80-542: (Redirected from St Elias ) Saint Elias , the Latin form of the Hebrew name Elijah, may refer to any of: People [ edit ] Elijah , an Old Testament prophet sometimes revered as a Christian saint Elias I of Jerusalem (died 516), 5th-century Patriarch of Jerusalem Elias and companions (died 309), group of Egyptian Christian martyrs (d.309) Ignatius Elias III ,
160-407: 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. 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
240-1490: A Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch who is a saint in the Syriac Orthodox Church Places [ edit ] Mount Saint Elias , the second highest mountain in Canada and the United States Saint Elias Mountains , a mountain range in Alaska and the Canadian Yukon Mount Carmel in Haifa, also known as Mount Saint Elias (Jebel Mar Elyas) Saint Elias Monastery (Shwayya, Lebanon) See also [ edit ] [REDACTED] Search for "saint elias" or "st elias" on Misplaced Pages. St. Elijah's Church (disambiguation) also covering Church of Saint Elias All pages with titles containing Saint Elias All pages with titles containing St Elias Elias (disambiguation) Agios Ilias (disambiguation) , Saint Elias in Greek Mar Elias (disambiguation) , Saint Elias in Aramaic and Arabic Saint Elijah (disambiguation) , Elias derived from Hebrew as Elijah Topics referred to by
320-430: 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 : Elijah had arrived at Mount Horeb after the demonstration of God's presence and power on Mount Carmel . God asks Elijah to explain his arrival, and Elijah replies: "I have been very jealous for
400-481: A chariot of fire and horses of fire appear and Elijah is lifted up in a whirlwind. As Elijah is lifted up, his mantle falls to the ground and Elisha picks it up. 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
480-505: 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?" Ahaziah asks the messengers to describe the person who gave them this message. They tell him he
560-619: A fifth (about 40,000) of the population of the Kingdom of Israel were actually resettled out of the area during the two deportation periods under Tiglath-Pileser III and Sargon II . Many members of these northern tribes also fled south to the Kingdom of Judah. Jerusalem seems to have expanded in size five-fold during this period, requiring a new wall to be built, and a new source of water Siloam to be provided by King Hezekiah . In their book The Bible Unearthed , Israeli authors Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman estimate that only
640-516: A fifth (about 40,000) of the population of the northern Kingdom of Israel were actually resettled out of the area during the two deportation periods under Tiglath-Pileser III and Sargon II . No known non-Biblical record exists of the Assyrians having exiled people from four of the tribes of Israel: Dan , Asher , Issachar , Zebulun . Descriptions of the deportation of people from Reuben , Gad , Manasseh , Ephraim and Naphtali indicate that only
720-470: 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. 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
800-567: A kingdom in the first half of 9th century BCE, with its capital at Tirzah first, and next at the city of Samaria since 880 BCE. The existence of this Israelite state in the north is documented in 9th century BCE inscriptions. The earliest mention is from the Kurkh stela of c. 853 BCE, when Shalmaneser III mentions "Ahab the Israelite", plus the denominative for "land", and his ten thousand troops. This kingdom would have included parts of
880-591: 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
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#1732764835055960-584: 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. 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
1040-535: A portion of these tribes were deported, and the places to which they were deported are known locations given in the accounts. The deported communities are mentioned as still existing at the time of the composition of the Books of Kings and Chronicles and did not disappear by assimilation. 2 Chronicles 30:1–18 explicitly mentions northern Israelites who had been spared by the Assyrians, in particular people of Ephraim, Manasseh, Asher, Issachar and Zebulun, and how members of
1120-626: A priest: why then dost thou stand in a cemetery?" A midrash tells that they even abolished the sign of the covenant, and the prophet had to appear as Israel's accuser before God. 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. The vision in which God revealed Himself to Elijah gave him at
1200-500: 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 , where Moses had received
1280-601: A time, 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
