1 Kings 17:16 kjv
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.
1 Kings 17:16 nkjv
The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Elijah.
1 Kings 17:16 niv
For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.
1 Kings 17:16 esv
The jar of flour was not spent, neither did the jug of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah.
1 Kings 17:16 nlt
There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the LORD had promised through Elijah.
1 Kings 17 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 16:35 | The Israelites ate manna for forty years... | God provides sustenance for His people. |
| Deut 8:3 | He humbled you... that you might know that man does not live by bread alone | God's word is ultimate source of life. |
| Ps 23:1 | The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing. | God provides fully for His flock. |
| Ps 37:25 | I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. | God consistently cares for the righteous. |
| Matt 6:26 | Look at the birds of the air... your heavenly Father feeds them. | God's meticulous care for His creation. |
| Matt 6:33 | Seek first His kingdom... all these things will be given to you as well. | Priority of kingdom yields material provision. |
| Phil 4:19 | My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory. | God supplies every need supernaturally. |
| 2 Cor 9:8 | God is able to make all grace abound to you... having all you need. | God enables abundant supply through grace. |
| Num 23:19 | God is not human, that He should lie... has He spoken and will He not do it? | God's absolute faithfulness to His word. |
| Isa 55:10-11 | My word... will not return to me empty... but will accomplish my purpose. | God's word unfailingly achieves its goal. |
| Rom 4:21 | Fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised. | Belief in God's ability to fulfill promises. |
| Heb 10:23 | Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. | God's character guarantees His promises. |
| Heb 11:6 | Without faith it is impossible to please God... | Faith is essential for divine blessing. |
| Prov 3:5-6 | Trust in the Lord with all your heart... He will make your paths straight. | Trust in God leads to divine guidance and blessing. |
| James 2:17 | Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. | Faith is demonstrated through obedient action. |
| Luke 4:25-26 | Jesus referenced the story of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath. | Jesus acknowledges and validates this miracle. |
| James 5:17-18 | Elijah was a human being... he prayed earnestly that it would not rain. | Example of Elijah's fervent and effective prayer. |
| Jer 14:22 | Do any of the false gods bring rain? Is it not You, Lord our God? | Polemic against false gods and their impotence. |
| Deut 11:13-17 | If you obey... I will send rain... if you serve other gods... no rain. | God controls the rain, not pagan deities. |
| 1 Kgs 18:38-39 | Then the fire of the Lord fell... the Lord—He is God! | God's superiority over Baal openly demonstrated. |
1 Kings 17 verses
1 Kings 17 16 Meaning
1 Kings 17:16 describes the sustained miraculous provision of food for Elijah and the widow of Zarephath, confirming God's faithfulness to His spoken word during a severe famine. The small amount of flour and oil in the household did not diminish for the duration of the drought, ensuring daily sustenance against all natural odds. This divine intervention showcased God's power and care, fulfilling Elijah's prophetic word precisely.
1 Kings 17 16 Context
This verse is pivotal in the narrative of Elijah during the severe three-year drought in Israel, proclaimed by Elijah as a judgment from the Lord due to Ahab and Jezebel's promotion of Baal worship. Having been miraculously fed by ravens at Wadi Cherith, Elijah is directed by God to Zarephath, a Sidonian town (home of Jezebel). There, he encounters a poor widow preparing her last meal for herself and her son. This verse comes after Elijah requests food from her, and despite her dire poverty, she acts in faith by first giving to Elijah, as commanded by the Lord through him. The immediate context of 1 Kings 17 highlights God's sovereignty over nature, His care for His prophet, and His willingness to work miracles through humble instruments. The broader context includes the spiritual war between Yahweh and Baal, where God repeatedly demonstrates His control over elements like rain, challenging Baal's supposed domain as the god of weather and fertility.
1 Kings 17 16 Word analysis
- For the jar: (Hebrew: כַּד - kad) Refers to a ceramic or clay container, typical for storing flour. It signifies a humble, everyday vessel, emphasizing that the miracle worked with what was common and small, not grand or plentiful.
- of flour: (Hebrew: קֶמַח - qemach) The staple food. Its continuous presence signifies daily, foundational provision, addressing basic needs.
- was not used up: (Hebrew: תָמָּה - tammah, verb from תָּמַם - tamam, meaning "to be complete, finished, ended") This active voice implies a cessation, a complete depletion. The negative form, "not used up," means it perpetually remained available, highlighting an ongoing miracle.
- and the jug: (Hebrew: צַפַּחַת - tzappachath) A small vessel, typically for oil. Often depicted as an oil flask.
- of oil: (Hebrew: שֶׁמֶן - shemen) Oil was essential for cooking, light, and sometimes anointing. Its unending supply, alongside flour, underlines complete daily sustenance.
- did not run dry: (Hebrew: חָסֵר - chaser, meaning "to lack, decrease, diminish, fail") The negative emphasizes a continuous flow, an endless supply. The jar and jug, naturally limited, became supernaturally inexhaustible, defying the laws of scarcity and demonstrating divine abundance.
- in keeping with the word of the Lord: (Hebrew: כִּדְבַר יְהוָה - kidvar YHWH, "according to the word of Yahweh") This phrase is the core theological statement. It attributes the miracle directly to God's authority and faithfulness. The event is not accidental or magical but a precise fulfillment of divine decree.
- spoken by Elijah: (Hebrew: בְּיַד אֵלִיָּהוּ - b’yad Eliyahu, literally "by the hand of Elijah" or "through Elijah") This clarifies Elijah's role as God's trusted messenger and instrument. The power resides in God's word, conveyed through His chosen prophet, lending credibility and authority to Elijah's prophetic office.
1 Kings 17 16 Bonus section
The location of the miracle in Zarephath, outside Israel and within Sidonian territory (Jezebel's homeland), carries significant polemic weight. It underscores God's universal sovereignty, not being confined to Israel's borders, and demonstrates His compassion even for a Gentile woman who, despite her pagan surroundings, shows remarkable faith in Yahweh's prophet. The miracle is a practical application of God's power over Baal in a very tangible way – daily bread in a time when Baal worship had led to a severe lack of basic sustenance. This miracle prefigures the New Testament accounts of Jesus multiplying bread and fish (Matt 14:13-21; 15:32-39), demonstrating God's consistent character of abundant provision and overcoming scarcity through supernatural means.
1 Kings 17 16 Commentary
1 Kings 17:16 serves as a powerful testament to God's sovereign control over creation, His faithfulness to His word, and His compassionate care for those who trust Him, even amidst severe hardship. This sustained miracle, where "the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry," stands in stark contrast to the famine sweeping the land, directly challenging the idolatrous worship of Baal, who was impotently hailed as the god of rain and fertility. It was Yahweh, not Baal, who withheld the rain and then miraculously provided. The miracle's daily, continuous nature, rather than a one-time replenishment, emphasizes the widow's constant reliance on God and His consistent faithfulness. This episode not only sustained Elijah and the widow's household but also served as a divine confirmation of Elijah's prophetic authenticity to the Gentile widow, paving the way for her son's later resurrection and strengthening her faith. This highlights that God's grace transcends national and religious boundaries when faith is present.