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The Histories · Old Testament

1 Kings 17

1 Kings 17: Elijah, the drought and the widow's son

General context

Elijah tells Ahab that dew and rain will cease except according to his word. The Lord directs Elijah to the brook Cherith, where ravens bring him food. When the brook dries up, he is sent to a widow at Zarephath. She has little meal and oil and expects a final meal with her son, but Elijah announces that the supplies will last until the Lord sends rain. Her household continues to eat. Later the son becomes ill and dies. Elijah carries him upstairs, cries to the Lord and stretches himself over the child three times. The Lord hears him, the child revives, and Elijah returns him to his mother. She affirms that the Lord's word in Elijah's mouth is true.

Cited passages: 1 Kings 17:1, 1 Kings 17:2, 1 Kings 17:3, 1 Kings 17:4, 1 Kings 17:5, 1 Kings 17:6, 1 Kings 17:7, 1 Kings 17:8, 1 Kings 17:9, 1 Kings 17:10, 1 Kings 17:11, 1 Kings 17:12, 1 Kings 17:13, 1 Kings 17:14, 1 Kings 17:15, 1 Kings 17:16, 1 Kings 17:17, 1 Kings 17:18, 1 Kings 17:19, 1 Kings 17:20, 1 Kings 17:21, 1 Kings 17:22, 1 Kings 17:23, 1 Kings 17:24

1 Kings 17 (KJV)

1And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

2And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

3Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

4And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

5So he went and did according unto the word of the Lord: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

6And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

7And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

8And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying,

9Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.

10So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.

11And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.

12And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

13And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

14For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth.

15And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

16And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.

17And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.

18And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?

19And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.

20And he cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?

21And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again.

22And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.

23And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.

24And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth.

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Historical context

Elijah is introduced as the Tishbite associated with Gilead, without a childhood or family history. Zarephath is identified as belonging to Zidon; the widow and her son remain unnamed. The food is said not to run out during the promised period, rather than to become an unlimited store for every future need. The widow asks whether Elijah has brought her sin to remembrance, but the narrator does not identify a particular sin as the cause of the child's death. His revival is attributed to the Lord hearing Elijah's plea.

Cited passages: 1 Kings 17:1, 1 Kings 17:2, 1 Kings 17:3, 1 Kings 17:9, 1 Kings 17:10, 1 Kings 17:11, 1 Kings 17:12, 1 Kings 17:13, 1 Kings 17:14, 1 Kings 17:15, 1 Kings 17:16, 1 Kings 17:17, 1 Kings 17:18, 1 Kings 17:19, 1 Kings 17:20, 1 Kings 17:21, 1 Kings 17:22, 1 Kings 17:23, 1 Kings 17:24

Literary context

The word directing Elijah's movements also promises food where water and meal are failing. The widow's initial expectation of death gives way to sustained life, then the son's illness brings a second crisis. Elijah's questions and pleading are retained within the account of divine response. The woman's final statement joins the child's restored life to her recognition of the word he speaks.

Cited passages: 1 Kings 17:2, 1 Kings 17:3, 1 Kings 17:4, 1 Kings 17:5, 1 Kings 17:6, 1 Kings 17:7, 1 Kings 17:8, 1 Kings 17:9, 1 Kings 17:10, 1 Kings 17:11, 1 Kings 17:12, 1 Kings 17:13, 1 Kings 17:14, 1 Kings 17:15, 1 Kings 17:16, 1 Kings 17:17, 1 Kings 17:18, 1 Kings 17:19, 1 Kings 17:20, 1 Kings 17:21, 1 Kings 17:22, 1 Kings 17:23, 1 Kings 17:24

Key moments

  1. Drought announced (1 Kings 17:1). Elijah announces the absence of dew and rain before Ahab.
  2. Food at the brook (1 Kings 17:6). Ravens bring Elijah bread and meat while he drinks from Cherith.
  3. The last meal expected (1 Kings 17:12). The widow describes her small remaining supplies and expectation of death.
  4. Provision continues (1 Kings 17:16). The meal and oil do not fail according to the announced word.
  5. Elijah pleads for the child (1 Kings 17:21). Elijah asks the Lord for the child's life to return.
  6. The child revives (1 Kings 17:22). The narrator attributes the revival to the Lord hearing Elijah.
  7. The widow's recognition (1 Kings 17:24). She affirms Elijah as a man of God whose word from the Lord is true.

For reflection

How do the two crises in the widow's household shape the meaning of her final statement about Elijah and the Lord's word?

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