And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, [even] I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.
Ver. 10. And he said, I have been very jealous.] Or, Zealous. Zelando zelavi: vel crucior in honorem Dei quadam quasi zelotypia: it irketh me to see God's spouse so play the harlot. Where it is well observed, a that the prophet - herein also too much a man - had rather say, I have been jealous for the Lord God of hosts, than I have been fearful of Jezebel; and here I hide my head from her malicious pursuit. We are all willing to make the best of our own case.
For the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant.] Here, Elijah maketh "intercession to God against Israel." Rom 11:2 Woe be to that people that putteth a godly minister to this unpleasing task: and to sing as the poet, -
“ Eheu quam pingui macer est mihi taurus in arvo! ”
a Bp. Hall.