1 Kings 19:3 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Went for his life, i.e. to save his life; or, according to his soul, or mind; whereby it may be intimated, that he did not flee from Jezreel by the hand or direction of the Lord, by which he came thither, 1 Kings 18:46, but because of his own fear and apprehension of danger; for this may seem to be an act of human frailty. For God had brought him hither, and his presence might seem very necessary here to encourage and engage the king and people to go on to destroy the priests of the groves, and to purge out idolatry; and his withdrawing, as we see, did discourage all the rest, and occasioned their return to idolatry again; and having had such a late and ample experience of God's all-sufficiency in protecting him against the king and four hundred and fifty of Baal's priests, and the current of the people incensed against him for the famine, he had little reason to fear the threats of an impotent woman, whom God could cut off in a moment. But Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, James 5:17, which probably is said with respect to his fear and discontent, manifested here and 1 Kings 19:4. And lest he should be exalted above measure (which was also Paul's case, 2 Corinthians 12:7) for his eminent gifts, and graces, and miraculous works, God saw fit to withdraw his grace, and to leave him to himself, that he might be sensible of his own impotency and sinfulness, and might not dare to take any part of God's honour to himself. Which belonged to Judah; either, first, To the tribe of Judah, according to the first division; for Simeon's part, in which Beer-sheba was, was afterwards taken out of it. Or, secondly, To the kingdom of Judah. Left his servant there; partly, that he might abide there in safety; and partly, that he should wait there till his return: partly, because he would not expose him to those perils and hardships which he expected; and partly, because he desired solitude, that he might more freely converse with God.