughout Bosnia.[194] He focuses on the Field of Gacko in the southeastern Bosnian highlands. Starting with a well-known Bosnian proverb about Elijah's two names "Ilija until noon - Alija after noon" (Do podne Ilija, od podne Alija), HadžiMuhamedović discusses the traditional and postwar waiting for Elijah, as well as the plethora of other characters he merges with (e.g. Slavic deity Perun and prophet Khidr). As the central trope in the book, the waiting for Elijah becomes the waiting for the restoration of home and cosmology after nationalist violence. The absence of Elijah is reminiscent of the one in Jewish rituals and HadžiMuhamedović discovers an imaginative form of political resistance in the waiting for Elijah's return.
  • In Orlando Furioso, the English knight Astolfo flies up to the moon in Elijah's flaming chariot.
  • Elijah Rock is a traditional Christian spiritual about Elijah, also sometimes used by Jewish youth groups.
  • "Go Like Elijah" is a song by the American rock-pop-jazz songwriter Chi Coltrane.
  • Lorenzetto created a statue of Elijah with assistance of the young sculptor Raffaello da Montelupo, using designs by Raphael.[195]
  • The Fifth Mountain by Paulo Coelho is based on the story of Elijah.
  • Christian metal band Disciple released the song "God of Elijah" on their 2001 album By God. The theme of the song is the challenge Elijah placed against Ahab between Baal and the god of Israel.
  • The roots-fusion band Seatrain records, on the albums of the same name (1970), band member Peter Rowans song "Waiting for Elijah", alluding to Elijah's second coming.
  • From 1974 to 1976 Philip K. Dick believed himself to be possessed by the spirit of Elijah.[196] He later included Elijah (as Elias Tate) in his novel The Divine Invasion.
  • On Ryan Adams' 2005 album 29, the song "Voices" speaks of Elijah, alluding to Elijah being the prophet of destruction.
  • Journeys With Elijah: Eight Tales of the Prophet, book by Barbara Goldin and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
  • In 1996, Robin Mark created a praise song entitled Days of Elijah.
  • Cormac McCarthy's post-apocalyptic novel The Road (2006) features an old man who ambiguously refers to himself as Ely.
  • Elijah ("Lije") is the name of the protagonist in three novels of Isaac Asimov's Robot series. He is familiar with biblical stories and sometimes relates them in the narrative or in discussion with his robot partner who was built on a world devoid of religion. His wife is ironically named Jezebel.
  • The popular movie Chariots of Fire alludes to the William Blake poem And did those feet in ancient time, which in turn alludes to the Elijah story.
  • Elijah was played by John Hoyt in the 1953 film Sins of Jezebel.
  • A series of paintings by Clive Hicks-Jenkins around 2003–07 depicted Elijah being fed by a raven, inspired by fragments of a Tuscan altarpiece in Christ Church Picture Gallery in Oxford.[197]
  • Referenced in the song "It Was Written", by Damian Marley, featuring Capleton and Drag-On.
  • Referenced in the movie The Book of Eli, starring Denzel Washington in the title role as the man on a mission in a post-apocalyptic world to deliver the Bible for safe-keeping.
  • I. L. Peretz wrote The Magician, which was illustrated by Marc Chagall in 1917, about Elijah.[198]
  • Early in Moby-Dick, Ishmael and Queequeg run into a scarred and deformed man named Elijah, a prophet (or perhaps merely a frightening stranger) who hints to them the perils of signing aboard Ahab's ship, the Pequod.
  • Elijah appears in psychologist Carl Jung's "Red Book" as one of central book heroes.
  • The song "Eliyahu" by Brooklyn folk-punk band Out Of System Transfer is about the story of Elijah through Passover.

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Greek: Ἡλίας, Elías; Syriac: ܐܸܠܝܼܵܐ, Elyāe; Arabic: إلياس or إليا, Ilyās or Ilyā.
  2. ^ Psalm 45, sometimes viewed as a wedding song for Ahab and Jezebel, may allude to this union and its problems: "Hear, Oh daughter, consider, and incline your ear; forget your people and your father's house; and the king will desire your beauty. Since he is your lord, bow to him; the people of Tyre will sue your favor with gifts."[23] See: Smith (1982)[24]
  3. ^ "Elias is the same as Elijah, whose story will be found in the Old Testament in 1 Kings 17–19 and 2 Kings 1–2. Elijah lived in the reign of Ahab (896–874 BC) and Ahaziah (874–872 BC), kings of the (northern) kingdom of Israel or Samaria. He was a prophet of the desert, like John the Baptist, unlike our holy Prophet, who took part in, controlled, and guided all the affairs of his people. Both Ahab and Azariah were prone to lapse into the worship of Baal, the sun-god worshipped in Syria. That worship also included the worship of nature-powers and procreative powers, as in the Hindu worship of the Lingam, and led to many abuses. King Ahab had married a princess of Sidon, Jezebel, a wicked woman who led her husband to forsake Allah and adopt Baal-worship." ... "Elijah denounced all Ahab's sins as well as the sins of Ahaziah and had to flee for his life. Eventually, according to the Old Testament,[141] he was taken up in a whirlwind to heaven in a chariot of fire after he had left his mantle with Elisha the prophet."[142]
  4. ^ "There is evidence that Elijah was back on earth after he was taken away in the whirlwind: It can be shown that a letter was received by Jehoram, King of Judah, from Elijah, after Elijah was taken to heaven. Either the letter was written before he went to heaven and delivered by a messenger on earth (unlikely), or Elijah was "caught away" as was Philip from the Gaza Road to Azotas, (about 17 miles,[181]) for an unspecified purpose and returned to the earth. Consider the evidence:
    1. Elijah had been taken to heaven in a whirlwind.[182]
    2. Elisha had taken over the duties of Elijah in the reign of Jehoshaphat.[183]
    3. Jehoram received a letter from Elijah, the prophet.[184] King Jehoram reigned after Jehoshaphat.[185][186]