1360-656: A very 'northern' situation in the southern kingdom", and thus is authentic. 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 . Thus, Elijah's final Old Testament appearance is in the Book of Malachi, where it
1440-532: Is God; the L ORD —he is God." Elijah then orders them to seize the prophets of Baal, which they do, and Elijah brings them down to the River Kishon and slays them, at which the rains begin, signaling the end of the famine. Jezebel , enraged that Elijah has killed the prophets of Baal, threatens to kill him. Elijah flees to Beersheba in Judah , continues alone into the wilderness, and finally sits down under
1520-407: 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.'" 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
1600-460: 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." Ahab begins the confrontation by calling Elijah his enemy. Elijah responds by throwing
1680-463: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Elijah Elijah ( / ɪ ˈ l aɪ dʒ ə / il- EYE -jə ) was a prophet and a miracle worker who lived in the northern kingdom of Israel during the reign of King Ahab (9th century BC), according to the Books of Kings in the Hebrew Bible . In 1 Kings 18, Elijah defended
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#17327648350551760-539: Is generally designated as the abode of Elijah, but since the location of paradise is itself uncertain, the last two statements may be identical. 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. Elijah's glory is honoured in the Book of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus). His designated tasks are altered to: At Jewish circumcision ceremonies,
1840-532: Is one of the most universally accepted archaeological sites from the biblical period. In around 840 BCE, the Mesha Stele records the victory of Moab (in today's Jordan ), under King Mesha , over Israel, King Omri and his son Ahab . Archaeological finds, ancient Near Eastern texts, and the biblical record testify that in the time of the Omrides , Israel ruled in the mountainous Galilee , at Hazor in
1920-480: 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." Scholars generally agree that a prophet named Elijah existed in the Kingdom of Israel during the reigns of Kings Ahab and Ahaziah , that he
2000-592: The Baal cycle discovered at Ugarit ). The reference in Hosea 10 to Israel's "divided heart" may refer to these two cultic observances, although alternatively it may refer to hesitation between looking to Assyria and Egypt for support. The Jewish Bible also states that Ahab allowed the cult worship of Baal to become acceptable of the kingdom. His wife Jezebel was the daughter of the Phoenician king of Tyre and
2080-706: The Babylonian Talmud . According to some Jewish interpretations, Elijah will return during the End of Times. The Christian New Testament notes that some people thought that Jesus was, in some sense, Elijah, but it also makes clear that John the Baptist is "the Elijah" who was promised to come in Malachi 3:1 ; 4:5 . According to accounts in all three of the Synoptic Gospels , Elijah appeared with Moses during
2160-579: The Samaritans . The Assyrians, as part of their historic deportation policy , also settled other conquered foreign populations in the territory of Israel. According to Israel Finkelstein , Shoshenq I 's campaign in the second half of the 10th century BCE collapsed the early polity of Gibeon in central highlands, and made possible the beginning of the Northern Kingdom, with its capital at Shechem , around 931 BCE. Israel consolidated as
2240-560: 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". One such decision was whether the Passover Seder required four or five cups of wine. Each serving of wine corresponds to one of
2320-560: 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 L ORD , for the L ORD is about to pass by." There comes a mighty wind, then an earthquake and then fire, but Yahweh is not in any of these, choosing to come instead as
2400-574: 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. Due to his importance to Muslims, Catholics, and Orthodox Christians, Elijah has been venerated as the patron saint of Bosnia and Herzegovina since 1752. According to the Bible, by
2480-617: The Tribe of Judah and the Tribe of Benjamin . The unpopularity of Rehoboam's reign among the rest of the Israelites , who sought Jeroboam as their monarch, resulted in Jeroboam's Revolt , which led to the establishment of the Kingdom of Israel in the north (Samaria), whereas the loyalists of Judah and Benjamin kept Rehoboam as their monarch and established the Kingdom of Judah in the south ( Judea ), ending Israelite political unity. While
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2560-611: The "four expressions of redemption" in the Book of Exodus : Kingdom of Israel (Samaria) The Kingdom of Israel ( Hebrew : מַמְלֶכֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל Mamleḵeṯ Yīśrāʾēl ), also called the Northern Kingdom or the Kingdom of Samaria , was an Israelite kingdom that existed in the Southern Levant during the Iron Age . Its beginnings date back to the first half of the 10th century BCE. It controlled
