1 Reis 17

Elias Alimentado por Corvos

1 Ora, Elias, de Tisbe,^[a] em Gileade, disse a Acabe: “Juro pelo nome do SENHOR, o Deus de Israel, a quem sirvo, que não cairá orvalho nem chuva nos anos seguintes, exceto mediante a minha palavra”.

2 Depois disso a palavra do SENHOR veio a Elias:

3 “Saia daqui, vá para o leste e esconda-se perto do riacho de Querite, a leste do Jordão.

4 Você beberá do riacho, e dei ordens aos corvos para o alimentarem lá”.

5 E ele fez o que o SENHOR lhe tinha dito. Foi para o riacho de Querite, a leste do Jordão, e ficou lá.

6 Os corvos lhe traziam pão e carne de manhã e de tarde, e ele bebia água do riacho.

A Viúva de Sarepta

7 Algum tempo depois, o riacho secou-se por falta de chuva.

8 Então a palavra do SENHOR veio a Elias:

9 “Vá imediatamente para a cidade de Sarepta de Sidom e fique por lá. Ordenei a uma viúva daquele lugar que lhe forneça comida”.

10 E ele foi. Quando chegou à porta da cidade, encontrou uma viúva que estava colhendo gravetos. Ele a chamou e perguntou: “Pode me trazer um pouco d'água numa jarra para eu beber?”

11 Enquanto ela ia buscar água, ele gritou: “Por favor, traga também um pedaço de pão”.

12 Mas ela respondeu: “Juro pelo nome do SENHOR, o teu Deus, que não tenho nenhum pedaço de pão; só um punhado de farinha num jarro e um pouco de azeite numa botija. Estou colhendo uns dois gravetos para levar para casa e preparar uma refeição para mim e para o meu filho, para que a comamos e depois morramos”.

13 Elias, porém, lhe disse: “Não tenha medo. Vá para casa e faça o que eu disse. Mas primeiro faça um pequeno bolo com o que você tem e traga para mim, e depois faça algo para você e para o seu filho.

14 Pois assim diz o SENHOR, o Deus de Israel: ‘A farinha na vasilha não se acabará e o azeite na botija não se secará até o dia em que o SENHOR fizer chover sobre a terra’.”

15 Ela foi e fez conforme Elias lhe dissera. E aconteceu que a comida durou muito tempo, para Elias e para a mulher e sua família.

16 Pois a farinha na vasilha não se acabou e o azeite na botija não se secou, conforme a palavra do SENHOR proferida por Elias.

17 Algum tempo depois o filho da mulher, dona da casa, ficou doente, foi piorando e finalmente parou de respirar.

18 E a mulher reclamou a Elias: “Que foi que eu te fiz, ó homem de Deus? Vieste para lembrar-me do meu pecado e matar o meu filho?”

19 “Dê-me o seu filho”, respondeu Elias. Ele o apanhou dos braços dela, levou-o para o quarto de cima, onde estava hospedado, e o pôs na cama.

20 Então clamou ao SENHOR: “Ó SENHOR, meu Deus, trouxeste também desgraça sobre esta viúva, com quem estou hospedado, fazendo morrer o seu filho?”

21 Então ele se deitou sobre o menino três vezes e clamou ao SENHOR: “Ó SENHOR, meu Deus, faze voltar a vida a este menino!”

22 O SENHOR ouviu o clamor de Elias, e a vida voltou ao menino, e ele viveu.

23 Então Elias levou o menino para baixo, entregou-o à mãe e disse: “Veja, seu filho está vivo!”

24 Então a mulher disse a Elias: “Agora sei que tu és um homem de Deus e que a palavra do SENHOR, vinda da tua boca, é a verdade”.

1 Reis 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Ou "o tesbita Elias, dos colonizadores"

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.