References edit

  1. ^ Cline, Austin. "Biography of Elijah, Old Testament Prophet". Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Swayd, Samy (2015). Historical Dictionary of the Druzes. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 77. ISBN 9781442246171. since Elijah was central to Druzism, one may safely argue that the settlement of Druzes on Mount Carmel had partly to do with Elijahʼs story and devotion. Druzes, like some Christians, believe that Elijah came back as John the Baptist
  3. ^ a b . 21 November 2014. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  4. ^ "The Glorious Prophet Elias (Elijah)". Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  5. ^ a b Calendar of Saints (Lutheran)
  6. ^ "Prophet Elijah".
  7. ^ a b Fukasawa, Katsumi (2017). Religious Interactions in Europe and the Mediterranean World: Coexistence and Dialogue from the 12th to the 20th Centuries. Taylor & Francis. p. 310. ISBN 9781351722179.
  8. ^ a b Mansour, Atallah (2008). Waiting for the Dawn: An Autobiography. The University of Michigan Press. p. 14. ISBN 9780436272585. Perhaps this is because the patron saint of Haifa and Mount Carmel is a biblical figure recognised by the entire population of Palestine - Elijah.
  9. ^ Coogan, Michael David (2006). The Old Testament: A Historical and Literary Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. p. 304. ISBN 9780195139105.
  10. ^ Sperling, S. David (2007). "Elijah". In Skolnik, Fred (ed.). Encyclopaedia Judaica. Vol. 6 (2 ed.). Thomson Gale. p. 331. ISBN 978-0-02-865934-3.
  11. ^ Barton, John; Muddiman, John (2007). "Elijah". The Oxford Bible Commentary. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. p. 246. ISBN 9780199277186.
  12. ^ Yonge, Charlotte Mary (1859). "The Kingdom of Samaria". The Chosen People (5th ed.).
  13. ^ a b 2 Kings 2:11
  14. ^ 2 Kings 2:3
  15. ^ Malachi 4:5
  16. ^ . Archived from the original on 1 September 2017.
  17. ^ Matthew 16:14 & Mark 8:28.
  18. ^ For John the Baptist as Elijah, see Luke 1:11–17 & Matthew 11:14;17:10–13.
  19. ^ Tottoli, Roberto (2002). "Elijah". In Jane Dammen McAuliffe (ed.). Encyclopaedia of the Qurʾān. Vol. Two. Boston: Brill. pp. 12–13.
  20. ^ a b . The Madaba Mosaic Map. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  21. ^ Kaufman, Yehezkel (1956). "The Biblical Age". In Schwarz, Leo W. (ed.). Great Ages and Ideas of the Jewish People. New York, NY: Modern Library. pp. 53–56.
  22. ^ Raven, John H. (1979). The History of the Religion of Israel. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House. p. 281.
  23. ^ Psalms 45:10–12
  24. ^ Smith, Norman H. (1982). "I Kings". In Buttrick, George A.; et al. (eds.). The Interpreter's Bible. Vol. 3. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press. p. 144.
  25. ^ Miller, J.M.; Hayes, J.H. (2006). A History of Ancient Israel and Judah. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.
  26. ^ New Bible Dictionary (second ed.). Wheaton, IL, US: Tyndale Press. 1982. p. 323. ISBN 0-8423-4667-8.
  27. ^   Hirsch, Emil G.; König, Eduard; Schechter, Solomon; Ginzberg, Louis; Seligsohn, M.; Kohler, Kaufmann (1903). "Elijah". In Singer, Isidore; et al. (eds.). The Jewish Encyclopedia. Vol. V. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. Retrieved 8 April 2007.
  28. ^ "Elijah". Encyclopaedia Judaica. Jerusalem: Keter Publishing House. 1971. p. 633.
  29. ^ Cogan, Mordechai. The Anchor Bible: I Kings. New York: Doubleday, 2001. p. 425.
  30. ^ Werblowsky, R.J.Z.; Wigoder, Geoffrey, eds. (1997). Oxford Dictionary of the Jewish Religion. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-508605-8.
  31. ^ 1 Kings 18:17–19
  32. ^ 1 Kings 17
  33. ^ 1 Kings 17:13,14 New Revised Standard Version
  34. ^ 1 Kings 17:18 New Revised Standard Version.
  35. ^ 1 Kings 17:22 New Revised Standard Version
  36. ^ 1 Kings 17:24 New Revised Standard Version.
  37. ^ 1 Kings 18:21
  38. ^ 1 Kings 18:27
  39. ^ 1 Kings 18:33–34
  40. ^ 1 Kings 18:39
  41. ^ 1 Kings 19:1–13
  42. ^ a b c d Smith, William Robertson; Cook, Stanley Arthur (1911). "Elijah" . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 9 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 273–274.
  43. ^ 1 Kings 19:11
  44. ^ 1 Kings 21:19 New Revised Standard Version
  45. ^ 2 Kings 1:6
  46. ^ 2 Kings 1:17
  47. ^ 2 Kings 2:8
  48. ^ CERC, Super. "Elijah". www.catholiceducation.org. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  49. ^ Myers, J. M. The Anchor Bible: II Chronicles. Garden City, NY: Doubleday and Company, 1965. pp. 121–23.
  50. ^ VanSeters, John. "Elijah." In Jones, Lindsay. Editor in Chief. Encyclopedia of Religion. Farmington Hills, MI: Thomson Gale, 2005. p. 2764.
  51. ^ IVP New Bible Commentary 21st Century Edition, p. 410.
  52. ^ "Jewish and Christian Bibles: Comparative Chart". catholic-resources.org.
  53. ^ Malachi 4:5–6, New Revised Standard Version
  54. ^ . www.bibleodyssey.org. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021. It is noteworthy that while there is agreement on the existence of Elijah as a religious figure, given the composite nature of the Elijah narratives, the legendary and fanciful character of some of the Elijah stories, and Elijah's paradigmatic portrayal as 'a prophet like Moses,' (Deut 18:18), there is very little agreement on the historical reliability of the narratives about him.
  55. ^ "Elijah | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 25 July 2021. While few scholars doubt the existence of Elijah as a religious figure of great personal dynamism and conservative zeal and as the leader of resistance to the rise of Baal worship in Israel in the ninth century bce, the biblical presentation of the prophet cannot be taken as historical documentation of his activity. His career is presented through the eyes of popular legend and subsequent theological reflection, which consider him a personality of heroic proportions. In this process his actions and relations to the people and the king became stereotyped, and the presentation of his behavior, paradigmatic.
  56. ^ Malachi 3:23 in Hebrew Bible
  57. ^ Midrash Genesis Rabbah lxxi.
  58. ^ Aphraates, "Homilies," ed. Wright, p. 314; Epiphanius, "Hæres." lv. 3, passim
  59. ^ Pirḳe R. El. xlvii.; Targ. Yer. on Num. xxv. 12
  60. ^ Yalḳuṭ Reubeni, Bereshit, 9a, ed. Amsterdam
  61. ^ Baba Metzia 14B
  62. ^ Pirḳe R. El. xxix.
  63. ^ Tanna debe Eliyahu Zuṭa viii.
  64. ^ Tan., Peḳude, p. 128, Vienna ed.
  65. ^ Seder 'Olam R. xvii.
  66. ^ Ḳid. 70; Ber. R. xxxiv. 8
  67. ^ Suk. 5a
  68. ^ Compare Pirḳe R. El. xvi.
  69. ^ Sirach 48:10: New Revised Standard Version
  70. ^ 1 Kings 19
  71. ^ 1 Kings 18
  72. ^ 1 Kings 19:10
  73. ^ 1 Kings 18:4 and 1 Kings 19:18
  74. ^ "Elijah, Chair of." Encyclopaedia Judaica. Jerusalem: Keter Publishing House, 1971.
  75. ^ Unterman, Alan. "Elijah's Chair." Dictionary of Jewish Lore and Legend. London: Thames and Hudson, 1991.
  76. ^ "Elijah, Cup of." Encyclopaedia Judaica. Jerusalem: Keter Publishing House, 1971.
  77. ^ Exodus 6:6–7
  78. ^ Exodus 6:8
  79. ^ a b Telushkin, Joseph. Jewish Literacy. New York: William Morrow, 2001.
  80. ^ . Temple Beth Sholom. 2007. Archived from the original on 23 July 2007. Retrieved 23 June 2007.
  81. ^ Ginzberg, Lewis. Legends of the Bible. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America, 1956. p. 580.
  82. ^ Exodus 6:25
  83. ^ Numbers 25:13
  84. ^ Ginzberg, Lewis. Legends of the Bible. Jewish Philadelphia: Publication Society of America, 1956. p. 589
  85. ^ Ginzberg, Lewis. Legends of the Bible. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America, 1956. pp. 590–91.
  86. ^ Schwartz, Howard. Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. p. 201.
  87. ^ Bialik, H. N. and Y. H Ravnitzky. eds. The Book of Legends: Sefer Ha-Aggadah. New York: Schocken Books, 1992. pp. 756, 782, 805.
  88. ^ Ginzberg, Lewis. Legends of the Bible. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America, 1956. p. 599.
  89. ^ Ginzberg, Lewis. Legends of the Bible. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America, 1956. p. 597.
  90. ^ Schwartz, Howard. Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.
  91. ^ Ginzberg, Lewis. Legends of the Bible. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America, 1956.
  92. ^ Schwartz, Howard. Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. pp. 224–25.
  93. ^ Matthew 3:4, Mark 1:6
  94. ^ John 1:21
  95. ^ Luke 1:16–17
  96. ^ Matthew 17:1–13, Mark 9:2–13 and Luke 9:28–36
  97. ^ John 4:19
  98. ^ Albright, W. F. and C. S. Mann. The Anchor Bible: Matthew. New York: Doubleday, 1971.
  99. ^ Fitzmyer, Joseph A. The Anchor Bible: Luke I–IX. New York: Doubleday, 1981.
  100. ^ Gill, John. "Hebrews 11:35". biblestudytools.com. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  101. ^ Henry, Matthew. "Hebrews 11". biblestudytools.com. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  102. ^ Brown, Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David. "Hebrews 11". biblestudytools.com. Retrieved 25 September 2015.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  103. ^ Martyrologium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2001 ISBN 88-209-7210-7)
  104. ^ . Holy Spirit Interactive. 19 August 2010. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011.
  105. ^ "Sveti Ilija - zaštitnik Bosne i Hercegovine" (in Serbo-Croatian). vecernji.ba. 21 July 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  106. ^ Skoko, Iko (21 August 2012). "Sveti Ilija – zaštitnik Bosne i Hercegovine" (in Serbo-Croatian). Večernji list.
  107. ^ Martić, Zvonko (2014). (in Serbo-Croatian). Svjetlo riječi. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  108. ^ "Eliasz". DEON.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  109. ^ "Пророк Илия́ Фесвитянин". Православный Церковный календарь (in Russian). Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  110. ^ "St. Elijah, Spiritual Father of the Carmelite Order". National Catholic Register. 20 July 2018.
  111. ^ Ackerman, Jane. "Stories of Elijah and medieval Carmelite identity." History of Religions. 35(2). 1995. 124–47.
  112. ^ Ackerman, Jane. Elijah Prophet of Carmel. Washington, D.C.: Institute of Carmelite Studies Publications, 2003.
  113. ^ . Archived from the original on 31 March 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
  114. ^ ""Controversies with Other Orders", The Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel"".
  115. ^ a b 1 Kings 18:38
  116. ^ J. Theodore Bent, "The Sun Myths of Modern Hellas", The Antiquary 20 (1889), p. 10
  117. ^ Patrick McBrine, translator, Sedulius' Carmen paschale, lines 184–187 PDF 15 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  118. ^ K. Sarah-Jane Murray, From Plato to Lancelot: a preface to Chrétien de Troyes, Syracuse 2008, p. 148 Google Books
  119. ^ Mary Hamilton, "The Pagan Element in the Names of Saints", Annual of the British School at Athens 13: 348–56 (1907) Google Books
  120. ^ C. Wachsmuth, Das alte Griechenland im neuen, 1864, p. 23, cited by Hippolyte Delehaye, The Legends of the Saints: An Introduction to Hagiography, 1907, p. 174
  121. ^ Delehaye, p. 174
  122. ^ a b c Arthur Bernard Cook, Zeus: A Study in Ancient Religion, 1925, p. 178 Google Books
  123. ^ F. Lenormant, Monographie de la voie sacrée Éleusinienne, 1864, p. 452 as quoted by Delehaye, p. 174
  124. ^ 1 Kings 19:8
  125. ^ 1 Kings 17:1–18:1
  126. ^ Elsie, Robert (2001). A Dictionary of Albanian Religion, Mythology, and Folk Culture. NYU Press. p. 7. ISBN 978-0814722145.
  127. ^ Lenhoff, Gail. "Christian and Pagan Strata in the East Slavic Cult of St. Nicholas: Polemical Notes on Boris Uspenskij's Filologičeskie Razyskanija v Oblasti Slavjanskix Drevnostej." The Slavic and East European Journal. (July 1984) 28.2 pp. 147–63.
  128. ^ McLeish, Kenneth. Myth: Myths and Legends of the World Explored. London: Facts on File, 1996. p. 506.
  129. ^ Cherry Gilchrist, Russian Magic: Living Folk Traditions of an Enchanted Landscape, ISBN 0-8356-0874-3, pp. 81ff full text
  130. ^ Mike Dixon-Kennedy, Encyclopedia of Russian and Slavic myth and legend, ISBN 1-57607-130-8, p. 218, full text
  131. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster's encyclopedia of world religions, ISBN 0-87779-044-2, s.v. "Slavic religion" full text
  132. ^ Gabidzashvili, Enriko. 1991. Saint George: In Ancient Georgian Literature. Armazi – 89: Tbilisi, Georgia.
  133. ^ Tuite, Kevin (2004). "Lightning, Sacrifice, and Possession in the Traditional Religions of the Caucasus". Anthropos. 99 (1): 143–159. ISSN 0257-9774. JSTOR 40466310.
  134. ^ Arthur Bernard Cook, Zeus: A Study in Ancient Religion, p. 171
  135. ^ Petersen, Mark E. (August 1981), "The Mission of Elijah", Ensign
  136. ^ Perkins, Keith W. (July 1999), "I Have a Question: How can Elias, who appeared with Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration, be identified as both the Old Testament prophet Elijah and as John the Baptist?", Ensign
  137. ^ Smith, Joseph Jr. (1976) [1938]. Smith, Joseph Fielding (ed.). Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book. ISBN 978-0-87579-243-9. OCLC 22984603. p. 340
  138. ^ "Elias", Bible Dictionary, KJV (LDS), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
  139. ^ a b Burton, Theodore M. Burton (May 1974), "The Power of Elijah", Ensign
  140. ^ Matthew 18:18
  141. ^ 4 Kings, 2:11
  142. ^ Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur'an: Text, Translation and Commentary, Note 4112
  143. ^ Ibn Kathir, Stories of the Prophets, p. 474
  144. ^ C. Glasse. "Elijah". Concise Encyclopedia of Islam
  145. ^ . islamicperspectives.com. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  146. ^ Message of the Qur'an, M. Asad, Commentary on 19: 56–57
  147. ^ Dimensions of Islam, F. Schuon, index. Sayyidna Khizr
  148. ^ Encyclopedia of Islam, Vol. III, H-Iram
  149. ^ Adventures of Amir Hamza, J. Seyller, p. 240
  150. ^ Surah As-Saaffat 37:123-126
  151. ^ Surah As-Saaffat 37:127-129
  152. ^ Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur'an: Text, Translation and Commentary, Note. 905"
  153. ^ Abdullah Yusuf Ali, Holy Qur'an: Text, Translation, Commentary, Note on Elijah
  154. ^ Stories of the Prophets, Ibn Kathir, Stories of Elias and Elisha
  155. ^ Historical Dictionary of Prophets in Islam and Judaism, B. M. Wheeler, Elijah: "Muslim exegetes report that the prophet Muhammad and a band of followers once met Elijah on a journey outside Mecca. Elijah served the prophet with food from heaven and then left on a cloud heading for the heavens"
  156. ^ Historical Dictionary of Prophets in Islam and Judaism, B. M. Wheeler, Elijah: "It is reported by Ibn Kathir that every year during the month of Ramadan in Jerusalem, the prophets Elijah and Khidr meet..."
  157. ^ The Adventures of Amir Hamza, trans. M. A. Farooqi, cf. List of Characters: Ilyas or Prophet Elias
  158. ^ Al-Kulayni, Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn Ya’qub (2015). Kitab al-Kafi. South Huntington, NY: The Islamic Seminary Inc. ISBN 9780991430864.
  159. ^ Stories of the Prophets, Ibn Kathir, Story of Elias and Elisha
  160. ^ Historical Dictionary of Prophets in Islam, B. M. Wheeler, Baalbek
  161. ^ C. Brockman, Norbert (2011). Encyclopedia of Sacred Places, 2nd Edition [2 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. p. 259. ISBN 9781598846553.
  162. ^ a b Swayd, Samy (2015). Historical Dictionary of the Druzes. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 77. ISBN 9781442246171.
  163. ^ a b Hammer, Leonard (2009). Holy Places in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Confrontation and Co-existence. Routledge. p. 76. ISBN 9781135268121.
  164. ^ Israeli, Raphael (2009). Peace is in the Eye of the Beholder. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. p. 244. ISBN 9783110852479. Nabi Shu'eib, biblical Jethro, is the patron saint of the Druze.
  165. ^ a b c Bennett, Chris (2010). Cannabis and the Soma Solution. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 77. ISBN 9781936296323. transmigration of the soul is a Druze tenet, and Druze believe that El Khidr and John the Baptist are one and the same. (Gibbs, 2008) The mythology of Khizr is thought to go back even further than the time of John the Baptist or Elija
  166. ^ a b c d Beaurepaire, Pierre-Yves (2017). Religious Interactions in Europe and the Mediterranean World: Coexistence and Dialogue from the 12th to the 20th Centuries. Taylor & Francis. p. 310-314. ISBN 9781351722179.
  167. ^ Shoghi, Effendi (1944). God Passes By. Wilmette, Illinois, US: Baháʼí Publishing Trust. p. 58. ISBN 978-0-87743-020-9.
  168. ^ Esslemont, John (1980). Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era. Wilmette, Illinois, US: Baháʼí Publishing Trust. p. 18. ISBN 978-0-87743-160-2.
  169. ^ Clarke, Adam. The Holy Bible ... with a Commentary and Critical Notes, Volume II, London 1836
  170. ^ see Leviticus 11:13–17
  171. ^ Gray, John. Old Testament Library, I & II Kings, SCM Press, London, 1964
  172. ^ a b Robinson, J. and Robinson, Joseph. The First Book of Kings, Cambridge University Press, 1972, p. 212ISBN 9780521097345
  173. ^   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain: Balkwill, F.H. "the Sacred Fire of Israel", The Twentieth Century, Volume 60, 1906, p. 277
  174. ^ "Rowley, H.H., "Elijah on Mount Carmel", p. 210 et seq., The John Rylands Library, University of Manchester" (PDF).
  175. ^ Easley, Gene (June 1994). "Morgenstern, Julian. The Fire Upon the Altar, Brill Archive, 1963, p. 65".
  176. ^ John 3
  177. ^ a b Coram, James. . biblical studies. Concordant Publishing Concern. Archived from the original on 22 May 2013. Retrieved 4 May 2014.
  178. ^ Bromiley International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: E–J p. 55
  179. ^ Aryeh Kaplan The handbook of Jewish thought, Volume 1 1992 p. 116 "This was seven years after Elijah's death; Seder Olam Rabbah 17.25"
  180. ^ Begg C. Josephus' story of the later monarchy: (AJ 9, 1–10, 185) Section "Elijah's Letter" p.119
  181. ^ Acts 8
  182. ^ 2 Kings 2
  183. ^ 2 Kings 3
  184. ^ 2 Chron 21
  185. ^ 2 Chron 21)
  186. ^ Ron Abel Wrested Scriptures[full citation needed]
  187. ^ Barrett Richard A.F. A synopsis of criticisms upon those passages, Volume 3, Part 1, p. 234 1847 "But our Dr. Lightfoot is of opinion, that it is not meant of that Elijah, who was carried up to heaven, but of another of his name, who sent this letter"
  188. ^ Matthew 14:9–12
  189. ^ Matthew 17:9–13
  190. ^ . lastdays-eschatology.net. Archived from the original on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 25 March 2014.
  191. ^ "Baháʼí Reference Library – God Passes By". Reference.bahai.org. 31 December 2010. pp. 49–60. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  192. ^ "Baháʼí Reference Library – Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era". Reference.bahai.org. 31 December 2010. pp. 15–16. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  193. ^ "Debate between NOI member and I". Retrieved 8 February 2017. I say, we don't call the Honorable Elijah Muhammad a Prophet. We recognize Prophet Muhammad, of 1400 years ago as the Last Prophet of Allah. The Honorable Elijah Muhammad is Allah's Last and Greatest Messenger to we, the Black man and woman in America.
  194. ^ HadžiMuhamedović, S. (2018) Waiting for Elijah: Time and Encounter in a Bosnian Landscape. New York and Oxford: Berghahn Books.
  195. ^ . Efn.org. Archived from the original on 22 February 2009. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  196. ^ Rickman, Gregg. Philip K. Dick: The Last Testament. Long Beach, CA: Fragments West/The Valentine Press, 1985.
  197. ^ Jacqueline Thalmann, 'Windows to Grace' in Simon Callow, Andrew Green, Rex Harley, Clive Hicks-Jenkins, Kathe Koja, Anita Mills, Montserrat Prat, Jacqueline Thalmann, Damian Walford Davies and Marly Youmans, Clive Hicks-Jenkins (2011: Lund Humphries) ISBN 978-1-84822-082-9, pp. 81–97
  198. ^ "The Magician". World Digital Library. 1917. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  • Enoch. All the books of Enoch (Enoch 1, Enoch 2, Enoch 3).