2640-434: 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
2720-685: The Israelite captives were resettled in the Khabur region, and the rest in the land of the Medes , thus establishing Hebrew communities in Ecbatana and Rages . The Book of Tobit additionally records that Sargon had taken other captives from the northern kingdom to the Assyrian capital of Nineveh , in particular Tobit from the town of Thisbe in Naphtali. The Hebrew Bible relates that the population of
2800-418: The Kingdom experienced a period of decline as a result of sectional rivalries and struggles for the throne. In c. 732 BCE, king Pekah of Israel, while allied with Rezin , king of Aram , threatened Jerusalem . Ahaz , king of Judah , appealed to Tiglath-Pileser III , the king of Assyria , for help. After Ahaz paid tribute to Tiglath-Pileser, Tiglath-Pileser sacked Damascus and Israel, annexing Aram and
2880-480: The Kingdom of Israel was exiled, becoming known as the Ten Lost Tribes . To the south, the Tribe of Judah , the Tribe of Simeon (that was "absorbed" into Judah), the Tribe of Benjamin and the people of the Tribe of Levi , who lived among them of the original Israelite nation, remained in the southern Kingdom of Judah. The Kingdom of Judah continued to exist as an independent state until 586 BCE, when it
2960-482: 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". According to Rabbinic tradition, Elijah's words were patently untrue, and since Elijah accused Israel of failing to uphold the covenant, God would require Elijah to be present at every covenant of circumcision. In
3040-514: The Nimrud slab, which comments he went to "the Hatti and Amurru lands, Tyre, Sidon, the mat of Hu-um-ri "land of ʻOmri", Edom , Philistia , and Aram (not Judah)." The Tell al-Rimah stela of the same king introduces a third way of talking about the kingdom, as Samaria, in the phrase " Joash of Samaria ". The use of Omri's name to refer to the kingdom still survived, and was used by Sargon II in
3120-526: The alliance. However, the sons of Ahab were slaughtered by Jehu following his coup d'état around 840 BCE. After being defeated by Hazael , Israel began a period of progressive recovery following the campaigns against Aram-Damascus of Adad-nirari III . This ultimately led to a period of major territorial expansion under Jeroboam II , who extended the kingdom's possessions throughout the Northern Transjordan. Following Jeroboam II's death,
3200-452: The areas of Samaria , Galilee and parts of Transjordan ; the former two regions underwent a period in which a large number of new settlements were established shortly after the kingdom came into existence. It had four capital cities in succession: Shiloh , Shechem , Tirzah , and the city of Samaria . In the 9th century BCE, it was ruled by the Omride dynasty , whose political centre was
3280-504: The biblical portrayal of him reflects legendary and theological embellishment rather than purely historical documentation. 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
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3360-505: 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
3440-530: 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 . 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 . These solutions brought security and economic prosperity to Israel for
3520-464: 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", down to
3600-696: 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 . Elijah's story continues now from Ahab to an encounter with Ahaziah ( 2 Kings 1 ). The scene opens with Ahaziah seriously injured in
3680-522: The city of Samaria. According to the Hebrew Bible , the territory of the Twelve Tribes of Israel was once amalgamated under a Kingdom of Israel and Judah , which was ruled by the House of Saul and then by the House of David . However, upon the death of Solomon , who was the son and successor of David , there was discontent over his son and successor Rehoboam , whose reign was only accepted by
3760-636: The coming of the great and terrible day of the L ORD ," 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. Scholars generally agree that a historical figure named Elijah existed in ancient Israel, yet some argue that
3840-402: The end of a line of kings of Israel who are said to have "done evil in the sight of the Lord." 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 Jah ," and may be a title applied to him because of his challenge to worship of Baal. As told in the Hebrew Bible, Elijah's challenge is bold and direct. Baal
