Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 17:10

So he arose, and went to Zarephath ,.... Which, according to Bunting F6 Ut supra, (Travels, &c.;) p. 203. , 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 no other way of coming at fuel but this, and no servant to fetch it for her: Bunting tells us, that now before the gate of the city there is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 17:12

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 barrel, and a little oil in a cruse ; these separate and unmixed, and not made into a cake, and dressed as she intended to do with them: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks ; or a few,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 17:13

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 was not said from a selfish spirit of the prophet, but to try the faith of the woman; and besides, as Abarbinel observes, the prophet was not only hungry and thirsty through his journey,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 17:14

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 Lord sendeth rain upon the earth ; which was assuring her the rain would be sent, and that the Lord, who had the sole command of it, would send it; and that, until that time it should be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 17:15

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, and her family, lived upon the meal and oil so long; we read but of one son, but she might have more. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 17:16

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 disciples were eating, Matthew 14:19 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 17:3

Hide thyself by the brook Cherith - This brook, and the valley through which it ran, are supposed to have been on the western side of Jordan, and not far from Samaria. Others suppose it to have been on the eastern side, because the prophet is commanded to go eastward, 1 Kings 17:3 . It was necessary, after such a declaration to this wicked and idolatrous king, that he should immediately hide himself; as, on the first drought, Ahab would undoubtedly seek his life. But what a proof... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 17:4

I have commanded the ravens to feed thee - Thou shalt not lack the necessaries of life; thou shalt be supplied by an especial providence. See more on this subject at the end of the chapter, 1 Kings 17:24 ; (note). read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 17:6

And the ravens brought him bread and flesh - The Septuagint, in the Codex Vaticanus, and some ancient fathers, read the passage thus: - Και οἱ κορακες εφερον αυτῳ αρτους το πρωΐ, και κρεα το δειλης , And the crows brought him bread in the morning, and flesh in the evening: but all the other versions agree with the Hebrew text. This is the first account we have of flesh-meat breakfasts and flesh-meat suppers; and as this was the food appointed by the Lord for the sustenance... read more

Group of Brands