Bibliography edit

  • Elijah: Prophet of Carmel, by Jane Ackerman, ICS Publications, 2003. ISBN 0-935216-30-8

Anthropology edit

  • HadžiMuhamedović, S. Waiting for Elijah: Time and Encounter in a Bosnian Landscape. New York and Oxford: Berghahn Books. ISBN 978-1-78533-856-4

History edit

  • Miller, J. M. and J. H. Hayes. A History of Ancient Israel and Judah. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004. ISBN 0-664-22358-3

Folklore and tradition edit

  • Bialik, H. N. and Y. H Ravnitzky. eds. The Book of Legends: Sefer Ha-Aggadah. New York: Schocken Books, 1992. ISBN 0-8052-4113-2
  • Ginzberg, Lewis. Legends of the Bible. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America, 1956.
  • Schwartz, Howard. Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004. ISBN 0-19-508679-1
  • Wolfson, Ron and Joel L. Grishaver. Passover: The Family Guide to Spiritual Celebration. Woodstock, VT: Jewish Lights Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-58023-174-8

Children's literature edit

  • Aronin, Ben and Shay Rieger. The Secret of the Sabbath Fish. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America, 1978. ISBN 0-8276-0110-7
  • Goldin, Barbara. Journeys with Elijah: Eight Tales of the Prophet. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1999. ISBN 0-15-200445-9
  • Jaffe, Nina. The Mysterious Visitor: Stories of the Prophet Elijah. New York: Scholastic Press, 1997. ISBN 0-590-48422-2
  • Jaffe, Nina. The Way Meat Loves Salt: A Cinderella Tale from the Jewish Tradition. New York: Holt Publishing, 1998. ISBN 0-8050-4384-5
  • Silverman, Erica. Gittel's Hands. Mahwah, NJ: BridgeWater Books, 1996. ISBN 0-8167-3798-3
  • Sydelle, Pearl. Elijah's Tears: Stories for the Jewish Holidays. New York: Holt Publishing, 1996. ISBN 0-8050-4627-5
  • Thaler, Mike. Elijah, Prophet Sharing: and Other Bible Stories to Tickle Your Soul. Colorado Springs, CO: Faith Kids Publishing, 2000. ISBN 0-7814-3512-9
  • Scheck, Joann. The Water That Caught On Fire. St. Louis, Missouri: Concordia Publishing House: ARCH Books, 1969. (59-1159)

Christian literature edit

  • Friedrich Justus Knecht (1910). "God raises up Prophets. — Mission of the Prophet Elias" . A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture. B. Herder.

References in the Qur'an edit

  • Mission of Elijah: 37:123-126, 37:127-129
  • Praise for Elijah: 6:85, 37:130-132

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Elijah (Biblical figure).
 
Wikiquote has quotations related to Elijah.
  • Legends of the Jews by Louis Ginzberg. The legends of Elijah.
  • Dictionary of the History of Ideas: Cosmic Voyages - Mentions (in passing) the story of Elijah being carried up to heaven in a flaming chariot as an inspiration for human flight
  • Elijah by Rob Bradshaw Extensive dictionary style article.
  • LDS Bible Dictionary Entry on Elijah
  • Founder Statue in St Peter's Basilica
  • Holy, Glorious Prophet Elijah Orthodox icon and synaxarion
  • Prophet Ilyas
  • The Story of Ilyas (Elias)
  • Holy, Glorious Prophet Elijah Orthodox icon and synaxarion
  •   "Elijah" in Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897.
  • "Elijah" . New International Encyclopedia. 1905.

