CHAPTER XVII _Elijah's message to Ahab concerning the three years' drought_, 1. _He is commanded to go to the brook Cherith; where he is fed by_ _ravens_, 2-7. _He afterwards goes to a widow's house at Zarephath, and_ _miraculously multiplies her meal and oil_, 8-16. _Her son dies, and Elijah... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 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... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 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.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 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 eveni... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 17:7. _THE BROOK DRIED UP_] Because there had been no rain in the land for some time, God having sent this drought as a testimony against the idolatry of the people: see Deuteronomy 11:16-5.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 17:9. _GET THEE TO ZAREPHATH_] This was a town between Tyre and Sidon, but nearer to the latter, and is therefore called in the text _Zarephath_ which belongeth _to Sidon_; or, as the _Vulgate_ and other versions express it, _Sarepta of the Sidonians_. Sarepta is the name by which it g... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 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... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 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.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 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 n... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 17:17. _THERE WAS NO BREATH LEFT IN HIM_] He ceased to breathe and died.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 17:18. _TO CALL MY SIN TO REMEMBRANCE_] She seems to be now conscious of some secret sin, which she had either forgotten, or too carelessly passed over; and to punish this she supposes the life of her son was taken away. It is mostly in times of adversity that we duly consider our mora... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 17:21. _STRETCHED HIMSELF UPON THE CHILD THREE TIMES_] It is supposed that he did this in order to communicate some _natural_ _warmth_ to the body of the child, in order to dispose it to receive the departed spirit. _Elisha_, his disciple, did the same in order to restore the dead chil... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 17:22. _AND THE SOUL_] נפש _nephesh, of the child came into him_ _again_, על קרבו al kirbo, into the midst of him; and he revived, ויח _vaiyechi, and he became alive_. Did he not become alive from the circumstance of the immaterial principle coming again into him? _Although_ רוח ruach... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 Kings 17:24. _THE WORD OF THE LORD IN THY MOUTH_ IS _TRUTH._] _Three_ grand effects were produced by this temporary affliction: 1. The woman was led to examine her heart, and try her ways; 2. The power of God became highly manifest in the resurrection of the child; 3. She was convinced th... [ Continue Reading ]