King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which [belongeth] to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.
Complete Jewish Bible:
"Get up; go to Tzarfat, a village in Tzidon; and live there. I have ordered a widow there to provide for you."
Berean Standard Bible:
“Get up and go to Zarephath of Sidon, and stay there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.”
American Standard Version:
Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Sidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow there to sustain thee.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
Arise{H6965}, get{H3212} thee to Zarephath{H6886}, which belongeth to Zidon{H6721}, and dwell{H3427} there: behold, I have commanded{H6680} a widow{H490} woman{H802} there to sustain{H3557} thee.
Cross-References (KJV):
Luke 4:26
- But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, [a city] of Sidon, unto a woman [that was] a widow.
Obadiah 1:20
- And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel [shall possess] that of the Canaanites, [even] unto Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which [is] in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south.
1 Kings 17:4
- And it shall be, [that] thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
2 Corinthians 4:7
- But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
Matthew 15:21
- ¶ Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
Matthew 15:22
- And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, [thou] Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
Romans 4:17
- ¶ (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, [even] God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.
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Commentary for 1 Kings 17:9
1 Kings 17:9 is a pivotal verse in the narrative of the prophet Elijah. Set in the historical context of the divided monarchy of Israel, during the reign of King Ahab, this period was marked by the influence of Ahab's Sidonian wife, Jezebel, who promoted the worship of the Phoenician god Baal. This idolatry was a direct affront to the worship of the God of Israel, Yahweh.
In this verse, God commands Elijah to leave his hiding place near the brook Cherith and travel to Zarephath, a town in the region of Sidon, which was Jezebel's homeland. The command to dwell in Zarephath is significant because it places Elijah, a prophet of Israel's God, right in the heart of pagan territory. Moreover, God has already prepared a means of sustenance for Elijah by commanding a widow in that town to provide for him. This detail underscores the themes of divine providence and the sovereignty of Yahweh, even in foreign lands and among non-Israelites.
The verse also introduces the motif of God's care for the most vulnerable in society—widows, who were often without financial support or social status in ancient patriarchal societies. By sending Elijah to a widow, God is not only ensuring the prophet's survival but also initiating a relationship that will demonstrate His power and faithfulness through the miraculous provision of food during a severe famine (1 Kings 17:10-16).
In summary, 1 Kings 17:9 reflects the broader themes of God's sovereignty over all nations, His divine guidance and provision for His servants, and His concern for the marginalized. It also sets the stage for a miraculous sign that will affirm Elijah's role as a prophet and the power of Yahweh over the Canaanite deities.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H6965
There are 596 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קוּם
Transliteration: qûwm
Pronunciation: koom
Description: a primitive root; to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative); abide, accomplish, [idiom] be clearer, confirm, continue, decree, [idiom] be dim, endure, [idiom] enemy, enjoin, get up, make good, help, hold, (help to) lift up (again), make, [idiom] but newly, ordain, perform, pitch, raise (up), rear (up), remain, (a-) rise (up) (again, against), rouse up, set (up), (e-) stablish, (make to) stand (up), stir up, strengthen, succeed, (as-, make) sure(-ly), (be) up(-hold, -rising). - Strong's Number: H3212
There are 938 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָלַךְ
Transliteration: yâlak
Pronunciation: yaw-lak'
Description: a primitive root (compare הָלַךְ); to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses); [idiom] again, away, bear, bring, carry (away), come (away), depart, flow, [phrase] follow(-ing), get (away, hence, him), (cause to, made) go (away, -ing, -ne, one's way, out), grow, lead (forth), let down, march, prosper, [phrase] pursue, cause to run, spread, take away (-journey), vanish, (cause to) walk(-ing), wax, [idiom] be weak. - Strong's Number: H6886
There are 3 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: צָרְפַת
Transliteration: Tsârᵉphath
Pronunciation: tsaq-ref-ath'
Description: from צָרַף; refinement; Tsarephath, a place in Palestine; Zarephath. - Strong's Number: H6721
There are 22 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: צִידוֹן
Transliteration: Tsîydôwn
Pronunciation: tsee-done'
Description: or צִידֹן; from צוּד in the sense of catching fish; fishery; Tsidon, the name of a son of Canaan, and of a place in Palestine; Sidon, Zidon. - Strong's Number: H3427
There are 980 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָשַׁב
Transliteration: yâshab
Pronunciation: yaw-shab'
Description: a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry; (make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(-tle), (down-) sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry. - Strong's Number: H6680
There are 475 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: צָוָה
Transliteration: tsâvâh
Pronunciation: tsaw-vaw'
Description: a primitive root; (intensively) to constitute, enjoin; appoint, (for-) bid, (give a) charge, (give a, give in, send with) command(-er, -ment), send a messenger, put, (set) in order. - Strong's Number: H490
There are 303 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אַלְמָנָה
Transliteration: ʼalmânâh
Pronunciation: al-maw-naw'
Description: feminine of אַלְמָן; a widow; also a desolate place; desolate house (palace), widow. - Strong's Number: H802
There are 729 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אִשָּׁה
Transliteration: ʼishshâh
Pronunciation: ish-shaw'
Description: feminine of אִישׁ or אֱנוֹשׁ; irregular plural, נָשִׁים;(used in the same wide sense as אֱנוֹשׁ); a woman; (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English. - Strong's Number: H3557
There are 36 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: כּוּל
Transliteration: kûwl
Pronunciation: kool
Description: a primitive root; properly, to keep in; hence, to measure; figuratively, to maintain (in various senses); (be able to, can) abide, bear, comprehend, contain, feed, forbearing, guide, hold(-ing in), nourish(-er), be present, make provision, receive, sustain, provide sustenance (victuals).