Exegetical-theological reading of the travels of Elijah and the movement of YHWH in 1 Kings 19, 1-18

Abstract

This paper presents an exegetical-theological reading proposal of the text of 1 Kings 19, 1-18 from the category of movement. The polar dynamics between mobility and immobility in the actions of the two main characters of the story, the prophet Elijah and YHWH, his God, lead the reader to discover the richness of a text loaded with the clash between energetic divine strength and static human weakness. The shown movement in the story goes beyond simple physical displacement, but involves spheres of greater depth, especially in the psychological and spiritual field. Starting from an attentive reading of the Hebrew text, we proceed to identify some narrative strategies that allow us to clarify its final message. The research is enriched through the dialogue with various contemporary exegetes, to make shine the meaning and the current relevance of this story.