1 Kings 17:22 kjv
And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
1 Kings 17:22 nkjv
Then the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived.
1 Kings 17:22 niv
The LORD heard Elijah's cry, and the boy's life returned to him, and he lived.
1 Kings 17:22 esv
And the LORD listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived.
1 Kings 17:22 nlt
The LORD heard Elijah's prayer, and the life of the child returned, and he revived!
1 Kings 17 22 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Sam 2:6 | "The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up." | God's absolute power over life and death. |
| Deut 32:39 | "See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive..." | God alone controls life and death. |
| Job 12:10 | "In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind." | God is the source of all life. |
| Ps 18:6 | "In my distress I called upon the LORD...he heard my voice..." | God hears the cries of His people. |
| Ps 34:17 | "When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears..." | God responds to the prayers of the faithful. |
| Ps 116:1 | "I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy." | Personal experience of God hearing prayer. |
| Isa 59:1 | "Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear..." | God's power and hearing are limitless. |
| Jer 32:27 | "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?" | God's omnipotence to perform wonders. |
| Hab 2:4 | "...the righteous shall live by his faith." | Faith is key to life and divine intervention. |
| Hos 13:14 | "I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol; I shall redeem them from Death..." | God's power to overcome death. |
| Dan 12:2 | "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake..." | Prophecy of future resurrection. |
| 2 Kgs 4:32-35 | Elisha stretches over a dead child and brings him back to life. | Parallel resurrection by Elijah's successor. |
| Heb 11:35 | "Women received back their dead by resurrection..." | Faith enabled the return of dead ones. |
| John 5:21 | "For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will." | Jesus possesses power over life and death. |
| John 11:43-44 | Jesus commands Lazarus to come out of the tomb and he lives. | Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. |
| Luke 7:14-15 | Jesus commands the dead man in Nain to arise, and he revives. | Jesus' compassion and power raise the dead. |
| Mark 5:41-42 | Jesus tells Jairus' daughter "Talitha cumi," and she gets up. | Jesus' direct power restores life. |
| Matt 9:24 | Jesus declares, "The girl is not dead but sleeping," then raises her. | Jesus' authority over apparent death. |
| Rom 4:17 | "...God, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence things that do not exist." | God as the life-giver. |
| Eph 2:5 | "...even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ..." | Spiritual resurrection by God's grace. |
| James 5:17-18 | "Elijah was a man with a nature like ours...he prayed earnestly...and it did not rain..." | Emphasis on Elijah's fervent and effective prayer. |
| Rev 1:18 | "I am the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades." | Christ's ultimate victory over death. |
1 Kings 17 verses
1 Kings 17 22 Meaning
1 Kings 17:22 vividly describes the immediate, divine response to Elijah's fervent prayer for the widow's son. The verse reveals that the Lord (YHWH) attentively heard and acted upon Elijah's supplication, resulting in the return of the child's life-force or soul. Consequently, the child was completely revived and restored to his living state, demonstrating God's unique sovereignty over life and death.
1 Kings 17 22 Context
The events of 1 Kings 17:22 take place during a severe drought that God sent upon Israel as judgment for the widespread idolatry introduced by King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, particularly their promotion of Baal worship. Elijah, God's prophet, was sent by divine command to dwell with a destitute widow and her son in Zarephath, who miraculously sustained him during the famine. This verse immediately follows the tragic death of the widow's son due to an illness, which she perceives as divine judgment related to her own past sins, expressed in anguish to Elijah. Elijah's response is one of deep compassion and intercession, taking the boy to his room, stretching himself over him, and crying out to the Lord multiple times. The resurrection serves as a profound affirmation of God's power and a pivotal moment validating Elijah as a true prophet, paving the way for the grand confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel in the following chapter. This miracle directly counters the claims of Baal, the Canaanite god of fertility, storms, and life, by demonstrating YHWH's exclusive sovereignty over life and death.