January 08, 2024
elijah, this, article, about, prophet, other, uses, disambiguation, confused, with, elisha, elishah, hebrew, הו, romanized, ʾĒlīyyāhū, meaning, yahweh, yhwh, greek, form, elias, according, books, kings, hebrew, bible, prophet, miracle, worker, lived, northern,. This article is about the prophet For other uses see Elijah disambiguation Not to be confused with Elisha or Elishah Elijah ɪ ˈ l aɪ dʒ e il EYE je Hebrew א ל י הו romanized ʾEliyyahu meaning My God is Yahweh 9 YHWH 10 11 Greek form Elias a ɪ ˈ l aɪ e s il EYE es was according to the Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible a prophet and a miracle worker who lived in the northern kingdom of Israel 12 during the reign of King Ahab 9th century BC ElijahProphet Elijah detailed in the Madonna and Child with Saints by Andrea di BonaiutoProphetFather of CarmelitesBornc 900 BCpossibly TishbeDiedc 849 BC 1 near JerichoVenerated inJudaismChristianityIslamDruze faith 2 Feast20 July Catholic Church 3 Eastern Orthodox Church 4 and the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod 5 PatronageCarmelite Order 3 Bosnia and Herzegovina 6 Druze people 7 Haifa 8 Mount Carmel 8 Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of AkkaIn 1 Kings 18 Elijah defended the worship of the Hebrew God over that of the Canaanite deity Baal God also performed many miracles through Elijah including resurrection bringing fire down from the sky and entering heaven alive by fire 13 He is also portrayed as leading a school of prophets known as the sons of the prophets 14 Following his ascension Elisha his disciple and most devoted assistant took over his role as leader of this school The Book of Malachi prophesies Elijah s return before the coming of the great and terrible day of the LORD 15 making him a harbinger of the Messiah and of the eschaton in various faiths that revere the Hebrew Bible References to Elijah appear in Sirach the New Testament the Mishnah and Talmud the Quran the Book of Mormon and Bahaʼi writings In Judaism Elijah s name is invoked at the weekly Havdalah rite that marks the end of Shabbat and Elijah is invoked in other Jewish customs among them the Passover Seder and the brit milah ritual circumcision He appears in numerous stories and references in the Haggadah and rabbinic literature including the Babylonian Talmud According to some Jewish interpretations Elijah will return during the End of Times 16 The Christian New Testament notes that some people thought that Jesus was in some sense Elijah 17 but it also makes clear that John the Baptist is the Elijah who was promised to come in Malachi 3 1 4 5 18 According to accounts in all three of the Synoptic Gospels Elijah appeared with Moses during the Transfiguration of Jesus Elijah in Islam appears in the Quran as a prophet and messenger of God where his biblical narrative of preaching against the worshipers of Baal is recounted in a concise form 19 Due to his importance to Muslims Catholics and Orthodox Christians Elijah has been venerated as the patron saint of Bosnia and Herzegovina since 1752 Contents 1 Biblical accounts 1 1 Books of Kings 1 1 1 Widow of Zarephath 1 1 2 Challenge to Baal 1 1 3 Mount Horeb 1 1 4 Vineyard of Naboth 1 1 5 Ahaziah 1 1 6 Departure 1 2 Books of Chronicles 1 3 In Malachi 2 Historicity 3 In the Aggadah Talmud and extra canonical books 3 1 Origin 3 2 Zeal for God 3 3 Ecclesiasticus 4 In Judaism 4 1 Elijah s chair 4 2 Elijah s cup 4 3 Havdalah 5 In Jewish folklore 5 1 Rabbi Joshua ben Levi 5 2 Rabbi Eliezer 5 3 Lilith 6 In Christianity 6 1 New Testament 6 1 1 John the Baptist 6 1 2 Transfiguration 6 1 3 Other references 6 2 Prophet saint 6 2 1 Carmelite tradition 6 2 2 Liturgical commemorations 6 2 3 Pagan associations and mountaintops 6 3 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints 7 In Islam 7 1 Quran 7 2 Literature and tradition 8 In Druze Faith 9 In Bahaʼi Faith 10 Controversies 10 1 Miracle of the ravens 10 2 Fire on Mount Carmel 10 3 Ascension into the heavens 10 4 Return 11 In arts and literature 12 See also 13 Notes 14 References 15 Bibliography 15 1 Anthropology 15 2 History 15 3 Folklore and tradition 15 4 Children s literature 15 5 Christian literature 15 6 References in the Qur an 16 External linksBiblical accounts edit nbsp Map of Israel as it was in the 9th century BC Blue is the Kingdom of Israel Golden yellow is the Kingdom of Judah 20 According to the Bible by the 9th century BC the Kingdom of Israel once united under Solomon had been divided into the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah which retained the historical capital of Jerusalem along with its Temple Omri King of Israel continued policies dating from the reign of Jeroboam contrary to religious law that were intended to reorient religious focus away from Jerusalem encouraging the building of local temple altars for sacrifices appointing priests from outside the family of the Levites and allowing or encouraging temples dedicated to Baal an important deity in ancient Canaanite religion 21 22 Omri achieved domestic security with a marriage alliance between his son Ahab and princess Jezebel a worshipper of Baal and the daughter of the king of Sidon in Phoenicia b These solutions brought security and economic prosperity to Israel for a time 25 but did not bring peace with the Israelite prophets who advocated a strict deuteronomic interpretation of the religious law Under Ahab s kingship tensions exacerbated Ahab built a temple for Baal and his wife Jezebel brought a large entourage of priests and prophets of Baal and Asherah into the country In this context Elijah is introduced in 1 Kings 17 1 as Elijah the Tishbite He warns Ahab that there will be years of catastrophic drought so severe that not even dew will form because Ahab and his queen stand at the end of a line of kings of Israel who are said to have done evil in the sight of the Lord Books of Kings edit No background for the person of Elijah is given except for his brief characterization as a Tishbite His name in Hebrew means My God is Yahweh and may be a title applied to him because of his challenge to worship of Baal 26 27 28 29 30 As told in the Hebrew Bible Elijah s challenge is bold and direct Baal was the Canaanite god responsible for rain thunder lightning and dew Elijah thus when he initially announces the drought not only challenges Baal on behalf of God himself but he also challenges Jezebel her priests Ahab and the people of Israel 31 nbsp Elijah in the wilderness by Washington AllstonWidow of Zarephath edit Main article Raising of the son of the widow of Zarephath After Elijah s confrontation with Ahab God tells him to flee out of Israel to a hiding place by the brook Chorath east of the Jordan where he will be fed by ravens 32 20 When the brook dries up God sends him to a widow living in the town of Zarephath in Phoenicia When Elijah finds her he asks her for some water and a piece of bread but she says that she does not have sufficient food to keep her and her own son alive Elijah tells her that God will not allow her supply of flour or oil to run out saying Do not be afraid For thus says the Lord the God of Israel The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land 33 She feeds him the last of their food and Elijah s promise miraculously comes true nbsp Elijah reviving the Son of the Widow of Zarephath by Louis HersentSome time later the widow s son dies and the widow cries You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance and to cause the death of my son 34 Elijah prays that God might restore her son so that the trustworthiness of God s word might be demonstrated and God listened to the voice of Elijah the life of the child came into him again and he revived 35 This is the first instance of raising the dead recorded in Scripture The widow cried the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth 36 After more than three years of drought and famine God tells Elijah to return to Ahab and announce the end of the drought While on his way Elijah meets Obadiah the head of Ahab s household who had hidden a hundred Jewish prophets from Jezebel s violent purge Obadiah fears that when he reports to Ahab about Elijah s whereabouts Elijah would disappear provoking Ahab to execute him Elijah reassures Obadiah and sends him to Ahab Challenge to Baal edit nbsp Elijah s offering is consumed by fire from heaven in a stained glass window at St Matthew s German Evangelical Lutheran Church in Charleston South Carolina When Ahab confronts Elijah he denounces him as being the troubler of Israel but Elijah retorts that Ahab himself is the one who troubled Israel by allowing the worship of false gods shedim At Elijah s instruction Ahab summons the people of Israel 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah to Mount Carmel Elijah then berates the people for their acquiescence in Baal worship How long will you go limping with two different opinions If the LORD is God follow him but if Baal then follow him 37 Elijah proposes a direct test of the powers of Baal and Yahweh both Asherah and her prophets disappear from the story entirely he and Baal s prophets will each take one of two bulls prepare it for sacrifice and lay it on wood but put no fire to it The prophets of Baal choose and prepare a bull accordingly Elijah then invites them to pray for fire to light the sacrifice They pray from morning to noon without success Elijah ridicules their efforts At noon Elijah mocked them saying Cry aloud Surely he is a god either he is meditating or he has wandered away or he is on a journey or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened 38 They respond by shouting louder and slashing themselves with swords and spears They continue praying until evening without success Elijah then repairs Yahweh s altar with twelve stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel Elijah digs a trench around it and prepares the other bull for sacrifice as before He then orders that the sacrifice and altar be drenched with water from four large jars poured three times filling also the trench 39 He asks Yahweh to accept the sacrifice Fire falls from the sky consuming the sacrifice the stones of the altar itself the earth and the water in the trench as well When the people see this they declare The LORD he is God the LORD he is God 40 Elijah then orders them to seize the prophets of Baal which they do and Elijah kills them beside the River Kishon at which the rains begin signaling the end of the famine Mount Horeb edit Jezebel enraged that Elijah has killed the prophets of Baal threatens to kill him 41 Elijah flees to Beersheba in Judah continues alone into the wilderness and finally sits down under a shrub praying for death and eventually falling asleep At length an angel of the Lord rouses him gently telling him to wake up and eat When he awakens he finds bread and a jar of water eats drinks and goes back to sleep The angel then comes to him a second time telling him to eat and drink afresh because he has a long journey ahead of him Elijah travels for forty days and forty nights to Mount Horeb 42 where Moses had received the Ten Commandments Elijah is the only person described in the Bible as returning to Horeb after Moses and his generation had left Horeb several centuries before He seeks shelter in a cave Elijah is told to Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD for the LORD is about to pass by 43 There comes a mighty wind then an earthquake and then fire but Yahweh is not in any of these choosing to come instead as a still small voice which bids Elijah go forth again this time to Damascus to anoint Hazael as king of Aram Jehu as king of Israel and Elisha as the old prophet s successor nbsp A statue of Elijah in the Cave of Elijah Mount Carmel Israel nbsp The Cave of Elijah Mount Carmel IsraelVineyard of Naboth edit Elijah encounters Ahab again in 1 Kings 21 after Ahab has acquired possession of a vineyard by murder Ahab desires to have the vineyard of Naboth of Jezreel He offers a better vineyard or a fair price for the land But Naboth tells Ahab that God has told him not to part with the land Ahab accepts this answer with sullen bad grace Jezebel however plots a method for acquiring the land She sends letters in Ahab s name to the elders and nobles who lived near Naboth They are to arrange a feast and invite Naboth At the feast false charges of cursing God and Ahab are to be made against him The plot is carried out and Naboth is stoned to death When word comes that Naboth is dead Jezebel tells Ahab to take possession of the vineyard God again speaks to Elijah and sends him to confront Ahab with a question and a prophecy Have you killed and also taken possession and In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth dogs will also lick up your blood 44 Ahab begins the confrontation by calling Elijah his enemy Elijah responds by throwing the charge back at him telling him that he has made himself the enemy of God by his own actions Elijah tells Ahab that his entire kingdom will reject his authority that Jezebel will be eaten by dogs within Jezreel and that his family will be consumed by dogs as well if they die in a city or by birds if they die in the country When Ahab hears this he repents so sincerely that God stays his hand in punishing Ahab choosing instead to vent his wrath upon Jezebel and her son by Ahab Ahaziah Ahaziah edit nbsp Elijah destroying the messengers of Ahaziah illustration by Gustave Dore from the 1866 La Sainte Bible Elijah s story continues now from Ahab to an encounter with Ahaziah 2 Kings 1 The scene opens with Ahaziah seriously injured in a fall He sends to the priests of Baalzebub in Ekron outside the kingdom of Israel to know if he will recover Elijah intercepts his messengers and sends them back to Ahaziah with a message Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal zebub the god of Ekron 42 45 Ahaziah asks the messengers to describe the person who gave them this message They tell him he was a hairy man with a leather belt around his waist and he instantly recognizes the description as Elijah the Tishbite Ahaziah sends out three groups of soldiers to arrest Elijah The first two are destroyed by fire which Elijah calls down from heaven The leader of the third group asks for mercy for himself and his men Elijah agrees to accompany this third group to Ahaziah where he gives his prophecy in person Ahaziah dies without recovering from his injuries in accordance with Elijah s word 46 Departure edit nbsp Elijah Taken Up in a Chariot of Fire by Giuseppe Angeli c 1740 nbsp Elijah s chariot in the whirlwind Fresco Anagni Cathedral c 1250According to 2 Kings 2 3 9 Elisha Eliseus and the sons of the prophets knew beforehand that Elijah would one day be assumed into heaven Elisha asked Elijah to let a double portion of Elijah s spirit be upon him Elijah agreed with the condition that Elisha would see him be taken Elijah in company with Elisha approaches the Jordan He rolls up his mantle and strikes the water 47 The water immediately divides and Elijah and Elisha cross on dry land Suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appear 42 and Elijah is lifted up in a whirlwind As Elijah is lifted up his mantle falls to the ground and Elisha picks it up Books of Chronicles edit Main article Books of Chronicles Elijah is mentioned once more in 2 Chronicles 21 12 which will be his final mention in the Hebrew Bible A letter is sent under the prophet s name to Jehoram of Judah It tells him that he has led the people of Judah astray in the same way that Israel was led astray The prophet ends the letter with a prediction of a painful death This letter is a puzzle to readers for several reasons First it concerns a king of the southern kingdom while Elijah concerned himself with the kingdom of Israel Second the message begins with Thus says YHVH God of your father David rather than the more usual in the name of YHVH the God of Israel Also this letter seems to come after Elijah s ascension into the whirlwind 48 Michael Wilcock formerly of Trinity College Bristol suggests a number of possible reasons for this letter among them that it may be an example of a better known prophet s name being substituted for that of a lesser known prophet 49 John Van Seters however rejects the letter as having any connection with the Elijah tradition 50 However Wilcock argues that Elijah s letter does address a very northern situation in the southern kingdom and thus is authentic 51 In Malachi edit While the final mention of Elijah in the Hebrew Bible is in the Book of Chronicles the Christian Bible s reordering places the Book of Malachi which prophesies a messiah as the final book of the Old Testament before the New Testament gospels 52 Thus Elijah s final Old Testament appearance is in the Book of Malachi where it is written Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction 53 Historicity editScholars generally agree that a prophet named Elijah existed in the Kingdom of