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The Greek of this passage is en Elia, "In Elijah", and refers to that portion of the
First book of Kings (chapters 17:-19:) where Elijah's actions are recorded.
Rashi, the Rabbi, commenting upon Hos. 9: 9 says:--
"Some are of opinion that this is Gibeah of Benjamin in the concubine, that is in that
chapter of Judges, namely, 19:, where the matter of the concubine is predominant."
Surenhusis, in his Biblios Katallages (Amsterdam, 1713), has with great labour
collected together the various rules found in the Talmud and Rabbinical writings in order
to demonstrate and justify all the modes of quotation made from the Old Testament in the
New. He shows that, while we in modern times might scarcely feel that a passage should
be quoted unless it had a direct association with the subject in hand, the wider range
permitted by Rabbinical usage is in accord with that of the N.T. For example, the use of
Deut. 30: 12-14 in Rom. 10: 6-8 does not represent a method of quotation which we
should naturally use to-day.
While we do not intend to give an exhaustive analysis of the various introductory
formulæ found in the N.T., some remarks upon their distribution among the various
books may be of service. Matthew uses the formula:--
"Hina plerothe to rhethen hupo kurion dia tou propheton" (In order that there might
be fulfilled the word spoken by the Lord through the prophet).
This is found, unabridged, in Matt. 1: 22 & 2: 15 and in the following passages,
either simply abridged, or slightly altered and abridged: Matt. 2: 17; 3: 3; 4: 14;
8: 17; 12: 17; 13: 14, 35; 21: 4; 26: 56; 27: 9 and 35. The words, "Now all
this was done that . . . . ." which occur in 1: 22, 21: 4 and 26: 56 occur nowhere
else.
In addition to this type of introduction, Matthew uses gegraptai (It is written) and
similar terms. Mark, Luke and John also use gregraptai and similar expressions.
The Acts of the Apostles uses a variety of introductory formulæ in keeping with the
fact that it is not the record of any one speaker, no two clauses are exactly alike. The
epistle to the Romans uses the formula, kathos gregraptai, "As it is written", more
frequently than any other, so that this form of introduction may be considered as
characteristic of the book. The dispensational chapters (9:-11:) depart from this usual
form and use expressions such as, "Isaiah saith", "Moses saith", "In the place where it
was said", "It was said" (rheo), etc.
In Paul's epistles the usual formula is, "It is written". A more personal form is used in
II Cor. 6: where, instead of "It is written" we have "For He saith", "As God hath said",
"Saith the Lord" and "Saith the Lord Almighty" (verses 2, 16, 17, 18). The emphasis
upon the fact that God said these words is worthy of attention; the subject of II Cor. 6:
is a most solemn and personal one and may account for the change.