1 Reyes 17

1 ENTONCES Elías Thisbita, que era de los moradores de Galaad, dijo á Achâb: Vive Jehová Dios de Israel, delante del cual estoy, que no habrá lluvia ni rocío en estos años, sino por mi palabra.

2 Y fué á él palabra de Jehová, diciendo:

3 Apártate de aquí, y vuélvete al oriente, y escóndete en el arroyo de Cherith, que está delante del Jordán;

4 Y beberás del arroyo; y yo he mandado á los cuervos que te den allí de comer.

5 Y él fué, é hizo conforme á la palabra de Jehová; pues se fué y asentó junto al arroyo de Cherith, que está antes del Jordán.

6 Y los cuervos le traían pan y carne por la mañana, y pan y carne á la tarde; y bebía del arroyo.

7 Pasados algunos días, secóse el arroyo; porque no había llovido sobre la tierra.

8 Y fué á él palabra de Jehová, diciendo:

9 Levántate, vete á Sarepta de Sidón, y allí morarás: he aquí yo he mandado allí á una mujer viuda que te sustente.

10 Entonces él se levantó, y se fué á Sarepta. Y como llegó á la puerta de la ciudad, he aquí una mujer viuda que estaba allí cogiendo serojas; y él la llamó, y díjole: Ruégote que me traigas una poca de agua en un vaso, para que beba.

11 Y yendo ella para traérsela, él la volvió á llamar, y díjole: Ruégote que me traigas también un bocado de pan en tu mano.

12 Y ella respondió: Vive Jehová Dios tuyo, que no tengo pan cocido; que solamente un puñado de harina tengo en la tinaja, y un poco de aceite en una botija: y ahora cogía dos serojas, para entrarme y aderezarlo para mí y para mi hijo, y que lo comamos, y nos muramos.

13 Y Elías le dijo: No hayas temor; ve, haz como has dicho: empero hazme á mí primero de ello una pequeña torta cocida debajo de la ceniza, y tráemela; y después harás para ti y para tu hijo.

14 Porque Jehová Dios de Israel ha dicho así: La tinaja de la harina no escaseará, ni se disminuirá la botija del aceite, hasta aquel día que Jehová dará lluvia sobre la haz de la tierra.

15 Entonces ella fué, é hizo como le dijo Elías; y comió él, y ella y su casa, muchos días.

16 Y la tinaja de la harina no escaseó, ni menguó la botija del aceite, conforme á la palabra de Jehová que había dicho por Elías.

17 Después de estas cosas aconteció que cayó enfermo el hijo del ama de la casa, y la enfermedad fué tan grave, que no quedó en él resuello.

18 Y ella dijo á Elías: ¿Qué tengo yo contigo, varón de Dios? ¿has venido á mí para traer en memoria mis iniquidades, y para hacerme morir mi hijo?

19 Y él le dijo: Dame acá tu hijo. Entonces él lo tomó de su regazo, y llevólo á la cámara donde él estaba, y púsole sobre su cama;

20 Y clamando á Jehová, dijo: Jehová Dios mío, ¿aun á la viuda en cuya casa yo estoy hospedado has afligido, matándole su hijo?

21 Y midióse sobre el niño tres veces, y clamó á Jehová, y dijo: Jehová Dios mío, ruégote que vuelva el alma de este niño á sus entrañas.

22 Y Jehová oyó la voz de Elías, y el alma del niño volvió á sus entrañas, y revivió.

23 Tomando luego Elías al niño, trájolo de la cámara á la casa, y diólo á su madre, y díjole Elías: Mira, tu hijo vive.

24 Entonces la mujer dijo á Elías: Ahora conozco que tú eres varón de Dios, y que la palabra de Jehová es verdad en tu boca.

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.