31 as the traders and the artisans decide to leave for a moment until the condition is
better. Yet, Elijah should be obedient to wait until the Lord gives him the permission. It feels dilemmatic though. According to Murphy, the following
expression can really show how obedient Elijah is in putting forward his opinion. The merchants and artisans made plans to go to Sidon and Tyre until calm
was restored. “It is easy for them to leave,” he thought. Merchants can transport their goods everywhere in the world. Artisans too can work,
even where a strange language is spoken, “But I must have the Lord’s permission 128.
3. Courageous
Some people in Akbar think that Elijah is such a cowardly prophet. The high priest, as the antagonist character in this story scolds him crying with fear
when he is brought into his presence. On the contrary, Elijah denies all the things the high priest says. These following replies, according to Murphy, can support
Elijah’s characterization because of his speech. My tears were for the evil I felt I had caused you, for I fear but two things:
the Lord and myself. I did not flee from Israel, and I am ready to return as soon as the Lord permits. I will put an end to your beautiful princess, and
the faith of Israel shall survive this threat too 68
Somehow, the Governor of Akbar is afraid of the coming war. Although he has already chosen Elijah as his counselor, he thinks that Elijah does not
support him with such a meaningful effort. When people in Akbar declare the war, Elijah chooses to do the diplomacy affair. The governor argues that the diplomacy
affair is only Elijah’s cowardly choice. When the governor says he does not know what to do with Elijah’s life, he replies that everything is decided by The
Almighty One. Hearing that, the governor really gets surprised at Elijah’s
32 courage. Death, for Elijah, is not something to be afraid of. Even the trouble does
not stop there. The governor threats Elijah that he can decapitate him at once or drag him
through the street, or tell the people that he brings a curse upon the City of Akbar. On the other hand, Elijah only says that he will accept whatever his fate might
happen, but he wants everybody to know that he does not want to hide from anything. It is the commander’s soldiers that keep him away from the Governor of
Akbar. 121, which is according to Murphy, Elijah’s characterization is determined to his reaction.
Elijah tries to let the people remained in Akbar know how they should live their life courageously. When the tragedy happens in Akbar, many lives are taken
away and many houses are destroyed, Elijah shares his thought that everybody should go onward optimistically. Elijah considers that this is the right time to
make a better living after the unavoidable events. It is his thought, as proposed by Murphy, which reveals Elijah’s courage.
Cowards never allow their hearts to blaze with this fire; all they desire is for the changed situation to quickly return to what it was before, so they
can go on living their lives and thinking in their customary way. The brave, however, set afire that which was old and, even at the cost of great
internal suffering, abandon everything, including God, and continue onward. 204
Elijah also teaches the widow’s son to be bold. He tells him that nothing
in the world should be frightened of. He asks him to try something that is forbidden by everyone but actually not dangerous. He asks the boy to climb The
Fifth Mountain when they arrive at the foot of that mountain.
33 Let’s climb it, he said. “It’s forbidden.” “Yes, it is forbidden. But doesn’t
mean it is dangerous.” He took him by both hands, and they began climbing toward the top. They stopped from time to time to gaze at the
valley below; the absence of rain had left its mark throughout the countryside, and with the exception of the cultivated fields around Akbar,
everything seemed a desert as harsh as those of Egypt. 235
4. Kind
