1 Reyes 17

1 Elías es alimentado por cuervos
Ahora bien, Elías, quien era de Tisbé en Galaad, le dijo al rey Acab: «Tan cierto como que el Señor
vive, el Dios de Israel —a quien sirvo—, no habrá rocío ni lluvia durante los próximos años, ¡hasta que yo dé la orden!».

2 Después el Señor
le dijo a Elías:

3 «Vete al oriente y escóndete junto al arroyo de Querit, cerca de su desembocadura en el río Jordán.

4 Bebe del arroyo y come lo que te den los cuervos, porque yo les he ordenado que te lleven comida».

5 Entonces Elías hizo lo que el Señor
le dijo y acampó junto al arroyo de Querit, al oriente del Jordán.

6 Los cuervos le llevaban pan y carne por la mañana y por la noche, y él bebía del arroyo.

7 Sin embargo, poco después, el arroyo se secó porque no había llovido en ninguna parte del reino.

8 La viuda de Sarepta
Luego el Señor
dijo a Elías:

9 «Vete a vivir a la aldea de Sarepta, que está cerca de la ciudad de Sidón. Yo le he ordenado a una viuda de allí que te alimente».

10 Elías se dirigió a Sarepta y, cuando llegó a las puertas del pueblo, vio a una viuda juntando leña y le dijo:
—Por favor, ¿podrías traerme un poco de agua en una taza?

11 Mientras ella iba a buscarle el agua, la llamó y dijo:
—También tráeme un bocado de pan.

12 Pero ella respondió:
—Le juro por el Señor
su Dios que no tengo ni un pedazo de pan en la casa. Solo me queda un puñado de harina en el frasco y un poquito de aceite en el fondo del jarro. Estaba juntando algo de leña para preparar una última comida, después mi hijo y yo moriremos.

13 Entonces Elías le dijo:
—¡No tengas miedo! Sigue adelante y haz exactamente lo que acabas de decir, pero primero cocina un poco de pan para mí. Luego, con lo que te sobre, prepara la comida para ti y tu hijo.

14 Pues el Señor
, Dios de Israel dice: “Siempre habrá harina y aceite de oliva en tus recipientes, ¡hasta que el Señor
mande lluvia y vuelvan a crecer los cultivos!”.

15 Así que ella hizo lo que Elías le dijo, y ella, su familia y Elías comieron durante muchos días.

16 Siempre había suficiente harina y aceite de oliva en los recipientes, tal como el Señor
lo había prometido por medio de Elías.

17 Tiempo después, el hijo de la mujer se enfermó. Cada día empeoraba y finalmente murió.

18 Entonces ella le dijo a Elías:
—¡Ay, hombre de Dios! ¿Qué me ha hecho usted? ¿Ha venido aquí para señalarme mis pecados y matar a mi hijo?

19 Pero Elías contestó:
—Dame a tu hijo.
Entonces tomó el cuerpo del niño de los brazos de la madre, lo cargó por las escaleras hasta la habitación donde él estaba alojado y lo puso sobre la cama.

20 Después Elías clamó al Señor
: «Oh Señor
mi Dios, ¿por qué le has traído desgracia a esta viuda que me abrió su casa, al provocar la muerte de su hijo?».

21 Entonces Elías se tendió sobre el niño tres veces y clamó al Señor
: «¡Oh Señor
mi Dios, te ruego que le devuelvas la vida a este niño!».

22 El Señor
oyó la oración de Elías, ¡y la vida volvió al niño, y revivió!

23 Entonces Elías bajó al niño de la habitación en el piso de arriba y se lo entregó a su madre.
—¡Mira —le dijo—, tu hijo vive!

24 Entonces la mujer le dijo a Elías:
—Ahora estoy convencida de que usted es un hombre de Dios y que de verdad el Señor
habla por medio de usted.

1 Reyes 17 Commentary

Chapter 17

Elijah fed by ravens. (1-7) Elijah sent to Zarephath. (8-16) Elijah raises the widow's son to life. (17-24)

Verses 1-7 God wonderfully suits men to the work he designs them for. The times were fit for an Elijah; an Elijah was fit for them. The Spirit of the Lord knows how to fit men for the occasions. Elijah let Ahab know that God was displeased with the idolaters, and would chastise them by the want of rain, which it was not in the power of the gods they served to bestow. Elijah was commanded to hide himself. If Providence calls us to solitude and retirement, it becomes us to go: when we cannot be useful, we must be patient; and when we cannot work for God, we must sit still quietly for him. The ravens were appointed to bring him meat, and did so. Let those who have but from hand to mouth, learn to live upon Providence, and trust it for the bread of the day, in the day. God could have sent angels to minister to him; but he chose to show that he can serve his own purposes by the meanest creatures, as effectually as by the mightiest. Elijah seems to have continued thus above a year. The natural supply of water, which came by common providence, failed; but the miraculous supply of food, made sure to him by promise, failed not. If the heavens fail, the earth fails of course; such are all our creature-comforts: we lose them when we most need them, like brooks in summer. But there is a river which makes glad the city of God, that never runs dry, a well of water that springs up to eternal life. Lord, give us that living water!

Verses 8-16 Many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, and some, it is likely, would have bidden him welcome to their houses; yet he is sent to honour and bless with his presence a city of Sidon, a Gentile city, and so becomes the first prophet of the Gentiles. Jezebel was Elijah's greatest enemy; yet, to show her how powerless was her malice, God will find a hiding-place for him even in her own country. The person appointed to entertain Elijah is not one of the rich or great men of Sidon; but a poor widow woman, in want, and desolate, is made both able and willing to sustain him. It is God's way, and it is his glory, to make use of, and put honour upon, the weak and foolish things of the world. O woman, great was thy faith; one has not found the like, no not in Israel. She took the prophet's word, that she should not lose by it. Those who can venture upon the promise of God, will make no difficulty to expose and empty themselves in his service, by giving him his part first. Surely the increase of this widow's faith, so as to enable her thus readily to deny herself, and to depend upon the Divine promise, was as great a miracle in the kingdom of grace, as the increase of her meal and oil in the kingdom of providence. Happy are all who can thus, against hope, believe and obey in hope. One poor meal's meat this poor widow gave the prophet; in recompence of it, she and her son did eat above two years, in a time of famine. To have food from God's special favour, and in such good company as Elijah, made it more than doubly sweet. It is promised to those who trust in God, that they shall not be ashamed in evil time; in days of famine they shall be satisfied.

Verses 17-24 Neither faith nor obedience shut out afflictions and death. The child being dead, the mother spake to the prophet, rather to give vent to her sorrow, than in hope of relief. When God removes our comforts from us, he remembers our sins against us, perhaps the sins of our youth, though long since past. When God remembers our sins against us, he designs to teach us to remember them against ourselves, and to repent of them. Elijah's prayer was doubtless directed by the Holy Spirit. The child revived. See the power of prayer, and the power of Him who hears prayer.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 17

This chapter begins with a prophecy of Elijah, that there should be want of rain for some years to come, and he is directed to go first to the brook Cherith, where he should be fed by ravens, 1Ki 17:1-7, and afterwards he is sent to a widow at Zarephath, where he, she, and her son, were supported for a considerable time with a handful of meal, and a little oil in a cruse miraculously increased, 1Ki 17:8-16, whose son falling sick and dying, he restored to life, 1Ki 17:17-24.