1 Kings 17:3

3 Go from here in the direction of the east, and keep yourself in a secret place by the stream Cherith, east of Jordan.

1 Kings 17:3 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 17:3

Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward
From the place where he was, being in danger from Ahab and Jezebel, provoked by his reproofs, threatenings, and prophecies:

and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan;
in some wood or cave near it, or among the reeds and rushes that grew on the banks of it; and Bochart ^F15 takes it to be the same with the river Kanah, on the borders of Ephraim, which has its name from reeds, ( Joshua 16:8 ) ( 17:9 ) , and Cherith by anticipation, from the prophet's being fed there; and Adrichomius ^F16 places this brook in the tribe of Ephraim; though Fuller ^F17 in the half tribe of Manasseh, beyond Jordan; but Bunting says ^F18 it runs from Mount Ephraim between Bethel and Jericho, eight miles from Jerusalem towards the north, and so, passing along towards the east, falls into Jordan.

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 2. c. 13. col. 216.
F16 Theatrum Terrae Sanct. p. 26.
F17 Pisgah-Sight B. 2. c. 3. p. 97.
F18 Travels p. 205.

1 Kings 17:3 In-Context

1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, By the living Lord, the God of Israel, whose servant I am, there will be no dew or rain in these years, but only at my word.

2 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying,

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.