3920-475: The existence of Israel and Judah as two independent kingdoms is not disputed, some historians and archaeologists reject the historicity of the Kingdom of Israel and Judah . Around 720 BCE, Israel was conquered by the Neo-Assyrian Empire . The records of Assyrian king Sargon II indicate that he deported 27,290 Israelites to Mesopotamia . This deportation resulted in the loss of one-fifth of
4000-508: The history of the Kingdom of Israel has been the Hebrew Bible, especially the Books of Kings and Chronicles . These books were written by authors in Jerusalem , the capital of the Kingdom of Judah. Being written in a rival kingdom, they were inspired by ideological and theological viewpoints that influence the narrative. Anachronisms, legends and literary forms also affect the story. Some of
4080-445: The jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land." She feeds him the last of their food, and Elijah's promise miraculously comes true. 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!" Elijah prays that God might restore her son so that the trustworthiness of God's word might be demonstrated, and "[God] listened to
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#17327648350554160-716: The kingdom's population and is known as the Assyrian captivity , which gave rise to the notion of the Ten Lost Tribes . Some of these Israelites, however, managed to migrate to safety in neighbouring Judah, though the Judahites themselves would be conquered by the Neo-Babylonian Empire nearly two centuries later. Those who stayed behind in Samaria following the Assyrian conquest mainly concentrated themselves around Mount Gerizim and eventually came to be known as
4240-452: 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 live 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
4320-572: The later stories of the Chasidic rabbis , reverence and love, expectation and hope were always connected in the Jewish consciousness with Elijah. Three different theories regarding Elijah's origin are presented in the Aggadah literature: (1) he belonged to the tribe of Gad, (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 have stated that Elijah
4400-547: The latter three returned to worship at the Temple in Jerusalem during the reign of Hezekiah . The religious climate of the Kingdom of Israel appears to have followed two major trends. The first was the worship of Yahweh ; the religion of ancient Israel is sometimes referred to by modern scholars as Yahwism . The Hebrew Bible , however, states that some of the northern Israelites also adored Baal (see 1 Kings 16:31 and
4480-552: The lowlands (the Shephelah ), the Jezreel plain, lower Galilee and parts of the Transjordan. Ahab's forces were part of an anti-Assyrian coalition, implying that an urban elite ruled the kingdom, possessed a royal and state cult with large urban temples, and had scribes, mercenaries, and an administrative apparatus. In all this, it was similar to other recently-founded kingdoms of the time, such as Ammon and Moab . Samaria
4560-538: The name Israel is from an Egyptian inscription, the Merneptah Stele , dating from the Late Bronze Age (c. 1208 BCE); this gives little solid information, but indicates that the name of the later kingdom was borrowed rather than originating with the kingdom itself. According to the Hebrew Bible, for the first sixty years after the split, the kings of Judah tried to re-establish their authority over
4640-537: The northern kingdom, and there was perpetual war between them. For the following eighty years, there was no open war between them, as, for the most part, Judah had engaged in a military alliance with Aram-Damascus , opening a northern front against Israel. The conflict between Israel and Judah was temporarily settled when Jehoshaphat , King of Judah, allied himself with the reigning house of Israel, Ahab , through marriage. Later, Jehosophat's son and successor, Jehoram of Judah , married Ahab's daughter Athaliah , cementing
4720-399: 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. 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 L ORD —he
4800-450: 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 L ORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." Elijah proposes a direct test of the powers of Baal and Yahweh (both Asherah and her prophets disappear from
4880-453: The phrase "the whole house of Omri" in describing his conquest of the city of Samaria in 722 BCE. It is significant that the Assyrians never mention the Kingdom of Judah until the end of the 8th century, when it was an Assyrian vassal state : possibly they never had contact with it, or possibly they regarded it as a vassal of Israel/Samaria or Aram, or possibly the southern kingdom did not exist during this period. One traditional source for
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#17327648350554960-459: 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. 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. In later literature paradise
