열왕기상 18:17의 인용 해설

עמק עכור The valley of Achor. This valley is near Jerusalem; comp. And the valley of Achor for a door of hope (Hos. 2:15). Others render it, Valley of trouble,⁸That is, the valley, in which the Israelites have brought trouble upon themselves through their bad actions. I. E., justly rejects this explanation, because the words עמק עכור are probably like השרון in the first part of the verse, a proper name, without any reference to trouble or sin. comparing it with עכר that troublest (1 Kings 18:17). The latter is a forced explanation.

Perhaps Eliyahu HaNavi deems it unnecessary to kill Achav, as it appears that the latter does Teshuvah after the events at Har HaCarmel. In fact, we can discern four distinct stages in Achav’s development in Melachim I 18. At first, Achav is described by the righteous Ovadiah as seeking to kill every legitimate Navi, especially Eliyahu HaNavi. Next, Achav advances to a point where he agrees to meet with Eliyahu HaNavi. Achav’s then transitions from insulting Eliyahu HaNavi as an “Ocheir Yisrael,” “destroyer of Israel” (Melachim I 18:17) to following Eliyahu’s instructions to assemble all of Israel and the “prophets” of Ba’al at Har HaCarmel for an “Emunah showdown.” After the fire descends from heaven only upon Eliyahu HaNavi’s Korban, it seems that Achav joins the nation in proclaiming “Hashem Hu Ha’Elokim, Hashem Hu Ha’Elokim,” “Hashem is the [true] God, Hashem is the [true] God” (Melachim I 18:39). Achav might even participate in the eradication of the four hundred “prophets” of Ba’al. At the very least, Achav does not object. The fact that Eliyahu HaNavi runs before Achav’s chariot as he drives to his winter palace in Yizra’el seems to indicate Achav’s improved spiritual state.

Simply blaming Achav’s bad deeds on Izevel is an inadequate explanation of his episodes of poor behavior. In Melachim I 22, Achav abuses the authentic Navi Michah without any evidence of having been spurred to do so by Izevel. Additionally, Achav caustically calls Eliyahu HaNavi “a polluter of Israel” (Melachim I 18:17) despite the lack of Izevel’s presence and influence.