Israel during the reigns of Kings Ahab and Ahaziah that he was a religious figure of great personal dynamism and conservative zeal and the leader of resistance to the rise of Baal worship in Israel in the ninth century BC 54 In the opinion of some scholars however the biblical presentation of the prophet cannot be taken as historical documentation of his activity The biblical texts present his career through the eyes of popular legend and subsequent theological reflection which consider him a personality of heroic proportions In this process his actions and relations to the people and the King became stereotyped and the presentation of his behavior paradigmatic 55 In the Aggadah Talmud and extra canonical books editJewish legends about Elijah abound in the Aggadah which is found throughout various collections of rabbinic literature including the Babylonian Talmud This varied literature does not merely discuss his life but has created a new history of him which beginning with his death or translation ends only with the close of the history of the human race The volume of references to Elijah in Jewish Tradition stands in marked contrast to that in the Canon As in the case of most figures of Jewish legend so in the case of Elijah the biblical account became the basis of later legend Elijah the precursor of the Messiah Elijah zealous in the cause of God Elijah the helper in distress these are the three leading notes struck by the Aggadah endeavoring to complete the biblical picture with the Elijah legends His career is extensive colorful and varied He has appeared the world over in the guise of a beggar and scholar From the time of Malachi who says of Elijah that God will send him before the great and dreadful day 56 down to the later stories of the Chasidic rabbis reverence and love expectation and hope were always connected in the Jewish consciousness with Elijah Origin edit Three different theories regarding Elijah s origin are presented in the Aggadah literature 1 he belonged to the tribe of Gad 57 2 he was a Benjamite from Jerusalem identical with the Elijah mentioned in 1 Chronicles 8 27 and 3 he was a priest Many Christian Church fathers also 58 have stated that Elijah was a priest Some rabbis have speculated that he should be identified with Phinehas 59 According to later Kabbalistic literature Elijah was really an angel in human form 42 so that he had neither parents nor offspring 60 The Midrash Rabbah Exodus 4 2 states Elijah should have revived his parents as he had revived the son of the Zarephathite indicating he surely had parents The Talmud states Said he Rabbah to him Elijah Art thou not a priest why then dost thou stand in a cemetery 61 Zeal for God edit nbsp The statue of Elijah at the Saint Elias Cathedral Aleppo SyriaA midrash which tells that they even abolished the sign of the covenant and the prophet had to appear as Israel s accuser before God 62 clarification needed In the same cave where God once appeared to Moses and revealed Himself as gracious and merciful Elijah was summoned to appear before God By this summons he perceived that he should have appealed to God s mercy instead of becoming Israel s accuser The prophet however remained relentless in his zeal and severity so that God commanded him to appoint his successor 63 The vision in which God revealed Himself to Elijah gave him at the same time a picture of the destinies of man who has to pass through four worlds This world was shown to the prophet by God through symbolism in the form of the wind since the world disappears as the wind storm is the day of death before which man trembles fire is the judgment in Gehenna and the stillness is the last day 64 Three years after this vision Elijah was translated 65 Concerning the place to which Elijah was transferred opinions differ among Jews and Christians but the old view was that Elijah was received among the heavenly inhabitants where he records the deeds of men 66 But as early as the middle of the 2nd century when the notion of translation to heaven underwent divergent possible interpretations by Christian theologians the assertion was made that Elijah never entered into heaven proper 67 In later literature paradise is generally designated as the abode of Elijah 68 but since the location of paradise is itself uncertain the last two statements may be identical Ecclesiasticus edit At the appointed time it is written you are destined to calm the wrath of God before it breaks out in fury to turn the hearts of parents to their children and to restore the tribes of Jacob A line in the Book of Sirach describing Elijah s mission Ecclesiasticus 48 10 Elijah s glory is honoured in the Book of Sirach Ecclesiasticus His designated tasks are altered to calming God s fury restoring familial peace and restoring the Twelve Tribes of Israel 69 In Judaism editElijah s chair edit See also Brit milah nbsp Chair of Elijah used during the brit milah circumcision ceremony The Hebrew inscription reads This is the chair of Elijah remembered for Good At Jewish circumcision ceremonies a chair is set aside for the use of the prophet Elijah Elijah is said to be a witness at all circumcisions when the sign of the covenant is placed upon the body of the child This custom stems from the incident at Mount Horeb 70 Elijah had arrived at Mount Horeb after the demonstration of God s presence and power on Mount Carmel 71 God asks Elijah to explain his arrival and Elijah replies I have been very jealous for the Lord the God of hosts for the people of Israel have forsaken thy covenant thrown down thy altars and slain thy prophets with the sword and I even I only am left and they seek my life to take it away 72 According to Rabbinic tradition Elijah s words were patently untrue 73 and since Elijah accused Israel of failing to uphold the covenant God would require Elijah to be present at every covenant of circumcision 74 75 Elijah s cup edit See also Passover Seder In the Talmudic literature Elijah would visit rabbis to help solve particularly difficult legal problems Malachi had cited Elijah as the harbinger of the eschaton Thus when confronted with reconciling impossibly conflicting laws or rituals the rabbis would set aside any decision until Elijah comes 76 One such decision was whether the Passover Seder required four or five cups of wine Each serving of wine corresponds to one of the four expressions of redemption in the Book of Exodus I am the Lord and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians and I will deliver you from their bondage and I will redeem you with an out stretched arm and with great acts of judgment and I will take you for my people and I will be your God and you shall know that I am the Lord your God who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians 77 The next verse And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob I will give it to you for a possession I am the Lord 78 was not fulfilled until the generation following the Passover story and the rabbis could not decide whether this verse counted as part of the Passover celebration thus deserving of another serving of wine Thus a cup was left for the arrival of Elijah In practice the fifth cup has come to be seen as a celebration of future redemption Today a place is reserved at the seder table and a cup of wine is placed there for Elijah During the seder the door of the house is opened and Elijah is invited in Traditionally the cup is viewed as Elijah s and is used for no other purpose 79 80 Havdalah edit See also Havdalah Havdalah is the ceremony that concludes the Sabbath Day Saturday evening in Jewish tradition As part of the concluding hymn an appeal is made to God that Elijah will come during the following week Elijah the Prophet Elijah the Tishbite Elijah from Gilead Let him come quickly in our day with the messiah the son of David 79 In Jewish folklore editThe volume of references to Elijah in folklore stands in marked contrast to that in the canon Elijah s miraculous transferral to heaven led to speculation as to his true identity Louis Ginzberg equates him with Phinehas the grandson of Aaron 81 82 Because of Phinehas zealousness for God he and his descendants were promised a covenant of lasting priesthood 83 Therefore Elijah is a priest as well as a prophet Elijah is also equated with the Archangel Sandalphon 84 whose four wing beats will carry him to any part of the earth When forced to choose between death and dishonor Rabbi Kahana chose to leap to his death Before he could strike the ground Elijah Sandalphon had appeared to catch him 85 Yet another name for Elijah is Angel of the Covenant 86 Rabbi Joshua ben Levi edit References to Elijah in Jewish folklore range from short observations e g It is said that when dogs are happy for no reason it is because Elijah is in the neighborhood 87 to lengthy parables on the nature of God s justice One such story is that of Rabbi Joshua ben Levi The rabbi a friend of Elijah s was asked what favor he might wish The rabbi answered only that he be able to join Elijah in his wanderings Elijah granted his wish only if he refrained from asking any questions about any of the prophet s actions He agreed and they began their journey The first place they came to was the house of an elderly couple who were so poor they had only one old cow The old couple gave of their hospitality as best they could The next morning as the travelers left Elijah prayed that the old cow would die and it did The second place they came to was the home of a wealthy man He had no patience for his visitors and chased them away with the admonition that they should get jobs and not beg from honest people As they were leaving they passed the man s wall and saw that it was crumbling Elijah prayed that the wall be repaired and it was so Next they came to a wealthy synagogue They were allowed to spend the night with only the smallest of provisions When they left Elijah prayed that every member of the synagogue might become a leader Finally they came to a very poor synagogue Here they were treated with great courtesy and hospitality When they left Elijah prayed that God might give them a single wise leader At this Rabbi Joshua could no longer hold back He demanded of Elijah an explanation of his actions At the house of the old couple Elijah knew that the Angel of Death was coming for the old woman So he prayed that God might have the angel take the cow instead At the house of the wealthy man there was a great treasure hidden in the crumbling wall Elijah prayed that the wall be restored thus keeping the treasure away from the miser The story ends with a moral A synagogue with many leaders will be ruined by many arguments A town with a single wise leader will be guided to success and prosperity Know then that if thou seest an evil doer prosper it is not always unto his advantage and if a righteous man suffers need and distress think not God is unjust 88 Rabbi Eliezer edit The Elijah of legend did not lose any of his ability to afflict the comfortable The case of Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Simon ben Yohai is illustrative Once when walking on a beach he came upon a hideously ugly man the prophet in disguise The man greeted him courteously Peace be with thee Rabbi Instead of returning the greeting the rabbi could not resist an insult How ugly you are Is there anyone as ugly as you in your town Elijah responded with I don t know Perhaps you should tell the Master Architect how ugly is this His construction The rabbi realized his wrong and asked for pardon But Elijah would not give it until the entire city had asked for forgiveness for the rabbi and the rabbi had promised to mend his ways 89 Lilith edit Elijah was always seen as deeply pious it seems only natural that he would be pitted against an equally evil individual This was found in the person of Lilith Lilith in legend was the first wife of Adam She rebelled against Adam the angels and even God She came to be seen as a demon and a witch 90 91 Elijah encountered Lilith and instantly recognized and challenged her Unclean one where are you going Unable to avoid or lie to the prophet she admitted she was on her way to the house of a pregnant woman Her intention was to kill the woman and eat the child Elijah pronounced his malediction I curse you in the Name of the Lord Be silent as a stone But Lilith was able to make a bargain with Elijah She promises to forsake my evil ways if Elijah will remove his curse To seal the bargain she gives Elijah her names so that they can be posted in the houses of pregnant women or new born children or used as amulets Lilith promises where I see those names I shall run away at once Neither the child nor the mother will ever be injured by me 92 In Christianity editNew Testament edit nbsp A Northern Russian icon from ca 1290 showing the ascent of Elijah toward heavenIn the New Testament Jesus would say for those who believed John the Baptist was Elijah who would come before the great and terrible day as predicted by Malachi Some English translations of the New Testament use Elias a Greek form of the name In the King James Version Elias appears only in the texts translated from Greek John the Baptist edit John the Baptist preached a message of repentance and baptism He predicted the day of judgment using imagery similar to that of Malachi He also preached that the Messiah was coming All of this was done in a style that immediately recalled the image of Elijah to his audience He wore a coat of camel s hair secured with a leather girdle 93 He also frequently preached in wilderness areas near the Jordan River In the Gospel of John when John the Baptist was asked by a delegation of priests present tense Art thou Elias he replied I am not 94 Matthew 11 14 and Matthew 17 10 13 however make it clear that John was the spiritual successor to Elijah In the Nativity of St John the Baptist in Luke Gabriel appears to Zechariah John s father and told him that John will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God and that he will go forth in the spirit and power of Elijah 95 nbsp Elijah appears at the Transfiguration of Jesus as recounted in Matthew 17 1 8 Mark 9 2 8 Luke 9 28 36 Transfiguration edit Elijah makes an appearance in the New Testament during an incident known as the Transfiguration 96 At the summit of an unnamed mount Jesus face begins to shine The disciples who are with Him hear the voice of God announce that Jesus is My beloved Son The disciples also see Moses and Elijah appear and talk with Jesus This apparently relates to how both Elijah and Moses the latter according to tradition but not the Bible both were translated to heaven instead of dying Peter is so struck by the experience that he asks Jesus if they should build three tabernacles one for Elijah one for Jesus and one for Moses There is agreement among some Christian theologians that Elijah appears to hand over the responsibility of the prophets to Jesus as the woman by the well said to Jesus I perceive thou art a prophet 97 Moses also likewise came to hand over the responsibility of the law for the divinely announced Son of God 98 99 Other references edit Elijah is mentioned four more times in the New Testament in Luke Romans Hebrews and James In Luke 4 24 27 Jesus uses Elijah as an example of rejected prophets Jesus says No prophet is accepted in his own country and then mentions Elijah saying that there were many widows in Israel but Elijah was sent to one in Phoenicia In Romans 11 1 6 Paul cites Elijah as an example of God s never forsaking his people the Israelites Hebrews 11 35 Women received their dead raised to life again refers to both Elijah raising the son of the widow of Zarephath and Elisha raising the son of the woman of Shunem citing both Elijah and Elisha as Old Testament examples of faith 100 101 102 In James 5 16 18 James says The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much and then cites Elijah s prayers which started and ended the famine in Israel as examples Prophet saint edit In Western Christianity Elijah is commemorated as a saint with a feast day on 20 July by the Roman Catholic Church 103 and the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod 5 Catholics believe that he was unmarried and celibate 104 In the Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite he is commemorated on the same date in the 21st century Julian Calendar 20 July corresponds to Gregorian Calendar 2 August He is greatly revered among the Orthodox as a model of the contemplative life He is also commemorated on the Orthodox liturgical calendar on the Sunday of the Holy Fathers the Sunday before the Nativity of the Lord Elijah has been venerated as the patron saint of Bosnia and Herzegovina since 26 August 1752 105 replacing George of Lydda at the request of Bishop Pavao Dragicevic The reasons for the replacement are unclear It has been suggested that Elijah was chosen because of his importance to all three main religious groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina