Elijah is canonized both in the Greek and in the Latin Churches, his festival being kept in both on the 20th July--the date of his ascension in the nineteenth year of Jehoshaphat, according to Cornelius a Lapide. The natural and most reliable estimate of the career of Elijah is that which is based upon a critical examination of the narratives; see, in addition to Robertson Smith, _Prophets of Israel_(²), pp. 75 sqq., Cheyne, _Hallowing of Criticism_, the articles by Addis in _Encyc. Bib_., and J. Strachan, Hastings' _Dict. Bib_., H. Gunkel, _Elias, Yahve u. Baal_ (Tübingen, 1906), the literature to KINGS, BOOKS OF, and the histories referred to in JEWS. There is difference of opinion as to the historical importance of both Elijah and Elisha; for a useful summary of views, as also for fuller bibliographical information, see W.R. Harper, _Amos and Hosea_ (_Internat. Crit. Comm._), pp. xxxiv.-xlix., and article HEBREW RELIGION. (W. R. S.; S. A. C.) FOOTNOTES: [1] The text is uncertain. According to the LXX., he was a native of Tishbeh in Gilead; a more natural reading. Klostermann's conjecture that the original name of his home was Jabesh-Gilead is attractive but unnecessary. His appearance in the narrative, like Melchizedek, "without father, without mother" (Heb. vii. 3), gave rise to various rabbinical traditions, such as that he was Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, returned to earth, or that he was an angel in human form. [2] Its duration is vaguely stated; from Luke iv. 25, James v. 17, we learn that it lasted three years and a half; but according to Phoenician tradition (Jos. _Ant_. viii. 13. 2) only one year. [3] The rationalistic view that the word translated "ravens" should be "Arabians" is improbable. Cheyne's suggestion that the unknown brook Cherith should be placed to the south of Judah agrees with Josephus (_Ant_. viii. 13. 2, "he departed into the southern parts") and with 1 Kings xix. 3, 8; "Jordan" may refer to another river, if it be not a gloss; see Cheyne, _Ency. Bib_., s.v. "Cherith." [4] The sudden introduction of Elijah in xvii. 1 may be accounted for by the supposition that the commencement of the narrative had been omitted by the editor of xvi. 29 sqq. Hence we are not told the cause of Ahab's hostility towards Elijah, nor is the allusion to Jezebel's massacre of the prophets (xviii. 3, 13) explained. It would appear from Obadiah's words in ver. 9 that he himself was in fear of his life. Later tradition supposed he was the captain of 2 Kings i. 13, or that the widow of 2 Kings iv. 1 had been his wife. [5] The definition of time by the stated oblation (xviii. 29, 36) is very noteworthy (cp. 2 Kings iii. 20).