And he answered: With zeal have I been zealous for the Lord God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant: they have thrown down thy altars, they have slain thy prophets with the sword, and I alone am left, and they seek my life to take it away.
Adam Clarke
I have been very jealous for the Lord - The picture which he draws here of apostate Israel is very affecting: - 1. They have forsaken thy covenant - They have now cleaved to and worshipped other gods. 2. Thrown down thine altars - Endeavoured, as much as they possibly could, to abolish thy worship, and destroy its remembrance from the land. 3. And slain thy prophets - That there might be none to reprove their iniquity, or teach the truth; so that the restoration of the true worship might be impossible. 4. I only, am left - They have succeeded in destroying all the rest of the prophets, and they are determined not to rest till they slay me.
Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.