1 Kings 17:1-6

Elijah Predicts Drought

1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was of ¹the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, "²As the LORD, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, surely ³there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except * by my word."

2 The word of the LORD came to him, saying,

3 "Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east * of the Jordan.

4 "It shall be that you will drink of the brook, and ⁴I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there."

5 So he went and did according to the word of the LORD, for he went and lived by the brook Cherith, which is east * of the Jordan.

6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he would drink from the brook.

1 Kings 17:1-6 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.

Cross References

• 1. Judges 12:4
• 2. 1 Kings 18:10; 1 Kings 22:14; 2 Kings 3:14; 2 Kings 5:20
• 3. 1 Kings 18:1; Luke 4:25; James 5:17
• 4. 1 Kings 17:9

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "Tishbe in Gilead"
• [b]. Lit "before"
• [c]. Lit "before"