1 Kings 17 7

1 Kings 17:7 kjv

And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

1 Kings 17:7 nkjv

And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.

1 Kings 17:7 niv

Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land.

1 Kings 17:7 esv

And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.

1 Kings 17:7 nlt

But after a while the brook dried up, for there was no rainfall anywhere in the land.

1 Kings 17 verses

1 Kings 17 7 Meaning

1 Kings 17:7 records a pivotal moment in Elijah’s narrative, where the miraculous provision of water from the brook Cherith, which had sustained him during a severe drought, ceased. The brook dried up entirely, a direct consequence and clear sign that the prophecy of no rain, declared by Elijah earlier, was taking its full, devastating effect across the land. This divinely orchestrated event marked the end of one phase of God's provision and preparation for Elijah, compelling him towards a new, even deeper level of dependence on Yahweh alone.

1 Kings 17 7 Context

This verse is positioned within the immediate aftermath of Elijah's prophetic declaration to King Ahab regarding the devastating drought. God's first instruction to Elijah (1 Kgs 17:2-4) was to hide himself by the brook Cherith, where he would be miraculously sustained by ravens bringing bread and meat, and by drinking from the brook itself. For an unspecified period, this seemingly stable provision allowed Elijah to witness the unfolding severity of the drought across the land from a safe, hidden vantage point. Verse 7 describes the natural culmination of that drought impacting Elijah's immediate supply, signaling that this initial phase of solitary provision was drawing to a close.

The broader chapter (1 Kings 17) begins with Elijah confronting Ahab and proclaiming the drought, setting the stage for a dramatic contest between Yahweh and Baal, the Canaanite god of rain and fertility. God's care for Elijah at Cherith demonstrates His power to sustain His servant even amidst a judgment sent upon the land. The drying of the brook forces Elijah into his next stage of testing and greater dependence, leading him to the widow of Zarephath, where even more profound miracles of provision (the unfailing jar of flour and cruse of oil) would demonstrate Yahweh's unparalleled sovereignty and sustaining power in a Gentile land.

Historically and culturally, the narrative is set in ancient Israel during the reign of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, notorious for their promotion of Baal worship. The region of Israel was agrarian and heavily reliant on seasonal rains for its agricultural prosperity. Baal was worshipped as the giver of rain and fertility, while Yahweh, the God of Israel, was being forsaken. Therefore, a widespread, severe drought served as a direct polemic against Baal's supposed authority and power. The drying of the brook, a life source in a dry land, was not a natural failure but a divinely orchestrated exacerbation of the famine, unequivocally proving that Yahweh, not Baal, controls the heavens, the rain, and thus life itself. It showcased God's omnipotence and righteous judgment.

1 Kings 17 7 Word analysis

• And it came to pass: A common transitional phrase in biblical narrative (wayehî in Hebrew), indicating a development or a new event in the story's progression. It often signals God's unfolding plan.
• after a while: Hebrew: mi-qētz yāmîm (מִקֵּץ יָמִים). Literally, "at the end of days" or "after the lapse of some days/time." It indicates an unspecified but significant duration during which Elijah was sustained by the brook and ravens. This shows that God's provision at Cherith was not eternal, but had a determined, strategic lifespan in God's larger plan.
• that the brook: Hebrew: han-naḥal (הַנַּחַל). Naḥal refers to a wadi or a torrent-bed, a seasonal stream that flows only during or immediately after rains. Unlike a permanent river, a naḥal is highly dependent on rainfall, making its drying a direct, visible consequence of the ongoing drought. Its temporary nature further highlights the need for a source of provision that transcends natural limitations.
• dried up: Hebrew: yāvḗš (יָבֵשׁ). To be dry, withered, parched. This verb emphatically describes the complete cessation of water flow, indicating that the brook had entirely evaporated or seeped away. It underscores the severity of the drought and the dwindling natural resources.
• because there had been no rain: Hebrew: kī lō'-hāyāh gešem (כִּי־לֹא־הָיָה גֶשֶׁם). This explicitly states the reason for the brook drying. It directly links the current situation to Elijah's initial prophecy (1 Kgs 17:1) and the divine judgment on the land. It clarifies that this was not a random occurrence but a precise fulfillment of God’s word and a testament to His power.
• in the land: Hebrew: bā-’āreṣ (בָּאָרֶץ). This emphasizes the widespread and comprehensive nature of the drought, affecting the entire region of Israel. It was not just Cherith experiencing dryness, but the whole "land" (Israel), further illustrating the judgment against the nation's idolatry.

Words-group analysis

• "And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up": This phrase marks a divinely appointed transition. It indicates God's purposeful ending of a phase of provision, leading to the next. The "after a while" signifies God's perfect timing and demonstrates that even in extraordinary provision, there are designed limits and new chapters in His plan for His servants.
• "the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land": This phrase powerfully links the micro-event (the drying of Elijah's water source) to the macro-judgment (the drought across Israel). It confirms God's word and highlights the escalating severity of the famine. It underscores that even God's specific, immediate provisions (like the brook for Elijah) are subject to His overarching, broader judgments (on the land), demanding even greater faith and reliance as the situation deteriorates.

1 Kings 17 7 Bonus section

• The drying of the naḥal (brook) rather than a perennial river signifies that even natural water sources typically robust enough to endure some dry spells eventually succumbed to the extreme judgment of "no rain." This reinforces the complete severity of God's drought.
• God did not immediately reveal His next steps to Elijah; He allowed the brook to dry first, creating a space of acute need and uncertainty. This interval between one phase of provision ending and the next being revealed serves to cultivate greater faith and immediate obedience when the new word of the Lord finally comes. It taught Elijah patience in the wilderness and that God's plans unfold in His perfect timing, not ours.
• This verse can be seen as a metaphorical illustration for believers that even the most blessed and stable provisions or seasons in life can come to an end, not due to God's abandonment, but as a deliberate turning point leading to greater reliance on Him and a demonstration of new facets of His grace. It's an invitation to grow from one level of faith to another, stepping out from comfort into deeper dependence.

1 Kings 17 7 Commentary

The drying of the brook Cherith in 1 Kings 17:7 is far more than a simple detail of diminishing natural resources; it is a critical pivot in God’s training and provision for Elijah. Having hidden Elijah in an isolated place where ravens supernaturally fed him, God used the Cherith experience to teach Elijah initial dependence, but it still provided a tangible, natural source of water, albeit sustained miraculously by ravens. The brook’s drying was not a failure of God’s care but a calculated step by a sovereign God to propel Elijah into a deeper, less conventional walk of faith.

This event forced Elijah to release his reliance on what was previously stable and familiar, however miraculous. It necessitated a new, profound leap of faith into a context where human reason and visible resources offered no hope. The transition from a secret, raven-fed solitude to a public encounter with a poor, gentile widow illustrates a progressive intensity in Elijah’s spiritual development. God orchestrates trials, even seemingly inconvenient ones, to deepen trust, refine faith, and reveal higher levels of His sustaining power. This moment tested Elijah's faith in a God who, despite being the orchestrator of the drought, was also capable of providing for His servant in ways that transcended all natural limitations, even amidst the most severe conditions.

The drying brook also serves as a potent theological statement. In a land plagued by drought, attributed to the wrath of Yahweh, the drying of Elijah's very life source, which was previously replenished miraculously, served as a vivid object lesson that God controls all water sources, natural or miraculous. It underscored the absolute sovereignty of Yahweh over nature, a direct and devastating blow to the cult of Baal, who was impotent to provide for his own land, much less his followers or Elijah's brook.