Catholics Muslims and Orthodox Christians 106 Pope Benedict XIV is said to have approved Bishop Dragicevic s request with the remark that a wild nation deserved a wild patron 107 Prophet Elias is commemorated by the Catholic Church on 17 June 108 He is also commemorated by Eastern Orthodox Church on April 14 with all saint Sinai monks 109 Carmelite tradition edit nbsp 1690 Musee des AugustinsElijah is revered as the spiritual Father and traditional founder of the Catholic religious Order of Carmelites 110 In addition to taking their name from Mt Carmel where the first hermits of the order established themselves the Calced Carmelite and Discalced Carmelite traditions pertaining to Elijah focus upon the prophet s withdrawal from public life 111 112 The medieval Carmelite Book of the First Monks offers some insight into the heart of the Orders contemplative vocation and reverence for the prophet In the 17th century the Bollandist Society whose declared aim was to search out and classify materials concerning the saints venerated by the Church and to print what seemed to be the most reliable sources of information 113 entered into controversy with the Carmelites on this point In writing of St Albert Patriarch of Jerusalem and author of the Carmelite rule the Bollandist Daniel Papebroch stated that the attribution of Carmelite origin to Elijah was insufficiently grounded The Carmelites reacted strongly From 1681 to 1698 a series of letters pamphlets and other documents was issued by each side The Carmelites were supported by a Spanish tribunal while the Bollandists had the support of Jean de Launoy and the Sorbonne In November 1698 Pope Innocent XII ordered an end to the controversy 114 Liturgical commemorations edit nbsp Elias on Mount Horeb as depicted in a Greek Orthodox iconSince most Eastern Churches either use Greek as their liturgical language or translated their liturgies from the Greek Elias or its modern iotacized form Ilias is the form of the prophet s name used among most members of the Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite The feast day of Saint Elias falls on 20 July of the Orthodox liturgical calendar for those churches which follow the traditional Julian Calendar 20 July currently falls on 2 August of the modern Gregorian Calendar This day is a major holiday in Lebanon and is one of a handful of holidays there whose celebration is accompanied by a launching of fireworks by the general public The full name of St Elias in Lebanon translates to St Elias the Living because it is believed that he did not die but rode his fiery chariot to heaven The reference to the fiery chariot is likely why the Lebanese celebrate this holiday with fireworks Elias is also commemorated together with all of the righteous persons of the Old Testament on the Sunday of the Holy Fathers the Sunday before the Nativity of the Lord The Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone for St Elias The incarnate Angel the Cornerstone of the Prophets the second Forerunner of the Coming of Christ the glorious Elias who from above sent down to Elisha the grace to dispel sickness and cleanse lepers abounds therefore in healing for those who honor him The Kontakion in the Second Tone for St Elias O Prophet and foreseer of the great works of God O greatly renowned Elias who by your word held back the clouds of rain intercede for us to the only Loving One Pagan associations and mountaintops edit See also Peryn The cult of Peroun in Peryn and in Novgorod Starting in the fifth century Elias is often connected with Helios the Sun The two words have very similar pronunciations in post classical Greek Elijah rode in his chariot of fire to heaven 13 just as Helios drove the chariot of the sun across the sky and the holocaust sacrifice offered by Elijah and burned by fire from heaven 115 corresponds to the sun warming the earth 116 Sedulius writes poetically in the fifth century that the bright path to glittering heaven suits Elias both in merits and name as changing one letter makes his name Helios but he does not identify the two 117 A homily entitled De ascensione Heliae misattributed to Chrysostom claims that poets and painters use the ascension of Elijah as a model for their depictions of the sun and says that Elijah is really Helios Saint Patrick appears to conflate Helios and Elias 118 In modern times much Greek folklore also connects Elias with the sun 119 In Greece chapels and monasteries dedicated to Prophet Elias Profhths Hlias are often found on mountaintops which themselves are often named after him Since Wachsmuth 1864 120 the usual explanation for this has been that Elias was identified with Helios who had mountaintop shrines But few shrines of Helios were on mountaintops and sun worship was subsumed by Apollo worship by Christian times and so could not be confused with Elias 121 The modern folklore is not good evidence for the origin of the association of the sun Elias and mountaintops 122 Perhaps Elias is simply a natural patron of high places 123 The association of Elias with mountaintops seems to come from a different pagan tradition Elias took on the attributes and the locales associated with Zeus especially his associations with mountains and his powers over rain thunder lightning and wind When Elias prevailed over the priests of Baal it was on Mount Carmel 115 which later became known as Mount St Elias When he spent forty days in a cave it was on Mount Horeb 124 When Elias confronted Ahab he stopped the rains for three years 125 122 A map of mountain cults of Zeus shows that most of these sites are now dedicated to Elias including Mount Olympus Mount Lykaion Mount Arachnaion and Mount Taleton on the mainland and Mount Kenaion Mount Oche and Mount Kynados in the islands Of these the only one with a recorded tradition of a Helios cult is Mount Taleton 122 Elias is associated with pre Christian lightning gods in many other European traditions Among Albanians pilgrimages are made to mountaintops to ask for rain during the summer One such tradition that is gaining popularity is the 2 August pilgrimage to Ljuboten on the Sharr mountains Muslims refer to this day as Aligjyn Ali Day and it is believed that Ali becomes Elias at midday 126 nbsp This common depiction of the prophet Elijah riding a flaming chariot across the sky resulted in syncretistic folklore among the Slavs incorporating pre Christian motifs in the beliefs and rites regarding him in Slavic culture As Elijah was described as ascending into heaven in a fiery chariot the Christian missionaries who converted Slavic tribes likely found him an ideal analogy for Perun the supreme Slavic god of storms thunder and lightning bolts In many Slavic countries Elijah is known as Elijah the Thunderer Ilija Gromovnik who drives the heavens in a chariot and administers rain and snow thus actually taking the place of Perun in popular beliefs 127 128 129 Perun is also sometimes conflated with the legendary hero Elijah of Murom 130 131 The feast of St Elias is known as Ilinden in South Slavic and was chosen as the day of the Ilinden Preobrazhenie Uprising in 1903 it is now the holiday of Republic Day in North Macedonia In Estonian folklore Elijah is considered to be the successor of Ukko the lightning spirit 131 In Georgian mythology he replaces Elwa 131 A Georgian story about Elijah Once Jesus the prophet Elijah and St George were going through Georgia When they became tired and hungry they stopped to dine They saw a Georgian shepherd and decided to ask him to feed them First Elijah went up to the shepherd and asked him for a sheep After the shepherd asked his identity Elijah said that he was the one who sent him rain to get him a good profit from farming The shepherd became angry at him and told him that he was the one who also sent thunderstorms which destroyed the farms of poor widows After Elijah Jesus and St George attempt to get help and eventually succeed 132 Among other peoples of the Caucasus including the Ossetians and Kabardians Elijah is understood as a kind of thunder divinity named Uac illa Ilia or Yeli and was traditionally invoked in choppa ritual associated with lightning strikes and certain mental illnesses 133 If a person or animal was struck by lightning a circle dance was performed immediately around the site even if the storm was still ongoing and Elijah s name was invoked alongside a nonsense word choppa or coppay If the victim had died their family were forbidden from grieving and were required to bury them where they fell instead of in the village cemetery If the victim survived their lives were dedicated to Elijah human survivors were prophets while animals were released with a mark so that others would know not to take them home In other versions of this tradition the one venerated was not Elijah but other traditional thunder divinities like Shyble Shyble Afy Afy or Antswa Ancua Elias has other pagan associations a modern legend about Elias mirrors precisely the legend of Odysseus seeking a place where the locals would not recognize an oar hence the mountaintops 134 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints edit The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints acknowledges Elijah as a prophet The Church teaches that the Malachi prophecy of the return of Elijah was fulfilled on 3 April 1836 when Elijah visited the prophet and founder of the church Joseph Smith along with Oliver Cowdery in the Kirtland Temple as a resurrected being 135 This event is chronicled in Doctrine and Covenants 110 13 16 This experience forms the basis for the church s focus on genealogy and family history and belief in the eternal nature of marriage and families In Latter day Saint theology the name title Elias is not always synonymous with Elijah and is often used for people other than the biblical prophet 136 According to Joseph Smith The spirit of Elias is first Elijah second and Messiah last Elias is a forerunner to prepare the way and the spirit and power of Elijah is to come after holding the keys of power building the Temple to the capstone placing the seals of the Melchizedek Priesthood upon the house of Israel and making all things ready then Messiah comes to His Temple which is last of all 137 People to whom the title Elias is applied in Mormonism include Noah the angel Gabriel who is considered to be the same person as Noah in Mormon doctrine Elijah John the Baptist John the Apostle and an unspecified man who was a contemporary of Abraham 138 Detractors of Mormonism have often alleged that Smith in whose time and place the King James Version was the only available English translation of the Bible simply failed to grasp the fact that the Elijah of the Old Testament and the Elias of the New Testament are the same person 139 Latter day Saints deny this and say that the difference they make between the two is deliberate and prophetic The names Elias and Elijah refer to one who prepares the way for the coming of the Lord This is applicable to John the Baptist coming to prepare the way for the Lord and His baptism it also refers to Elijah appearing during the transfiguration to prepare for Jesus by restoring keys of sealing power 139 Jesus then gave this power to the Twelve saying Verily I say unto you Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven 140 In Islam edit nbsp Khizr and Elijah Praying in Mecca Persian miniature from an illuminated manuscript of Stories of the Prophets c 427 AH 1036 AD Main article Elijah in Islam Elijah Arabic إلياس romanized Ilyas is mentioned as a prophet in Quran 6 85 Elijah s narrative in the Quran and later Muslim tradition resembles closely that in the Hebrew Bible and Muslim literature records Elijah s primary prophesying as taking place during the reign of Ahab and Jezebel as well as Ahaziah c He is seen by Muslims to be the prophetic predecessor to Elisha While neither the Bible nor the Quran mentions the genealogy of Elijah some scholars of Islam believe he may have come from the priestly family of the prophet Aaron 143 While Elijah is associated with Islamic eschatology Islam views Jesus as the Messiah 144 However Elijah is expected to come back along with the mysterious figure known as Khidr during the Last Judgment 145 Elijah s figure has been identified with a number of other prophets and saints including Idris which is believed by some scholars to have been another name for Elijah 146 and Khidr 147 Islamic legend later developed the figure of Elijah greatly embellishing upon his attributes and some apocryphal literature gave Elijah the status of a half human half angel 148 Elijah also appears in later works of literature including the Hamzanama 149 Quran edit Elijah is mentioned in the Quran where his preaching is recounted in a concise manner The Quran narrates that Elijah told his people to come to the worship of God and to leave the worship of Baal the primary idol of the area The Quran states And Elias was indeed one of the messengers Remember when he said to his people Will you not fear Allah Do you call upon the idol of Ba l and abandon the Best of Creators Allah your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers 150 The Quran makes it clear that the majority of Elijah s people denied the prophet and continued to follow idolatry However it mentions that a small number of devoted servants of God among them followed Elijah and believed in and worshiped God The Quran states But they rejected him so they will certainly be brought for punishment But not the chosen servants of Allah We blessed him with honourable mention among later generations 151 In the Quran God praises Elijah in two places Peace be upon Elias Indeed this is how We reward the good doers He was truly one of Our faithful servants Surah As Saaffat 37 130 132 Likewise We guided Zachariah John Jesus and Elias who were all of the righteous Surah Al An am 6 85 Numerous commentators including Abdullah Yusuf Ali have offered commentary on VI 85 saying that Elijah Zechariah John the Baptist and Jesus were all spiritually connected Abdullah Yusuf Ali says The third group consists not of men of action but Preachers of Truth who led solitary lives Their epithet is the Righteous They form a connected group round Jesus Zachariah was the father of John the Baptist who is referenced as Elias which was for to come Matt 11 14 and Elias is said to have been present and talked to Jesus at the Transfiguration on the Mount Matt 17 3 152 Literature and tradition edit Muslim literature and tradition recounts that Elijah preached to the Kingdom of Israel ruled over by Ahab and later his son Ahaziah He is believed to have been a prophet of the desert like John the Baptist 153 Elijah is believed to have preached with zeal to Ahab and his wife Jezebel who according to Muslim tradition was partly responsible for the worship of false idols in this area Muslims believe that it was because the majority of people refused to listen to Elijah that Elisha had to continue preaching the message of God to Israel after him 154 Elijah has been the subject of legends and folktales in Muslim culture usually involving his meeting with Khidr and in one legend with Muhammad himself 155 In Islamic mysticism Elijah is associated closely with the sage Khidr One hadith reported that Elijah and Khidr met together every year in Jerusalem to go on the pilgrimage to Mecca 156 Elijah appears also in the Hamzanama numerous times where he is spoken of as being the brother of Khidr as well as one who drank from the Fountain of Youth 157 Further It is narrated in Kitab al Kafi that Imam Ja far al Sadiq was reciting the prostration of Ilyas Elijah in the Syrian language and began to weep He then translated the supplication in Arabic to a group of visiting scholars O Lord will I find that you punish me although you know of my thirst in the heat of midday Will I find that you punish me although you know that I rub my face on Earth to worship you Will I find that you punish me although you know that I give up sins for you Will I find that you punish me although you know that I stay awake all night just for you To which Allah then inspired to Ilyas Raise your head from the Earth for I will not punish you 158 Although most Muslim scholars believed that Elijah preached in Israel some early commentators on the Quran stated that Elijah was sent to Baalbek in Lebanon 159 Modern scholars have rejected this claim stating that the connection of the city with Elijah would have been made because of the first half of the city s name that of Baal which was the deity that Elijah exhorted his people to stop worshiping Scholars who reject identification of Elijah s town with Baalbek further argue that the town of Baalbek is not mentioned with the narrative of Elijah in either the Quran or the Hebrew Bible 160 In Druze Faith edit nbsp The Druze maqam Al Khidr in Kafr Yasif Israel Druze tradition honors several mentors and prophets and Elijah is honored as a prophet 161 Druze venerate Elijah and