1 Kings 17 22 Word analysis
- And the LORD (וַיהוָה, wayhwh): The Hebrew "Yahweh" or "YHWH," the covenant name of God, underscores that this life-giving act originates directly from the unique, personal God of Israel, distinct from all pagan deities like Baal. The connective "and" signifies a direct divine response, following Elijah's prior actions and prayers (v. 21).
- heard (שָׁמַע, shama'): This Hebrew verb implies not merely perceiving sound but listening attentively and acting in response. It conveys an active and effective hearing, indicating that God gave serious consideration to Elijah's urgent prayer and chose to intervene. This emphasizes God's attentiveness to His prophets and the efficacy of prayer offered in faith.
- the voice (קוֹל, qol): Refers to the audible, earnest, and specific plea Elijah uttered to God on behalf of the child (vv. 20-21). It highlights the personal and direct nature of the communication between the prophet and God.
- of Elijah (אֵלִיָּהוּ, eliyahu): The name means "My God is YHWH," reinforcing the prophet's identity as God's representative. It underscores that this miraculous power is not inherent in Elijah but flows from the God whom he serves.
- and the soul of the child (וְנֶפֶשׁ הַיֶּלֶד, wenepeh hayyeled): "Nephesh" (נֶפֶשׁ) in Hebrew refers to the vital force, life-breath, or the essence of a living being. In this context, it signifies the animating principle that departed at death. Its return means the complete restoration of biological life, making the boy a fully animated, living person again. This is not mere resuscitation but true life-giving.
- came into him again (תָּשֹׁב אֵלָיו, tashov elav - from שׁוּב, shuv): "Returned to him." The verb shuv implies a reversal or return to a previous state. The life that had left the boy's body returned, signifying a complete undoing of his death. The use of "again" emphasizes the re-establishment of a prior state of vitality.
- and he revived (וַיְחִי, vayechiy - from חָיָה, hayah): "And he lived" or "he came to life." This verb unequivocally confirms the successful outcome of God's intervention. The child was restored to full, active life, validating God's power over death.
Words-group analysis:
- "And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah": This phrase immediately connects divine action to human prayer, showcasing God's direct engagement with human affairs. It's a powerful declaration of YHWH's responsiveness and sovereignty, setting Him apart from the deaf and powerless idols of the nations.
- "and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived": This is the direct, instantaneous, and miraculous consequence of God's hearing. It portrays a definitive and complete restoration of life. The sequence of "soul returned" and "he revived" describes the complete process of overcoming death, highlighting that the child was truly made alive.
1 Kings 17 22 Bonus section
- The resurrection of the widow's son serves as a clear type of New Testament resurrection accounts performed by Jesus, establishing a prophetic continuity in God's demonstration of power over death.
- Elijah's specific actions, such as stretching himself over the child three times (v. 21), symbolize intense spiritual exertion and a profound identification with the suffering.
- This narrative profoundly illustrates the theme of God's covenant faithfulness, even when Israel itself is unfaithful, showing His continued care through His chosen instruments.
- The event signifies a moment of radical faith formation for the widow, whose initial lament turned into firm belief upon witnessing YHWH's mighty hand.
1 Kings 17 22 Commentary
1 Kings 17:22 stands as a momentous display of YHWH's unparalleled power over life and death, serving as the first explicit instance of resurrection in the biblical narrative. Through Elijah's compassionate intercession, God directly and decisively reversed the natural order of death. This miracle had profound theological implications for its original audience in idolatrous Israel. While Baal was falsely worshipped as the giver of life and fertility, this event unequivocally demonstrated that YHWH alone possesses such power. It served as undeniable proof that Elijah was a true prophet of the living God and that "the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth" (v. 24), a necessary authentication before his impending challenge to Baal's prophets on Mount Carmel. Furthermore, it foreshadows God's ultimate victory over death, culminating in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, affirming God's power to bring life from spiritual and physical death for His people.