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, 1 Kings 17:1, and afterwards he is sent to a widow at Zarephath, where he, she,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ELIJAH THE TISHBITE, [WHO] WAS OF THE INHABITANTS OF GILEAD,.... Which belonged partly to the Reubenites and Gadites, and partly to the half-tribe of Manasseh on the other side Jordan, where this prophet dwelt; but why he is called the Tishbite is not easy to say; what Kimchi observes seems righ... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO HIM,.... The word of prophecy, as the Targum; this shows that by word, in the former verse, he means the word of the Lord by him: SAYING; as follows.... [ Continue Reading ]
GET THEE HENCE, AND TURN THEE EASTWARD,.... From the place where he was, being in danger from Ahab and Jezebel, provoked by his reproofs, threatenings, and prophecies: AND HIDE THYSELF BY THE BROOK CHERITH, THAT IS BEFORE JORDAN; in some wood or cave near it, or among the reeds and rushes that grew... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT SHALL BE, THAT THOU SHALT DRINK OF THE BROOK,.... The water of that was to be his drink: AND I HAVE COMMANDED THE RAVENS TO FEED THEE THERE; whereby he should be provided with food to eat; by whom are meant not angels in the form of ravens, as some; nor, as others, Arabians, for there were n... [ Continue Reading ]
SO HE WENT, AND DID ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF THE LORD,.... Took his journey eastward, and hid himself in the place directed to: FOR HE WENT AND DWELT BY THE BROOK CHERITH, THAT IS BEFORE JORDAN, 1 Kings 17:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE RAVENS BROUGHT HIM BREAD AND FLESH IN THE MORNING, AND BREAD AND FLESH IN THE EVENING,.... For his breakfast and supper, the two principal meals then in use; and as there were several employed, they could bring a sufficiency in a short time for each meal; and these provisions were ready prep... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER A WHILE,.... Or "at the end of days" x, perhaps a year, which sometimes is the sense of this phrase, see Exodus 13:10, THAT THE BROOK DRIED UP; through the excessive heat, and for want of supplies from the springs and fountains with which it was fed, and for the following... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME UNTO HIM,.... As before, after he had been a year at the brook, and that was dried up: SAYING; as follows.... [ Continue Reading ]
ARISE, GET THEE TO ZAREPHATH, WHICH BELONGETH TO ZIDON, AND DWELL THERE,.... This might be a trial of the prophet's faith, to be sent to dwell in a place belonging to the Zidonians, among whom Jezebel had an interest, being the daughter of their king, 1 Kings 16:31, the place is so called, to distin... [ Continue Reading ]
SO HE AROSE, AND WENT TO ZAREPHATH,.... Which, according to Bunting f, was one hundred miles from the brook Cherith: AND WHEN HE CAME TO THE GATE OF THE CITY, BEHOLD, THE WIDOW WOMAN WAS THERE GATHERING STICKS: perhaps out of an hedge just without the city this shows her to be a poor woman, who had... [ Continue Reading ]
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... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHE SAID, AS THE LORD THY GOD LIVETH,.... Which shows her to be a good woman, swearing by the living God, and him only, and that she took Elijah to be a good man, and a prophet of the Lord: I HAVE NOT A CAKE; greater or less, not a morsel of bread in the house: BUT A HANDFUL OF MEAL IN A BARRE... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ELIJAH SAID UNTO HER, FEAR NOT,.... That she and her son should die, it would not be the case: GO AND DO AS THOU HAST SAID: mix her meal and her oil, and make a cake thereof, and bake it: BUT MAKE THEREOF A LITTLE CAKE FIRST, AND BRING IT UNTO ME, AND AFTER MAKE FOR THEE AND FOR THY SON: which... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL,.... Whom the prophet perceived she had knowledge of, and faith in: THE BARREL OF MEAL SHALL NOT WASTE, NEITHER SHALL THE CRUSE OF OIL FAIL; that is, the meal in the barrel, and the oil in the cruse, by an hypallage, or change of words: UNTIL THE DAY THAT THE... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHE WENT, AND DID ACCORDING TO THE SAYING OF ELIJAH,..... Made a cake for him first, and brought it to him, which showed great faith in the word of the Lord by him: AND SHE, AND HE, AND HER HOUSE, DID EAT; many days, a year at least, if not two years, see 1 Kings 17:7 the widow, the prophet, an... [ Continue Reading ]
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. There being a continual increase and supply of both, through the mighty power of God working a continued miracle; just as the loaves and fishes were increased while the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THESE THINGS,.... Not only after the conversation that passed between the prophet, and the widow, but after they had lived together many days, a year or years, upon the miraculous provision made for them: THAT THE SON OF THE WOMAN, THE MISTRESS OF THE HOUSE, FELL SICK; tha... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SHE SAID UNTO ELIJAH, WHAT HAVE I TO DO WITH THEE, O THOU MAN OF GOD!.... As if she should say, it would have been well for me if I had never seen thy face, or had any conversation with thee; this she said rashly, and in her passion and agony, being extremely affected with the death of her child... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO HER, GIVE ME THY SON, AND HE TOOK HIM OUT OF HER BOSOM,.... Where she had laid him, mourning over him; from thence the prophet took him with her leave: AND CARRIED HIM UP INTO A LOFT, WHERE HE ABODE, AND LAID HIM UPON HIS OWN BED; an upper room, which was his bedchamber; hither he... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE CRIED UNTO THE LORD,.... Or prayed unto him, as the Targum, with great vehemence and importunity: AND SAID, O LORD, MY GOD, HAST THOU ALSO BROUGHT EVIL UPON THE WIDOW, WITH WHOM I SOJOURN, BY SLAYING HER SON? he pleads his interest in the Lord, and makes use of it as an argument with him to... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE STRETCHED HIMSELF UPON THE CHILD THREE TIMES,.... Or "measured himself" i on it, or put himself into a posture in some respects equal to the child; putting his mouth on its mouth, his eyes on its eyes, his hands on its hands, as Elisha afterwards did in a like case, perhaps in imitation of hi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD HEARD THE VOICE OF ELIJAH,.... In prayer, and answered it: AND THE SOUL OF THE CHILD CAME INTO HIM AGAIN, AND HE REVIVED; this is the first instance of anyone being raised from the dead; this Satan has imitated; hence the many fabulous stories with the Heathens of persons being raised... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ELIJAH TOOK THE CHILD, AND BROUGHT HIM DOWN OUT OF THE CHAMBER INTO THE HOUSE,.... Being come to life, he took it off of the bed in his bedchamber, and brought it down to the lower part of the house, where the woman was: AND DELIVERED HIM UNTO HIS MOTHER: AND ELIJAH SAID, SEE, THY SON LIVETH; w... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE WOMAN SAID TO ELIJAH, NOW BY THIS I KNOW THAT THOU ART A MAN OF GOD,.... She took him to be one at his first coming to her; she was in a great measure confirmed in it by the miracle of the barrel of meal and cruse of oil; but upon the death of her son, which she was ready to impute to the pr... [ Continue Reading ]