he is considered a central figure in Druzism 162 And due to his importance in Druzism the settlement of Druze on Mount Carmel had partly to do with Elijah s story and devotion There are two large Druze towns on the eastern slopes of Mount Carmel Daliyat al Karmel and Isfiya 162 The Druze regard the Cave of Elijah as holy 163 and they identify Elijah as al Khidr the green prophet who symbolizes water and life a miracle who cures the sick 163 He and Jethro Shuaib are considered patron saints of the Druze people 7 164 Druze like some Christians believe that Elijah came back as John the Baptist 2 165 since they belief in reincarnation and the transmigration of the soul Druze believe that El Khidr and John the Baptist are one and the same along with Saint George 165 Due to the Christian influnce on the Druze faith two Christian saints become the Druze s favorite venerated figures Saint George and Saint Elijah 166 Thus in all the villages inhabited by Druze and Christians in central Mount Lebanon a Christian church or Druze maqam is dedicated to either one of them 166 According to scholar Ray Jabre Mouawad the Druze appreciated the two saints for their bravery Saint George because he confronted the dragon and Saint Elijah because he competed with the pagan priests of Baal and won over them 166 In both cases the explanations provided by Christians is that Druzes were attracted to warrior saints that resemble their own militarized society 166 In Bahaʼi Faith editIn the Bahaʼi Faith the Bab founder of the Babi Faith is believed to be the return of Elijah and John the Baptist 167 Both Elijah and John the Baptist are considered to be Lesser Prophets whose stations are below that of a Manifestation of God like Jesus Christ Buddha the Bab or Baha u llah The Bab is buried on Mount Carmel where Elijah had his confrontation with the prophets of Baal 168 Controversies editMiracle of the ravens edit nbsp Elijah fed by the ravens by Giovanni Lanfranco Musee des beaux arts de MarseilleThat ravens fed Elijah by the brook Chorath has been questioned The Hebrew text at 1 Kings 17 4 6 uses the word ע ר ב ים ōrvim which means ravens but with a different vocalization might equally mean Arabs The Septuagint has korakes ravens and other traditional translations followed Alternatives have been proposed for many years for example Adam Clarke d 1832 treated it as a discussion already of long standing 169 Objections to the traditional translation are that ravens are ritually unclean 170 as well as physically dirty it is difficult to imagine any method of delivery of the food which is not disgusting The parallelism with the incident that follows where Elijah is fed by the widow also suggests a human if mildly improbable agent Prof John Gray chooses Arabs saying We adopt this reading solely because of its congruity with the sequel where Elijah is fed by an alien Phoenician woman 171 His translation of the verses in question is And the word of YHWH came to Elijah saying Go hence and turn eastward and hide thyself in the Wadi Chorath east of the Jordan and it shall be that thou shalt drink of the wadi and I have commanded the Arabs to feed thee there And he went and did according to the word of YHWH and went and dwelt in the Wadi Chorath east of the Jordan And the Arabs brought him bread in the morning and flesh in the evening and he would drink of the wadi Fire on Mount Carmel edit The challenge to the priests of Baal had the two fold purpose of demonstrating that the God of Israel was greater than Baal and that it was he who was the giver of rain According to J Robinson Some scholars have suggested that the pouring of water was a piece of sympathetic magic 172 Hugo Gressmann suggested that the fire that destroyed the offering and altar was lightning while Ferdinand Hitzig and others 173 thought the water poured on the sacrifice and into the ditch might have been flammable naphtha Baptist scholar H H Rowley rejects both views 174 Robinson dismisses the suggestion of naphtha with the view that the priests of Baal would have been aware of the properties of naphtha 172 Julian Morgenstern rejects the idea of sympathetic magic but supports the interpretation of white naphtha possibly ignited by a glass or mirror to focus the sun s rays citing other mentions of sacred fire as in 2 Maccabees 1 18 22 175 Ascension into the heavens edit Elijah s name typically occurs in Jewish lists of those who have entered heaven alive In the Gospel of John Jesus says And no man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came down from heaven even the Son of man which is in heaven 176 Traditionally Christianity interprets the Son of Man as a title of Jesus but this has never been an article of faith and there are other interpretations Further interpreting this quote some Christians believe that Elijah was not assumed into heaven but simply transferred to another assignment either in heaven 177 or with King Jehoram of Judah 177 The question of whether Elijah was in heaven or elsewhere on earth depends partly on the view of the letter Jehoram received from Elijah in 2 Chronicles 21 12 after Elijah had ascended Some have suggested that the letter was written before Elijah ascended but only delivered later 178 The rabbinical Seder Olam explains that the letter was delivered seven years after his ascension 179 This is also a possible explanation for some variation in manuscripts of Josephus Antiquities of the Jews when dealing with this issue 180 Others have argued that Elijah was only caught away such as Philip in Acts 8 d John Lightfoot reasoned that it must have been a different Elijah 187 Return edit The Jewish nation awaits the coming of Elijah to precede the coming of the Messiah For Christians this prophecy was fulfilled in the gospel After Elijah appears during the Transfiguration alongside Moses Jesus explains to his disciples that John the Baptist recently beheaded by Herod Antipas 188 had been Elijah reincarnate 189 Commentators have said that Moses appearance represented the law while Elijah s appearance represented the prophets 190 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints believes that Elijah returned on 3 April 1836 in an appearance to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery fulfilling the prophecy in Malachi The Bahaʼi Faith believes Elijah returned as the biblical prophet John the Baptist and as the Bab who founded the Babi Faith in 1844 191 192 Druze like Bahaʼi Faith believes believe that Elijah came back as John the Baptist 2 165 The American founded Nation of Islam believes Elijah returned as Elijah Muhammad black separatist religious leader who claimed to be a messenger not a prophet This is considered less important than their belief that Allah himself showed up in the person of Fard Muhammad the founder of the group It differs notably from most beliefs about Elijah in that his re appearance is usually the precursor to a greater one s appearance rather than an afterthought 193 In arts and literature editPerhaps the best known representation of the story of Elijah is Felix Mendelssohn s oratorio Elijah The oratorio chronicles many episodes of Elijah s life including his challenge to Ahab and the contest of the gods the miracle of raising the dead and his ascension into heaven Composed and premiered in 1846 the oratorio was criticized by members of the New German School but nonetheless remains one of the most popular Romantic choral orchestral works in the repertoire In his ethnography Waiting for Elijah Time and Encounter in a Bosnian Landscape anthropologist Safet HadziMuhamedovic discusses the syncretic harvest feast of Elijah s Day Ilindan Aliđun shared by Christians and Muslims throughout Bosnia 194 He focuses on the Field of Gacko in the southeastern Bosnian highlands Starting with a well known Bosnian proverb about Elijah s two names Ilija until noon Alija after noon Do podne Ilija od podne Alija HadziMuhamedovic discusses the traditional and postwar waiting for Elijah as well as the plethora of other characters he merges with e g Slavic deity Perun and prophet Khidr As the central trope in the book the waiting for Elijah becomes the waiting for the restoration of home and cosmology after nationalist violence The absence of Elijah is reminiscent of the one in Jewish rituals and HadziMuhamedovic discovers an imaginative form of political resistance in the waiting for Elijah s return In Orlando Furioso the English knight Astolfo flies up to the moon in Elijah s flaming chariot Elijah Rock is a traditional Christian spiritual about Elijah also sometimes used by Jewish youth groups Go Like Elijah is a song by the American rock pop jazz songwriter Chi Coltrane Lorenzetto created a statue of Elijah with assistance of the young sculptor Raffaello da Montelupo using designs by Raphael 195 The Fifth Mountain by Paulo Coelho is based on the story of Elijah Christian metal band Disciple released the song God of Elijah on their 2001 album By God The theme of the song is the challenge Elijah placed against Ahab between Baal and the god of Israel The roots fusion band Seatrain records on the albums of the same name 1970 band member Peter Rowans song Waiting for Elijah alluding to Elijah s second coming From 1974 to 1976 Philip K Dick believed himself to be possessed by the spirit of Elijah 196 He later included Elijah as Elias Tate in his novel The Divine Invasion On Ryan Adams 2005 album 29 the song Voices speaks of Elijah alluding to Elijah being the prophet of destruction Journeys With Elijah Eight Tales of the Prophet book by Barbara Goldin and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney In 1996 Robin Mark created a praise song entitled Days of Elijah Cormac McCarthy s post apocalyptic novel The Road 2006 features an old man who ambiguously refers to himself as Ely Elijah Lije is the name of the protagonist in three novels of Isaac Asimov s Robot series He is familiar with biblical stories and sometimes relates them in the narrative or in discussion with his robot partner who was built on a world devoid of religion His wife is ironically named Jezebel The popular movie Chariots of Fire alludes to the William Blake poem And did those feet in ancient time which in turn alludes to the Elijah story Elijah was played by John Hoyt in the 1953 film Sins of Jezebel A series of paintings by Clive Hicks Jenkins around 2003 07 depicted Elijah being fed by a raven inspired by fragments of a Tuscan altarpiece in Christ Church Picture Gallery in Oxford 197 Referenced in the song It Was Written by Damian Marley featuring Capleton and Drag On Referenced in the movie The Book of Eli starring Denzel Washington in the title role as the man on a mission in a post apocalyptic world to deliver the Bible for safe keeping I L Peretz wrote The Magician which was illustrated by Marc Chagall in 1917 about Elijah 198 Early in Moby Dick Ishmael and Queequeg run into a scarred and deformed man named Elijah a prophet or perhaps merely a frightening stranger who hints to them the perils of signing aboard Ahab s ship the Pequod Elijah appears in psychologist Carl Jung s Red Book as one of central book heroes The song Eliyahu by Brooklyn folk punk band Out Of System Transfer is about the story of Elijah through Passover See also edit nbsp Saints portalBiblical narratives and the Quran Eli name Legends and the Quran Prophets of Islam Qisas Al Anbiya Stories of The Prophets St Elijah s Church disambiguation for churches dedicated to Elijah Theophoric name Two witnessesNotes edit Greek Ἡlias Elias Syriac ܐ ܠܝ ܐ Elyae Arabic إلياس or إليا Ilyas or Ilya Psalm 45 sometimes viewed as a wedding song for Ahab and Jezebel may allude to this union and its problems Hear Oh daughter consider and incline your ear forget your people and your father s house and the king will desire your beauty Since he is your lord bow to him the people of Tyre will sue your favor with gifts 23 See Smith 1982 24 Elias is the same as Elijah whose story will be found in the Old Testament in 1 Kings 17 19 and 2 Kings 1 2 Elijah lived in the reign of Ahab 896 874 BC and Ahaziah 874 872 BC kings of the northern kingdom of Israel or Samaria He was a prophet of the desert like John the Baptist unlike our holy Prophet who took part in controlled and guided all the affairs of his people Both Ahab and Azariah were prone to lapse into the worship of Baal the sun god worshipped in Syria That worship also included the worship of nature powers and procreative powers as in the Hindu worship of the Lingam and led to many abuses King Ahab had married a princess of Sidon Jezebel a wicked woman who led her husband to forsake Allah and adopt Baal worship Elijah denounced all Ahab s sins as well as the sins of Ahaziah and had to flee for his life Eventually according to the Old Testament 141 he was taken up in a whirlwind to heaven in a chariot of fire after he had left his mantle with Elisha the prophet 142 There is evidence that Elijah was back on earth after he was taken away in the whirlwind It can be shown that a letter was received by Jehoram King of Judah from Elijah after Elijah was taken to heaven Either the letter was written before he went to heaven and delivered by a messenger on earth unlikely or Elijah was caught away as was Philip from the Gaza Road to Azotas about 17 miles 181 for an unspecified purpose and returned to the earth Consider the evidence 1 Elijah had been taken to heaven in a whirlwind 182 2 Elisha had taken over the duties of Elijah in the reign of Jehoshaphat 183 3 Jehoram received a letter from Elijah the prophet 184 King Jehoram reigned after Jehoshaphat 185 186 References edit Cline Austin Biography of Elijah Old Testament Prophet Retrieved 17 July 2020 a b c Swayd Samy 2015 Historical Dictionary of the Druzes Rowman amp Littlefield p 77 ISBN 9781442246171 since Elijah was central to Druzism one may safely argue that the settlement of Druzes on Mount Carmel had partly to do with Elijahʼs story and devotion Druzes like some Christians believe that Elijah came back as John the Baptist a b St Elijah the Prophet 21 November 2014 Archived from the original on 3 June 2021 Retrieved 17 July 2020 The Glorious Prophet Elias Elijah Retrieved 17 July 2020 a b Calendar of Saints Lutheran Prophet Elijah a b Fukasawa Katsumi 2017 Religious Interactions in Europe and the Mediterranean World Coexistence and Dialogue from the 12th to the 20th Centuries Taylor amp Francis p 310 ISBN 9781351722179 a b Mansour Atallah 2008 Waiting for the Dawn An Autobiography The University of Michigan Press p 14 ISBN 9780436272585 Perhaps this is because the patron saint of Haifa and Mount Carmel is a biblical figure recognised by the entire population of Palestine Elijah Coogan Michael David 2006 The Old Testament A Historical and Literary Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures Oxford England Oxford University Press p 304 ISBN 9780195139105 Sperling S David 2007 Elijah In Skolnik Fred ed Encyclopaedia Judaica Vol 6 2 ed Thomson Gale p 331 ISBN 978 0 02 865934 3 Barton John Muddiman John 2007 Elijah The Oxford Bible Commentary Oxford England Oxford University Press p 246 ISBN 9780199277186 Yonge Charlotte Mary 1859 The Kingdom of Samaria The Chosen People 5th ed a b 2 Kings 2 11 2 Kings 2 3 Malachi 4 5 Elijah Heralding the Redemption Moshiach 101 Archived from the original on 1 September 2017 Matthew 16 14 amp Mark 8 28 For John the Baptist as Elijah see Luke 1 11 17 amp Matthew 11 14 17 10 13 Tottoli Roberto 2002 Elijah In Jane Dammen McAuliffe ed Encyclopaedia of the Qurʾan Vol Two Boston Brill pp 12 13 a b The Peraea and the Dead Sea The Madaba Mosaic Map Archived from the original on 27 July 2011 Retrieved 13 October 2014 Kaufman Yehezkel 1956 The Biblical Age In Schwarz Leo W ed Great Ages and Ideas of the Jewish People New York NY Modern Library pp 53 56 Raven John H 1979 The History of the Religion of Israel Grand Rapids MI Baker Book House p 281 Psalms 45 10 12 Smith Norman H 1982 I Kings In Buttrick George A et al eds The Interpreter s Bible Vol 3 Nashville TN Abingdon Press p 144 Miller J M Hayes J H 2006 A History of Ancient Israel and Judah Louisville KY Westminster John Knox Press New Bible Dictionary second ed Wheaton IL US Tyndale Press 1982 p 323 ISBN 0 8423 4667 8 nbsp Hirsch Emil G Konig Eduard Schechter Solomon Ginzberg Louis Seligsohn M Kohler Kaufmann 1903 Elijah In Singer Isidore et al eds The Jewish Encyclopedia Vol V New York Funk amp Wagnalls Retrieved 8 April 2007 Elijah Encyclopaedia Judaica Jerusalem Keter Publishing House 1971 p 633 Cogan Mordechai The Anchor Bible I Kings New York Doubleday 2001 p 425 Werblowsky R J Z Wigoder Geoffrey eds 1997 Oxford Dictionary of the Jewish Religion Oxford UK Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 508605 8 1 Kings 18 17 19 1 Kings 17 1 Kings 17 13 14 New Revised Standard Version 1 Kings 17 18 New Revised Standard Version 1 Kings 17 22 New Revised Standard Version 1 Kings 17 24 New Revised Standard Version 1 Kings 18 21 1 Kings 18 