1 Kings 17:3-13

3 Go from here in the direction of the east, and keep yourself in a secret place by the stream Cherith, east of Jordan.
4 The water of the stream will be your drink, and by my orders the ravens will give you food there.
5 So he went and did as the Lord said, living by the stream Cherith, east of Jordan.
6 And the ravens took him bread in the morning and meat in the evening; and the water of the stream was his drink.
7 Now after a time the stream became dry, because there was no rain in the land.
8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying,
9 Up! go now to Zarephath, in Zidon, and make your living-place there; I have given orders to a widow woman there to see that you have food.
10 So he got up and went to Zarephath; and when he came to the door of the town, he saw a widow woman getting sticks together; and crying out to her he said, Will you give me a little water in a vessel for my drink?
11 And when she was going to get it, he said to her, And get me with it a small bit of bread.
12 Then she said, By the life of the Lord your God, I have nothing but a little meal in my store, and a drop of oil in the bottle; and now I am getting two sticks together so that I may go in and make it ready for me and my son, so that we may have a meal before our death.
13 And Elijah said to her, Have no fear; go and do as you have said, but first make me a little cake of it and come and give it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son.

1 Kings 17:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

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.

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