1 Kings17

Elijah the Tishbite declares a severe drought to King Ahab. The Lord then directs Elijah to the brook Cherith, where ravens feed him, and later to Zarephath, where a widow miraculously sustains him and her household with unfailing meal and oil. When the widow's son dies, Elijah prays to the Lord, who restores the child's life, confirming Elijah's divine authority.

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Elijah Prophesies Drought to Ahab

¶ And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

Elijah at the Brook Cherith

And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,

Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.

And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

Sustained by the Widow of Zarephath

¶ And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying,

Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.

So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.

And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.

And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for thy son.

For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.

And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.

And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah.

Resurrection of the Widow's Son

¶ And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.

And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?

And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.

And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?

And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.

And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.

And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.

And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.

Study Notes for 1 Kings 17

Verse 1

Elijah’s sudden appearance and bold oath (“As the LORD God of Israel liveth”) directly challenges Baal, the Canaanite storm god whom Ahab and Jezebel were promoting. The drought is not merely a natural disaster but a divine judgment proving YHWH’s supremacy over creation and fertility.

Verse 3

Hiding Elijah protects him from Ahab’s inevitable wrath, demonstrating that God is sovereign over the prophet's life and safety, even in the midst of national crisis.

Verse 4

The use of ravens (ritually unclean birds under Mosaic Law) emphasizes God’s absolute power to sustain his servant through unconventional or even impure means, highlighting divine provision during the famine.

Verse 7

The drying up of the brook forces Elijah into further dependence, illustrating a pattern of obedience and reliance required of the prophet before his next mission.

Verse 9

Zarephath was located in Sidon, the homeland of the wicked Queen Jezebel and a center of Baal worship. God sends Elijah to be sustained by a Gentile widow, demonstrating that YHWH’s concern and power extend beyond the borders of Israel.

Verse 12

The widow’s desperate statement reveals the extremity of the famine; she is preparing her final meal for herself and her son, accepting imminent death. This sets the stage for the extraordinary nature of the upcoming miracle.

Verse 13

Elijah challenges the widow to act in faith first, demanding that she prioritize the needs of the prophet of YHWH. This command requires absolute trust in God’s promise over human logic.

Verse 14

The miracle of the sustained flour and oil demonstrates YHWH's power over the natural elements, directly confronting Baal's supposed domain over agricultural fertility and provision.

Verse 17

This event tests the widow’s newfound faith, shifting the focus from physical provision (food) to the power of life and death, which belongs exclusively to God.

Verse 18

The widow interprets the tragedy as divine judgment for sin, a common ancient belief. She fears Elijah’s presence as a man of God has brought her hidden sins into remembrance, leading to her son's death.

Verse 20

Elijah’s prayer is raw and honest, questioning why God would bring 'evil' (calamity) upon the faithful woman who had provided for His prophet. This demonstrates the wrestling nature of true prayer.

Verse 21

This is the first recorded instance of resurrection in the Bible. Stretching himself upon the child may have been an ancient resuscitation technique or, theologically, a symbolic transfer of life through the prophet as God’s instrument.

Verse 24

The resurrection confirms the widow’s faith, moving beyond reliance on the miracle of provision to full recognition of Elijah’s authority and the truth of YHWH’s word delivered through him.

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1 Kings17

Elijah Prophesies Drought to Ahab

Elijah at the Brook Cherith

Sustained by the Widow of Zarephath

Resurrection of the Widow's Son

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