27 1 Kings 18 33 34 1 Kings 18 39 1 Kings 19 1 13 a b c d Smith William Robertson Cook Stanley Arthur 1911 Elijah In Chisholm Hugh ed Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 9 11th ed Cambridge University Press pp 273 274 1 Kings 19 11 1 Kings 21 19 New Revised Standard Version 2 Kings 1 6 2 Kings 1 17 2 Kings 2 8 CERC Super Elijah www catholiceducation org Retrieved 7 September 2022 Myers J M The Anchor Bible II Chronicles Garden City NY Doubleday and Company 1965 pp 121 23 VanSeters John Elijah In Jones Lindsay Editor in Chief Encyclopedia of Religion Farmington Hills MI Thomson Gale 2005 p 2764 IVP New Bible Commentary 21st Century Edition p 410 Jewish and Christian Bibles Comparative Chart catholic resources org Malachi 4 5 6 New Revised Standard Version Elijah www bibleodyssey org Archived from the original on 28 April 2021 Retrieved 28 April 2021 It is noteworthy that while there is agreement on the existence of Elijah as a religious figure given the composite nature of the Elijah narratives the legendary and fanciful character of some of the Elijah stories and Elijah s paradigmatic portrayal as a prophet like Moses Deut 18 18 there is very little agreement on the historical reliability of the narratives about him Elijah Encyclopedia com www encyclopedia com Retrieved 25 July 2021 While few scholars doubt the existence of Elijah as a religious figure of great personal dynamism and conservative zeal and as the leader of resistance to the rise of Baal worship in Israel in the ninth century bce the biblical presentation of the prophet cannot be taken as historical documentation of his activity His career is presented through the eyes of popular legend and subsequent theological reflection which consider him a personality of heroic proportions In this process his actions and relations to the people and the king became stereotyped and the presentation of his behavior paradigmatic Malachi 3 23 in Hebrew Bible Midrash Genesis Rabbah lxxi Aphraates Homilies ed Wright p 314 Epiphanius Haeres lv 3 passim Pirḳe R El xlvii Targ Yer on Num xxv 12 Yalḳuṭ Reubeni Bereshit 9a ed Amsterdam Baba Metzia 14B Pirḳe R El xxix Tanna debe Eliyahu Zuṭa viii Tan Peḳude p 128 Vienna ed Seder Olam R xvii Ḳid 70 Ber R xxxiv 8 Suk 5a Compare Pirḳe R El xvi Sirach 48 10 New Revised Standard Version 1 Kings 19 1 Kings 18 1 Kings 19 10 1 Kings 18 4 and 1 Kings 19 18 Elijah Chair of Encyclopaedia Judaica Jerusalem Keter Publishing House 1971 Unterman Alan Elijah s Chair Dictionary of Jewish Lore and Legend London Thames and Hudson 1991 Elijah Cup of Encyclopaedia Judaica Jerusalem Keter Publishing House 1971 Exodus 6 6 7 Exodus 6 8 a b Telushkin Joseph Jewish Literacy New York William Morrow 2001 Rabbi Ario S and Tess Hyams Judaica Museum Temple Beth Sholom 2007 Archived from the original on 23 July 2007 Retrieved 23 June 2007 Ginzberg Lewis Legends of the Bible Philadelphia Jewish Publication Society of America 1956 p 580 Exodus 6 25 Numbers 25 13 Ginzberg Lewis Legends of the Bible Jewish Philadelphia Publication Society of America 1956 p 589 Ginzberg Lewis Legends of the Bible Philadelphia Jewish Publication Society of America 1956 pp 590 91 Schwartz Howard Tree of Souls The Mythology of Judaism Oxford Oxford University Press 2004 p 201 Bialik H N and Y H Ravnitzky eds The Book of Legends Sefer Ha Aggadah New York Schocken Books 1992 pp 756 782 805 Ginzberg Lewis Legends of the Bible Philadelphia Jewish Publication Society of America 1956 p 599 Ginzberg Lewis Legends of the Bible Philadelphia Jewish Publication Society of America 1956 p 597 Schwartz Howard Tree of Souls The Mythology of Judaism Oxford Oxford University Press 2004 Ginzberg Lewis Legends of the Bible Philadelphia Jewish Publication Society of America 1956 Schwartz Howard Tree of Souls The Mythology of Judaism Oxford Oxford University Press 2004 pp 224 25 Matthew 3 4 Mark 1 6 John 1 21 Luke 1 16 17 Matthew 17 1 13 Mark 9 2 13 and Luke 9 28 36 John 4 19 Albright W F and C S Mann The Anchor Bible Matthew New York Doubleday 1971 Fitzmyer Joseph A The Anchor Bible Luke I IX New York Doubleday 1981 Gill John Hebrews 11 35 biblestudytools com Retrieved 25 September 2015 Henry Matthew Hebrews 11 biblestudytools com Retrieved 25 September 2015 Brown Robert Jamieson A R Fausset and David Hebrews 11 biblestudytools com Retrieved 25 September 2015 a href Template Cite news html title Template Cite news cite news a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Martyrologium Romanum Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2001 ISBN 88 209 7210 7 Why are Priests Celibate Holy Spirit Interactive 19 August 2010 Archived from the original on 23 July 2011 Sveti Ilija zastitnik Bosne i Hercegovine in Serbo Croatian vecernji ba 21 July 2012 Retrieved 2 July 2013 Skoko Iko 21 August 2012 Sveti Ilija zastitnik Bosne i Hercegovine in Serbo Croatian Vecernji list Martic Zvonko 2014 Sveti Jure i sveti Ilija u puckoj poboznosti katolika u Bosni i Hercegovini in Serbo Croatian Svjetlo rijeci Archived from the original on 22 August 2016 Retrieved 6 August 2016 Eliasz DEON pl in Polish Retrieved 7 July 2022 Prorok Iliya Fesvityanin Pravoslavnyj Cerkovnyj kalendar in Russian Retrieved 7 July 2022 St Elijah Spiritual Father of the Carmelite Order National Catholic Register 20 July 2018 Ackerman Jane Stories of Elijah and medieval Carmelite identity History of Religions 35 2 1995 124 47 Ackerman Jane Elijah Prophet of Carmel Washington D C Institute of Carmelite Studies Publications 2003 Thurston Herbert The Bollandists and Their Work The Tablet July 27 1907 Archived from the original on 31 March 2016 Retrieved 16 April 2017 Controversies with Other Orders The Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel a b 1 Kings 18 38 J Theodore Bent The Sun Myths of Modern Hellas The Antiquary 20 1889 p 10 Patrick McBrine translator Sedulius Carmen paschale lines 184 187 PDF Archived 15 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine K Sarah Jane Murray From Plato to Lancelot a preface to Chretien de Troyes Syracuse 2008 p 148 Google Books Mary Hamilton The Pagan Element in the Names of Saints Annual of the British School at Athens 13 348 56 1907 Google Books C Wachsmuth Das alte Griechenland im neuen 1864 p 23 cited by Hippolyte Delehaye The Legends of the Saints An Introduction to Hagiography 1907 p 174 Delehaye p 174 a b c Arthur Bernard Cook Zeus A Study in Ancient Religion 1925 p 178 Google Books F Lenormant Monographie de la voie sacree Eleusinienne 1864 p 452 as quoted by Delehaye p 174 1 Kings 19 8 1 Kings 17 1 18 1 Elsie Robert 2001 A Dictionary of Albanian Religion Mythology and Folk Culture NYU Press p 7 ISBN 978 0814722145 Lenhoff Gail Christian and Pagan Strata in the East Slavic Cult of St Nicholas Polemical Notes on Boris Uspenskij s FilologiA eskie Razyskanija v Oblasti Slavjanskix Drevnostej The Slavic and East European Journal July 1984 28 2 pp 147 63 McLeish Kenneth Myth Myths and Legends of the World Explored London Facts on File 1996 p 506 Cherry Gilchrist Russian Magic Living Folk Traditions of an Enchanted Landscape ISBN 0 8356 0874 3 pp 81ff full text Mike Dixon Kennedy Encyclopedia of Russian and Slavic myth and legend ISBN 1 57607 130 8 p 218 full text a b c Merriam Webster s encyclopedia of world religions ISBN 0 87779 044 2 s v Slavic religion full text Gabidzashvili Enriko 1991 Saint George In Ancient Georgian Literature Armazi 89 Tbilisi Georgia Tuite Kevin 2004 Lightning Sacrifice and Possession in the Traditional Religions of the Caucasus Anthropos 99 1 143 159 ISSN 0257 9774 JSTOR 40466310 Arthur Bernard Cook Zeus A Study in Ancient Religion p 171 Petersen Mark E August 1981 The Mission of Elijah Ensign Perkins Keith W July 1999 I Have a Question How can Elias who appeared with Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration be identified as both the Old Testament prophet Elijah and as John the Baptist Ensign Smith Joseph Jr 1976 1938 Smith Joseph Fielding ed Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith Salt Lake City Deseret Book ISBN 978 0 87579 243 9 OCLC 22984603 p 340 Elias Bible Dictionary KJV LDS The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints a b Burton Theodore M Burton May 1974 The Power of Elijah Ensign Matthew 18 18 4 Kings 2 11 Abdullah Yusuf Ali The Holy Qur an Text Translation and Commentary Note 4112 Ibn Kathir Stories of the Prophets p 474 C Glasse Elijah Concise Encyclopedia of Islam Islamic View of the Coming Return of Jesus islamicperspectives com Archived from the original on 23 September 2015 Retrieved 14 September 2015 Message of the Qur an M Asad Commentary on 19 56 57 Dimensions of Islam F Schuon index Sayyidna Khizr Encyclopedia of Islam Vol III H Iram Adventures of Amir Hamza J Seyller p 240 Surah As Saaffat 37 123 126 Surah As Saaffat 37 127 129 Abdullah Yusuf Ali The Holy Qur an Text Translation and Commentary Note 905 Abdullah Yusuf Ali Holy Qur an Text Translation Commentary Note on Elijah Stories of the Prophets Ibn Kathir Stories of Elias and Elisha Historical Dictionary of Prophets in Islam and Judaism B M Wheeler Elijah Muslim exegetes report that the prophet Muhammad and a band of followers once met Elijah on a journey outside Mecca Elijah served the prophet with food from heaven and then left on a cloud heading for the heavens Historical Dictionary of Prophets in Islam and Judaism B M Wheeler Elijah It is reported by Ibn Kathir that every year during the month of Ramadan in Jerusalem the prophets Elijah and Khidr meet The Adventures of Amir Hamza trans M A Farooqi cf List of Characters Ilyas or Prophet Elias Al Kulayni Abu Ja far Muhammad ibn Ya qub 2015 Kitab al Kafi South Huntington NY The Islamic Seminary Inc ISBN 9780991430864 Stories of the Prophets Ibn Kathir Story of Elias and Elisha Historical Dictionary of Prophets in Islam B M Wheeler Baalbek C Brockman Norbert 2011 Encyclopedia of Sacred Places 2nd Edition 2 volumes ABC CLIO p 259 ISBN 9781598846553 a b Swayd Samy 2015 Historical Dictionary of the Druzes Rowman amp Littlefield p 77 ISBN 9781442246171 a b Hammer Leonard 2009 Holy Places in the Israeli Palestinian Conflict Confrontation and Co existence Routledge p 76 ISBN 9781135268121 Israeli Raphael 2009 Peace is in the Eye of the Beholder Walter de Gruyter GmbH amp Co KG p 244 ISBN 9783110852479 Nabi Shu eib biblical Jethro is the patron saint of the Druze a b c Bennett Chris 2010 Cannabis and the Soma Solution Rowman amp Littlefield p 77 ISBN 9781936296323 transmigration of the soul is a Druze tenet and Druze believe that El Khidr and John the Baptist are one and the same Gibbs 2008 The mythology of Khizr is thought to go back even further than the time of John the Baptist or Elija a b c d Beaurepaire Pierre Yves 2017 Religious Interactions in Europe and the Mediterranean World Coexistence and Dialogue from the 12th to the 20th Centuries Taylor amp Francis p 310 314 ISBN 9781351722179 Shoghi Effendi 1944 God Passes By Wilmette Illinois US Bahaʼi Publishing Trust p 58 ISBN 978 0 87743 020 9 Esslemont John 1980 Baha u llah and the New Era Wilmette Illinois US Bahaʼi Publishing Trust p 18 ISBN 978 0 87743 160 2 Clarke Adam The Holy Bible with a Commentary and Critical Notes Volume II London 1836 see Leviticus 11 13 17 Gray John Old Testament Library I amp II Kings SCM Press London 1964 a b Robinson J and Robinson Joseph The First Book of Kings Cambridge University Press 1972 p 212ISBN 9780521097345 nbsp This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain Balkwill F H the Sacred Fire of Israel The Twentieth Century Volume 60 1906 p 277 Rowley H H Elijah on Mount Carmel p 210 et seq The John Rylands Library University of Manchester PDF Easley Gene June 1994 Morgenstern Julian The Fire Upon the Altar Brill Archive 1963 p 65 John 3 a b Coram James The Fate of Enoch and Elijah biblical studies Concordant Publishing Concern Archived from the original on 22 May 2013 Retrieved 4 May 2014 Bromiley International Standard Bible Encyclopedia E J p 55 Aryeh Kaplan The handbook of Jewish thought Volume 1 1992 p 116 This was seven years after Elijah s death Seder Olam Rabbah 17 25 Begg C Josephus story of the later monarchy AJ 9 1 10 185 Section Elijah s Letter p 119 Acts 8 2 Kings 2 2 Kings 3 2 Chron 21 2 Chron 21 Ron Abel Wrested Scriptures full citation needed Barrett Richard A F A synopsis of criticisms upon those passages Volume 3 Part 1 p 234 1847 But our Dr Lightfoot is of opinion that it is not meant of that Elijah who was carried up to heaven but of another of his name who sent this letter Matthew 14 9 12 Matthew 17 9 13 Elijah the prophet lastdays eschatology net Archived from the original on 25 March 2014 Retrieved 25 March 2014 Bahaʼi Reference Library God Passes By Reference bahai org 31 December 2010 pp 49 60 Retrieved 5 March 2014 Bahaʼi Reference Library Baha u llah and the New Era Reference bahai org 31 December 2010 pp 15 16 Retrieved 5 March 2014 Debate between NOI member and I Retrieved 8 February 2017 I say we don t call the Honorable Elijah Muhammad a Prophet We recognize Prophet Muhammad of 1400 years ago as the Last Prophet of Allah The Honorable Elijah Muhammad is Allah s Last and Greatest Messenger to we the Black man and woman in America HadziMuhamedovic S 2018 Waiting for Elijah Time and Encounter in a Bosnian Landscape New York and Oxford Berghahn Books Link to on line biography of Lorenzetto from Vasari s Vite Efn org Archived from the original on 22 February 2009 Retrieved 5 March 2014 Rickman Gregg Philip K Dick The Last Testament Long Beach CA Fragments West The Valentine Press 1985 Jacqueline Thalmann Windows to Grace in Simon Callow Andrew Green Rex Harley Clive Hicks Jenkins Kathe Koja Anita Mills Montserrat Prat Jacqueline Thalmann Damian Walford Davies and Marly Youmans Clive Hicks Jenkins 2011 Lund Humphries ISBN 978 1 84822 082 9 pp 81 97 The Magician World Digital Library 1917 Retrieved 30 September 2013 Enoch All the books of Enoch Enoch 1 Enoch 2 Enoch 3 Bibliography editElijah Prophet of Carmel by Jane Ackerman ICS Publications 2003 ISBN 0 935216 30 8Anthropology edit HadziMuhamedovic S Waiting for Elijah Time and Encounter in a Bosnian Landscape New York and Oxford Berghahn Books ISBN 978 1 78533 856 4History edit Miller J M and J H Hayes A History of Ancient Israel and Judah Louisville KY Westminster John Knox Press 2004 ISBN 0 664 22358 3Folklore and tradition edit Bialik H N and Y H Ravnitzky eds The Book of Legends Sefer Ha Aggadah New York Schocken Books 1992 ISBN 0 8052 4113 2 Ginzberg Lewis Legends of the Bible Philadelphia Jewish Publication Society of America 1956 Schwartz Howard Tree of Souls The Mythology of Judaism Oxford Oxford University Press 2004 ISBN 0 19 508679 1 Wolfson Ron and Joel L Grishaver Passover The Family Guide to Spiritual Celebration Woodstock VT Jewish Lights Publishing 2003 ISBN 1 58023 174 8Children s literature edit Aronin Ben and Shay Rieger The Secret of the Sabbath Fish Philadelphia Jewish Publication Society of America 1978 ISBN 0 8276 0110 7 Goldin Barbara Journeys with Elijah Eight Tales of the Prophet New York Harcourt Brace 1999 ISBN 0 15 200445 9 Jaffe Nina The Mysterious Visitor Stories of the Prophet Elijah New York Scholastic Press 1997 ISBN 0 590 48422 2 Jaffe Nina The Way Meat Loves Salt A Cinderella Tale from the Jewish Tradition New York Holt Publishing 1998 ISBN 0 8050 4384 5 Silverman Erica Gittel s Hands Mahwah NJ BridgeWater Books 1996 ISBN 0 8167 3798 3 Sydelle Pearl Elijah s Tears Stories for the Jewish Holidays New York Holt Publishing 1996 ISBN 0 8050 4627 5 Thaler Mike Elijah Prophet Sharing and Other Bible Stories to Tickle Your Soul Colorado Springs CO Faith Kids Publishing 2000 ISBN 0 7814 3512 9 Scheck Joann The Water That Caught On Fire St Louis Missouri Concordia Publishing House ARCH Books 1969 59 1159 Christian literature edit Friedrich Justus Knecht 1910 God raises up Prophets Mission of the Prophet Elias A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture B Herder References in the Qur an edit Mission of Elijah 37 123 126 37 127 129 Praise for Elijah 6 85 37 130 132External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Elijah Biblical figure nbsp Wikiquote has quotations related to Elijah Legends of the Jews by Louis Ginzberg The legends of Elijah Dictionary of the History of Ideas Cosmic Voyages Mentions in passing the story of Elijah being carried up to heaven in a flaming chariot as an inspiration for human flight Elijah by Rob Bradshaw Extensive dictionary style article LDS Bible Dictionary Entry on Elijah Founder Statue in St Peter s Basilica Holy Glorious Prophet Elijah Orthodox icon and synaxarion Prophet Ilyas The Story of Ilyas Elias Holy Glorious Prophet Elijah Orthodox icon and synaxarion nbsp Elijah in Easton s Bible Dictionary 1897 Elijah New International Encyclopedia 1905 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Elijah amp oldid 1193033938, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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