וַיַּ֗רְא וַיָּ֙קָם֙ וַיֵּ֣לֶךְ אֶל־נַפְשׁ֔וֹ וַיָּבֹ֕א בְּאֵ֥ר שֶׁ֖בַע אֲשֶׁ֣ר לִֽיהוּדָ֑ה וַיַּנַּ֥ח אֶֽת־נַעֲר֖וֹ שָֽׁם׃
[Elija] erkannte [die Gefahr], deshalb machte er sich auf und ging, um sein Leben zu retten. Er kam nach Beer Seba, das zu Jehuda gehörte, und ließ seinen Knaben dort.
From David to Destruction
Ralbag and the Malbim’s respective approaches, while explaining each of the steps recorded in Melachim I 19:3-4, do not seem to fit with the actions and complaints sounded by Eliyahu HaNavi later in the rest of Melachim I 19. In turn, we suggest that indeed Eliyahu HaNavi feels that he has accomplished all he could do with Am Yisrael of the Northern Kingdom, as set forth by the Malbim. However, rather than understanding Eliyahu HaNavi’s retreat as done with a dispassionate calm, we suggest that Eliyahu HaNavi leaves in a fury.
Rashbam
על כן שם העיר באר שבע this was not the same Beer Sheva we read about in connection with Avraham. There were two towns called Beer Sheva, as we know from Kings I 19,3 ויבא באר שבע אשר ליהודה, “he came to Beer Sheva in Yehudah.” [If there had not been another Beer Sheva the additional words “which is in Yehudah” would have been unnecessary. Ed.]