1 Kings 17:11-16

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 17:8-16

We have here an account of the further protection Elijah was taken under, and the further provision made for him in his retirement. At destruction and famine he shall laugh that has God for his friend to guard and maintain him. The brook Cherith is dried up, but God's care of his people, and kindness to them, never slacken, never fail, but are still the same, are still continued and drawn out to those that know him, Ps. 36:10. When the brook was dried up Jordan was not; why did not God send... 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 17:12

A handful of meal in a barrel - The word כד cad is to be understood as implying an earthen jar; not a wooden vessel, or barrel of any kind. In the East they preserve their corn and meal in such vessels; without which precaution the insects would destroy them. Travellers in Asiatic countries abound with observations of this kind. The word cruse, צפחת tsappachath , says Jarchi, signifies what in our tongue is expressed by bouteille, a bottle. Jarchi was a French rabbin. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 17:13

But make me thereof a little cake first - This was certainly putting the widow's faith to an extraordinary trial: to take and give to a stranger, of whom she knew nothing, the small pittance requisite to keep her child from perishing, was too much to be expected. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 1 Kings 17:16

The barrel of meal wasted not - She continued to take out of her jar and out of her bottle the quantity of meal and oil requisite for the consumption of her household; and without carefully estimating what was left, she went with confidence each time for a supply, and was never disappointed. This miracle was very like that wrought by Jesus at the marriage at Cana in Galilee: as the servants drew the water out of the pots, they found it turned into wine; and thus they continued to... read more

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