1 Kings 17:11

11 And when she went to bring it, he cried behind her back, and said, I beseech, bring thou to me also a morsel of bread in thine hand.

1 Kings 17:11 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 17:11

And as she was going to fetch it
For she made no difficulty of granting his request, but immediately set out to fetch him some water from the city, or some spring close by, or her own house; being very ready to do an hospitable act to a stranger, and especially to a good man, and a prophet, as she might perceive by his habit he was, as it seems by what follows:

and said, bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand;
to eat before he drank; this he said still further to try her whether she was the person that was to sustain him, as well as in order to lead on to more discourse with her.

1 Kings 17:11 In-Context

9 Rise thou (up), and go into Zarephath of (the) Sidonians, and thou shalt dwell there; for I have commanded to a woman widow there, that she feed thee (for I have commanded to a widow woman there, that she should feed thee).
10 He rose, and went into Zarephath of Sidonians; and when he had come to the gate of the city, a woman widow gathering sticks appeared to him; and he called her, and said to her, Give thou to me a little of water in a vessel, that I drink. (He rose up, and went to Zarephath of the Sidonians; and when he had come to the city gate, a widow woman gathering sticks appeared before him; and he called to her, and said to her, Give thou to me a little water in a vessel, so that I can have a drink.)
11 And when she went to bring it, he cried behind her back, and said, I beseech, bring thou to me also a morsel of bread in thine hand.
12 And she answered, (As) Thy Lord God liveth, for I have no bread, no but as much of meal in a pot, as a fist[ful] may take, and a little of oil in a vessel; lo! I gather two sticks, that I enter, and make it to me, and to my son, that we eat, and die (lo! I am gathering only two sticks, so that I can go in, and make it up for me, and my son, so that we can eat, and then die).
13 And Elijah said to her, Do not thou dread, but go, and make as thou saidest; nevertheless make thou first to me of that little meal a little loaf, baken under ashes, and bring thou it to me; soothly thou shalt make afterward to thee and to thy son. (And Elijah said to her, Do not thou fear, but go, and make as thou saidest; but first make thou for me a small loaf from that little amount of meal, baked under ashes, and bring thou it to me; then afterward thou shalt make some for thee and thy son.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.