1 Kings 17:15 kjv
And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days.
1 Kings 17:15 nkjv
So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days.
1 Kings 17:15 niv
She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.
1 Kings 17:15 esv
And she went and did as Elijah said. And she and he and her household ate for many days.
1 Kings 17:15 nlt
So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her family continued to eat for many days.
1 Kings 17 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Luke 4:25-26 | "I tell you the truth, there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time... but Elijah was sent to none of them but to a widow in Zarephath..." | Jesus affirms the significance of God's grace to a Gentile widow. |
| Matt 6:33 | "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." | Prioritizing God's will leads to promised provision. |
| Phil 4:19 | "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." | God's abundant provision based on His character. |
| Gen 22:18 | "and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." | Blessing tied to obedience, applicable even beyond Israel. |
| Deut 28:1-2 | "If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands... all these blessings will come on you." | Emphasizes the link between obedience and divine blessing. |
| Josh 1:8 | "Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips... then you will be prosperous and successful." | Heeding God's word as a path to flourishing. |
| Isa 1:19 | "If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land." | A direct promise of provision for obedient trust. |
| Jas 1:22 | "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." | Highlights the importance of active doing, not just hearing. |
| Heb 11:6 | "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists..." | Her action demonstrates profound faith in God. |
| Rom 4:20-21 | "Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith..." | Her unwavering faith in a hopeless situation. |
| Matt 17:20 | "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move." | Illustrates the power of faith, however small. |
| Ex 16:35 | "The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled..." | Parallels God's sustained miraculous provision. |
| Ps 37:25 | "I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread." | Assurance of continuous provision for God's faithful. |
| Isa 33:16 | "They will live on the heights; their refuge will be the mountain fortress. Their bread will be supplied, and water will not fail them." | Promise of security and sustained sustenance for the righteous. |
| Neh 9:15 | "In their hunger you gave them bread from heaven and in their thirst you brought them water from the rock..." | Recalling God's historical, miraculous provisions. |
| John 6:11-13 | "Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them... And they gathered twelve basketfuls of broken pieces..." | Jesus' feeding miracle displays divine abundance and care. |
| Deut 8:3 | "He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word..." | Provision teaches dependence on God's word and sustenance. |
| Ps 68:5 | "A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling." | Underscores God's special care and protection for widows. |
| Jas 1:27 | "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress..." | Reinforces God's heart for the vulnerable and in need. |
| 1 Kgs 17:14 | "For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry...’" | The preceding divine promise that this verse fulfills. |
| Isa 55:11 | "so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire..." | God's word, spoken through Elijah, faithfully fulfills its purpose. |
| Jer 29:11 | "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." | Reflects God's benevolent intentions behind His provisions. |
| 2 Cor 9:8 | "And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." | Affirmation of God's limitless capacity to provide all needs. |
| Prov 3:9-10 | "Honor the Lord with your wealth... then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim with new wine." | Principle of giving God firstfruits leading to abundance. |
1 Kings 17 verses
1 Kings 17 15 Meaning
1 Kings 17:15 details the immediate and complete obedience of the widow of Zarephath to the prophet Elijah's word. As a direct consequence of her faithful act, she, Elijah, and her entire household experienced a miraculous, continuous provision of food for an extended period, signifying divine sustenance throughout the prolonged drought.
1 Kings 17 15 Context
1 Kings chapter 17 opens with Elijah's declaration of a severe drought as divine judgment upon King Ahab and the nation of Israel for their widespread Baal worship. After God sustains Elijah by a brook, the brook dries up. God then directs Elijah to the Gentile city of Zarephath, outside Israel, to a desperate widow. This woman is on the brink of death, planning her last meal from a meager handful of flour and a little oil before she and her son starve. Elijah, however, instructs her to first bake him a small cake from her last resources, promising that the jar of flour and jug of oil would not run dry until the drought ended. Verse 15 details her profound act of faith and obedience, laying the groundwork for the ensuing miracle of sustained provision, directly countering the impotence of Baal during this famine.
1 Kings 17 15 Word analysis
- And she went (וַתֵּלֶךְ, wattēlēḵ): This denotes immediate, decisive action. It is not merely a verbal assent but a physical act of obedience. The Hebrew consecutive tense emphasizes the direct sequence: she went and then she did, highlighting promptness.
- and did (וַתַּעַשׂ, wattāʿaś): Signifies execution and accomplishment. It underscores the practical outworking of faith. This "doing" translates belief into tangible action, a significant step given her desperate circumstances.
- according to the word (כִּדְבַר, kideḇar): This phrase emphasizes the precise nature of her obedience. "Word" (dāḆār) often signifies a divine utterance, indicating her adherence to God’s specific instruction relayed through Elijah, not an approximation.
- of Elijah: Specifies Elijah as God's messenger and mouthpiece. While the "word" originated from Yahweh (1 Kgs 17:14), her obedience was rendered directly to the prophet as God's instrument.
- and she, and he, and her house: This collectively identifies all the beneficiaries of the miracle. "She" (the widow), "he" (Elijah), and "her house" (including her son and any others in her care) highlight the widespread blessing resulting from one act of obedience.
- did eat (וַתֹּאכַל, wattōʾḵal): Though singular in the Hebrew, it signifies that food was consumed and sustenance provided. In context, it implies continuous eating for all in the household.
- many days (יָמִים רַבִּים, yāmîm rabîm): A critical phrase indicating duration and continuity. It stresses that the miracle was not a one-time provision but sustained, continuous supply for a prolonged period, specifically throughout the severe, years-long drought, showcasing God’s unfailing faithfulness.
- "And she went and did according to the word of Elijah": This entire phrase powerfully conveys immediate, exact, and complete obedience to the prophet's divinely inspired message. It underscores active faith translated into concrete, selfless action despite human logic or desperation.
- "she, and he, and her house, did eat many days": This clause signifies the abundant and continuous blessing that flowed as a direct result of her faithful obedience. The inclusion of Elijah, the widow, and her whole household highlights the pervasive and communal nature of God's provision. The emphasis on "many days" indicates the consistent and enduring nature of the miracle, sustaining them throughout the famine.
1 Kings 17 15 Bonus section
The story of the Zarephath widow illustrates God’s care not only for His covenant people but also for Gentiles who respond in faith, foreshadowing the inclusion of all nations in God’s redemptive plan. Her vulnerable status as a widow underscores God’s particular compassion for the marginalized and defenseless (Deut 10:18, Ps 68:5). This account also exemplifies how God's divine provision is often linked to an act of human faith and giving, demonstrating that obedient stewardship, even of what seems like "the last," can unleash unimaginable blessings. Furthermore, it highlights the significant role of God's chosen prophets as His instruments, whose "word" is to be received as if directly from God Himself. The continuous nature of the miracle for "many days" profoundly demonstrates God’s consistent and reliable character, offering enduring hope even in prolonged trials.
1 Kings 17 15 Commentary
1 Kings 17:15 captures the decisive moment where a destitute widow's radical act of faith unlocked sustained divine provision. Facing imminent starvation, her choice to obey Elijah's seemingly counterintuitive command—to provide for him before herself—was an extraordinary demonstration of trust in God's word, conveyed through His prophet. Her obedience was not merely intellectual assent but immediate, tangible action: "she went and did." This act of putting God's instruction first resulted in a miraculous, ongoing supply of flour and oil, ensuring sustenance for herself, her son, and Elijah "many days," throughout the duration of the famine. This verse stands as a powerful testament to God's faithfulness, His ability to provide supernaturally even in the direst circumstances, and the blessing that flows from complete obedience. It starkly contrasts with Baal's impotence, affirming Yahweh as the sole provider of life.