1 Kings 19:16

And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(16) And Jehu.—Of this charge Elijah fulfilled in person but one part, in the call of Elisha: for the fulfilment of the other two parts, see 2Kings 8:8-13; 2Kings 9:1-6. This apparently imperfect correspondence of the event to the charge, is a strong indication of the historical character of the narrative.

The history, indeed, records no actual anointing of Elisha; and it is remarkable that in no other place is any such anointing of a prophet referred to, unless Psalm 105:15 be an exception. The anointing, signifying the gift of grace, was first instituted for the priests (Exodus 40:15; Numbers 3:3); next it was extended to the royal office, and became, in common parlance, especially attached to it. The prophetic office, as the third great representative of the power of Jehovah, might well be hallowed by the same ordinance, especially as the prophets dispensed it to the kings; but, whether the prophets were always consecrated with the sacred oil, or whether, as in the Prophet of prophets, the “anointing with the Holy Ghost and with power” sometimes superseded the outward sign, we do not know. Abelmeholah (“the meadow of the dance,” see 1Kings 4:12) lay in the rich country near the Jordan valley and the plain of Esdraelon; it was therefore on Elijah’s way.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

19:14-18 God repeated the question, What doest thou here? Then he complained of his discouragement; and whither should God's prophets go with their complaints of that kind, but to their Master? The Lord gave him an answer. He declares that the wicked house of Ahab shall be rooted out, that the people of Israel shall be punished for their sins; and he shows that Elijah was not left alone as he had supposed, and also that a helper should at once be raised up for him. Thus all his complaints are answered and provided for. God's faithful ones are often his hidden ones, Ps 83:3, and the visible church is scarcely to be seen: the wheat is lost in chaff, and the gold in dross, till the sifting, refining, separating day comes. The Lord knows them that are his, though we do not; he sees in secret. When we come to heaven we shall miss many whom we thought to have met there; we shall meet many whom we little thought to have met there. God's love often proves larger than man's charity, and far more extended.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Jehu, the son of Nimshi - In reality the grandson of Nimshi. But he seems to have been commonly known by the above title 2 Kings 9:20; 2 Chronicles 22:7, perhaps because his father had died and his grand-father had brought him up.

Abel-meholah - See Judges 7:22 note. (Conder identifies it with Ain Helweh.)

Elisha ... shalt thou anoint - This is almost the only place where we hear of the anointing of prophets (compare 1 Chronicles 16:22 and Psalm 105:15).

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

16. Abel-meholah—that is, "the meadow of dancing," in the valley of the Jordan.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

The son of Nimshi, i. e. his grandson, for he was the son of Jehoshaphat, 2 Kings 9:2; he constituted

Elisha prophet, by casting his mantle over him, here, 1 Kings 19:19.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel,.... This was a son of Jehoshaphat, and a grandson of Nimshi; nor does he appear to have been anointed by Elijah, but by Elisha; and being done by his order and direction was the same as if it was done by himself, unless he was twice anointed, see 2 Kings 9:1.

and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room; which was in the half tribe of Manasseh, on this side Jordan; See Gill on Judges 7:22.

Geneva Study Bible

And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

16. And Jehu the son of Nimshi] We learn from the account of Jehu’s anointing (2 Kings 9:2) that Nimshi was Jehu’s grandfather. He was ‘Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi.’ He was one of Ahab’s captains, and heard the sentence which Elijah pronounced against Ahab for the murder of Naboth (2 Kings 9:25-26). When Jehoram had succeeded Ahab, Jehu was anointed and conspired against him, and slew not only Jehoram but also caused to be slain seventy sons of Ahab, and the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and all the worshippers of Baal. For the history of these doings see 2 Kings 10. It is clear that Jehu looked upon himself as God’s ordained instrument, and considered his actions as ‘zeal for the Lord.’ We may therefore conclude that there had been made known to him something of the message which the Lord here gives to Elijah, and that inspired by it, he rose against the house of Ahab. For details of Jehu’s history, see notes on 2 Kings 9:10.

of Abel-meholah] See above on 1 Kings 4:12. These words are omitted by the LXX. For the history of Elisha see 2 Kings chapp. 2–8. At the time of his call Elisha was probably a young man. His father and mother were still alive, and he was living with them.

prophet in thy room] These words would teach Elijah that he was not to expect the accomplishment of all God’s purpose during his own lifetime, but only to prepare a representative to be ready when it was God’s will to call him away. Till Elijah is about to be taken up into heaven (2 Kings 2) we read no more of Elisha than is told us in this chapter. He ministered unto Elijah and was ready to attend him on his last journey, and in those days of his ministration he doubtless received all the teaching which God had given to his master, and was made to see how the hand of God was ever working amidst His people.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 16. - And Jehu [Jehovah is he. The name was as appropriate as Elijah's] the son [i.e., descendant, probably grandson (2 Kings 9:2, 14). Nimshi may have been a person of more importance than Jehoshaphat] of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel [The prophet thus learns that the house of Omri is to share the fate of the dynasties which had preceded it. Jezebel's triumph is not to endure]: and Elisha [My God is salvation. This name, berne by the successor of Elijah, "My God is the Lord," looks like a fresh revelation of God's nature and purpose of grace] the son of Shaphat [Judge] of Abel-meholah [The mention of his abode, Abel-meholah, "the meadow of the dance" (cf. 1 Kings 4:12; Judges 7:22), a town in the Jordan valley, at no great distance from Beth-shean, almost implies that he was hitherto unknown to Elijah. It is to be observed that no such addition follows the mention of Hazael or Jehu] shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room [So far from Elijah's work being fruitless, or from the prophetic order being extinguished, provision is now made for his successor.] 1 Kings 19:16

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

When Elijah heard this, he covered up his face in his cloak (אדּרת; see at 2 Kings 1:8) and went out to the entrance to the cave. And behold he heard the question a second time, "What doest thou here, Elijah?" and answered with a repetition of his complain (see 1 Kings 19:9, 1 Kings 19:10). - While the appearance of God, not in the tempest, the earthquake, and the fire, but in a gentle rustling, revealed the Lord to him as a merciful and gracious God, long-suffering, and of great goodness and truth (Exodus 34:6), the answer to his complaint showed him that He did not leave guilt unpunished (Exodus 34:7), since the Lord gave him the following command, 1 Kings 19:15.: "Go back in thy way to the desert of Damascus, and anoint Hazael king over Aram (see 2 Kings 8:12-13), and Jehu the son of Nimshi king over Israel (see 2 Kings 9:2), and Elisha the son of Shaphat prophet in thy stead" (see 1 Kings 19:19); and then added this promise, which must have quieted his zeal, that was praiseworthy in the feelings from which it sprang, although it had assumed too passionate a form, and have given him courage to continue his prophetic work: "And it will come to pass, that however escapeth the sword of Hazael, him will Jehu slay, and whoever escapeth the sword of Jehu, him will Elisha slay."