5040-471: 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. The water immediately divides and Elijah and Elisha cross on dry land. Suddenly,
5120-435: The recorded events are believed to have occurred long after the destruction of the kingdom of Israel. Biblical archaeology has both confirmed and challenged parts of the biblical account. According to the Hebrew Bible, there existed a United Kingdom of Israel (the United Monarchy ), ruled from Jerusalem by David and his son Solomon , after whose death Israel and Judah separated into two kingdoms. The first mention of
5200-499: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Saint Elias . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Saint_Elias&oldid=1157367002 " Categories : Disambiguation pages Place name disambiguation pages Title and name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
5280-407: 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. Three years after this vision, Elijah was "translated." Concerning
5360-409: 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
5440-454: The territories of the tribes of Reuben , Gad and Manasseh in Gilead including the desert outposts of Jetur , Naphish and Nodab . People from these tribes, including the Reubenite leader, were taken captive and resettled in the region of the Khabur River system, in Halah , Habor, Hara and Gozan ( 1 Chronicles 5:26 ). Tiglath-Pilesar also captured the territory of Naphtali and the city of Janoah in Ephraim , and an Assyrian governor
5520-408: The upper Jordan Valley , in large parts of Transjordan between the Wadi Mujib and the Yarmuk , and in the coastal Sharon plain . In Assyrian inscriptions, the Kingdom of Israel is referred to as the "House of ʻOmri ". The Black Obelisk of Shalmaneser III mentions Jehu , son of ʻOmri. The Neo-Assyrian emperor Adad-nirari III did an expedition into the Levant around 803 BCE mentioned in
5600-428: The voice of Elijah; the life of the child came into him again, and he revived." 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." 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
5680-413: The whirlwind. 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. John Van Seters , however, rejects the letter as having any connection with the Elijah tradition. However, Wilcock argues that Elijah's letter "does address
5760-538: The worship of the Hebrew deity Yahweh over that of the Canaanite deity Baal . God also performed many miracles through Elijah, including resurrection , bringing fire down from the sky, and ascending to heaven alive . He is also portrayed as leading a school of prophets known as "the sons of the prophets." Following Elijah's ascension, his disciple and devoted assistant Elisha took over as leader of this school. The Book of Malachi prophesies Elijah's return "before
5840-628: 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. According to 2 Kings 2:3–9, Elisha (Eliseus) and "the sons of
5920-516: Was a priest. Some rabbis have speculated that he should be identified with Phinehas . According to later Kabbalistic literature, Elijah was really an angel in human form, so that he had neither parents nor offspring. 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
6000-441: 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. 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
6080-540: Was conquered by the Neo-Babylonian Empire . The tradition of the Samaritan people states that much of the population of the Kingdom of Israel remained in place after the Assyrian captivity , including the Tribes of Naphtali, Manasseh, Benjamin and Levi – being the progenitors of the modern Samaritans. In their book The Bible Unearthed , Israeli authors Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman estimate that only
6160-402: Was deported by the Assyrians. During the three-year siege of Samaria in the territory of Ephraim by the Assyrians, Shalmaneser V died and was succeeded by Sargon II , who himself records the capture of that city thus: "Samaria I looked at, I captured; 27,280 men who dwelt in it I carried away" into Assyria. Thus, around 720 BCE, after two centuries, the northern kingdom came to an end. Some of
6240-462: 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
6320-421: Was placed over the region of Naphtali. According to 2 Kings 16:9 and 2 Kings 15:29 , the population of Aram and the annexed part of Israel was deported to Assyria. The remainder of the northern kingdom of Israel continued to exist within the reduced territory as an independent kingdom until around 720 BCE, when it was again invaded by Assyria and more of the population was deported. Not all of Israel's populace
6400-490: 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. 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 . When
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