1 Kings 17:11 kjv
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.
1 Kings 17:11 nkjv
And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, "Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand."
1 Kings 17:11 niv
As she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread."
1 Kings 17:11 esv
And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, "Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand."
1 Kings 17:11 nlt
As she was going to get it, he called to her, "Bring me a bite of bread, too."
1 Kings 17 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Ki 17:12 | And she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing... just a handful... | Reveals her dire poverty and skepticism. |
| 1 Ki 17:14 | For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘The jar of flour... | God's specific promise of unending provision. |
| Matt 6:31-33 | Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall... | God provides for those who seek His kingdom. |
| Lk 4:25-26 | "there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah... but to none of them..." | God's sovereign choice to bless Gentiles. |
| Jas 1:27 | Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit... | God's concern for widows and orphans. |
| Deut 10:18 | He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the... | God commands care for vulnerable groups. |
| Psa 37:25 | I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous... | The faithful are not forsaken in need. |
| Psa 50:10 | For every beast of the forest is Mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. | God is the ultimate owner and provider. |
| Phil 4:19 | And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory... | God's abundant supply through Christ. |
| Mk 12:43-44 | Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all... | Her small, sacrificial act yielded great value. |
| Lk 21:2-4 | And He saw a poor widow putting in two small copper coins. And He said... | Affirmation of sacrificial giving from the poor. |
| 2 Cor 9:7 | Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or... | Principles of joyful and willing giving. |
| Heb 11:6 | And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw... | Necessity of faith for God's approval and blessing. |
| Gen 22:8 | Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering..." | God's provision in impossible circumstances. |
| Exod 16:4 | Then the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you..." | God providing daily bread during the exodus. |
| Jn 2:5 | His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you." | Simple obedience precedes a miracle. |
| Jn 6:9-11 | "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what... | Jesus provides miraculously from meager offerings. |
| 1 Ki 18:21-29 | And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you... | Polemic against Baal worship; YHWH's sole power. |
| 1 Ki 17:1 | "As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be... | Elijah's authority and role as God's messenger. |
| Acts 10:34-35 | So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God... | God shows no partiality; saving Gentiles too. |
| Gal 3:8 | And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by... | God's plan to bless Gentiles through faith. |
1 Kings 17 verses
1 Kings 17 11 Meaning
This verse captures Elijah's audacious request to the Zarephath widow. While she was complying with his initial request for water, he immediately escalated his plea by asking for "a morsel of bread," knowing her desperate circumstances. This request serves as a direct challenge to her declared final meal, pushing her into a moment of radical trust and obedience to the word of the Lord delivered through His prophet.
1 Kings 17 11 Context
1 Kings chapter 17 opens with Elijah's prophecy of a severe drought as judgment against King Ahab and the pervasive Baal worship in Israel. God then instructs Elijah to hide by the Kerith Ravine, where he is miraculously fed by ravens. After the brook dries up, God sends Elijah to Zarephath, a city in Sidonian territory (Jezebel's homeland), and specifically to a widow. This famine, God's direct judgment, has led the widow to a state of utter destitution, preparing to eat her last meal before she and her son starve to death. Elijah's request in verse 11 for "a morsel of bread" follows her immediate compliance in fetching water, serving as a further, more challenging test of her faith in the midst of extreme scarcity, before God's miraculous provision is revealed.
1 Kings 17 11 Word analysis
- And as she was going to fetch it: Refers to water, fulfilling Elijah's initial, less demanding request. Her movement indicates initial obedience.
- he called to her: Elijah's active initiation, demonstrating prophetic authority and urgency. This is a direct command.
- and said, 'Bring me, I pray you': The Hebrew word is
na(נָא), meaning "please" or "I pray you." It's not a suggestion but a polite yet firm command, indicating urgency or deferential request. It softens the bluntness of the request for bread while maintaining its weight. - a morsel of bread:
pat lechem(פַּת לֶחֶם).Patspecifically means "a piece" or "crumb," emphasizing an exceedingly small portion. This highlights the woman's profound poverty and the seeming unreasonableness of the request given her last meal scenario described in the subsequent verse (1 Ki 17:12). It underscores the total depletion of her resources. - in your hand': This phrase emphasizes a direct, personal, and immediate delivery. It implies no intermediary, no delay, and a literal act of bringing. It points to her personal involvement in the act of faith and giving.
1 Kings 17 11 Bonus section
This verse foreshadows the divine pattern of giving. Before God blesses abundantly, there is often a moment where one is asked to give what little they perceive they have, or to perform an act of faith that seems illogical to human reasoning. The test for the Zarephath widow was not merely to give "a morsel of bread," but to give away her entire hope for survival, her "last" portion, trusting that the source of the request could provide. This parallels how God often works, not building on our strength or abundance, but transforming our poverty and helplessness into a testimony of His omnipotence and faithfulness.
1 Kings 17 11 Commentary
1 Kings 17:11 marks a critical pivot in the encounter between Elijah and the Zarephath widow. Elijah's request, moving from water to bread, transforms a simple act of hospitality into a profound test of faith. He asks for "a morsel," which seems insignificant but is everything to a woman on the brink of starvation. This command is both an instruction and an invitation for her to release her final resources and ultimate trust to God through His prophet. It reveals God's ways are often beyond human logic, requiring surrender to an unseen provision. The very act of asking for bread, given her state, becomes a powerful polemic against Baal, the supposed giver of fertility and sustenance. YHWH, through His prophet, asks for the impossible, only to demonstrate His absolute power to provide where other deities are powerless. It establishes the groundwork for a miracle based on radical obedience.