Elijah

In the biblical narrative Elijah appears as a prophet in the ninth-century BCE northern kingdom of Israel who confronts royal and cultic authorities (notably King Ahab and the worship of Baal). The Hebrew name ʾĒlīyyāhu (literally 'My God is Yah[weh]') encodes his stance advocating exclusive worship of Yahweh; some sources suggest the name may function as a title applied because of that polemical role. Later scriptural and religious traditions take up his narrative—most notably the Book of Malachi, which prophesies an Elijah figure who will return before the coming 'great and terrible day of the LORD'—thus situating him both as a remembered historical/theological actor and as an eschatological herald.

The supplied sources do not provide a consistent physical description of Elijah. Biblical texts identify him by epithets such as 'the Tishbite' but do not give reliable details of height, dress, or facial features in the excerpts provided. Later iconography and cultural adaptations (e.g., oratorio treatments) portray him in various ways, but such images are not specified in the supplied material. Consequently descriptions of Elijah's bodily appearance are largely absent from the documented sources and vary by later tradition and artistic representation.

Scriptural narratives attribute a set of specific acts to Elijah: he proclaims and effects a protracted drought; he is sustained at the brook Cherith where ravens bring him food until the brook dries; he performs provision miracles for the widow of Zarephath, promising an unending supply of flour and oil; he prays for and restores the widow's son to life (the first resurrection narrative recorded in Scripture, in these sources); he calls down fire from heaven in confrontations with rival prophets; and he is taken up to heaven alive (ascension). He is also depicted as leader or exemplar of a prophetic movement ('the sons of the prophets') and as a challenger of royal and cultic authorities. Later prophetic literature (Malachi) and religious interpretation assign him an eschatological function as a forerunner who will return before the day of the LORD.