Luke 4:26 kjv

But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.

Luke 4:26 nkjv

but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.

Luke 4:26 niv

Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon.

Luke 4:26 esv

and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow.

Luke 4:26 nlt

Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them. He was sent instead to a foreigner ? a widow of Zarephath in the land of Sidon.

Luke 4 verses

MeaningLuke 4:26 conveys that God, during a severe famine in ancient Israel, sent His prophet Elijah not to the many suffering Israelite widows, but exclusively to a non-Israelite widow in Zarephath, a town in the region of Sidon. Jesus uses this historical example to demonstrate God's sovereign freedom to extend grace and provision beyond the boundaries of His chosen nation, especially when His own people exhibit unbelief, thereby challenging the narrow, ethnocentric views of His audience and foreshadowing the eventual inclusion of the Gentiles in salvation.

Cross References

ContextThis verse is embedded in Jesus' programmatic sermon delivered in His hometown synagogue in Nazareth, following His reading from the prophet Isaiah. Having declared Himself the fulfillment of Isaiah 61, a passage foretelling good news for the oppressed, Jesus sensed His audience's ethnocentric expectations – that He would perform miracles exclusively for them, His "hometown." To confront this nationalistic pride and implied unbelief, Jesus asserts the truth that "no prophet is acceptable in his hometown" (Luke 4:24). He then immediately cites two Old Testament historical examples: the Elijah episode with the Zarephath widow and the Elisha account with Naaman the Syrian. Luke 4:26 highlights the first example, specifically referring to the Zarephath widow, emphasizing God's past willingness to bypass suffering Israelites and bless a Gentile. This challenged the original Jewish audience's deeply ingrained belief in their exclusive divine favor and direct connection to God, hinting at the broader scope of God's redemptive plan that extends beyond Israel. The reaction of the Nazarenes, filled with wrath, underscores the provocative nature of Jesus' words and their foundational importance for understanding the trajectory of His ministry and the early Church's mission.

Word analysis

• but only: The Greek construction ei mē (εἰ μή), translated as "except" or "but only," denotes exclusivity and contrast. It highlights that out of many potential beneficiaries, God deliberately chose one specific individual, a Gentile, through His prophet. This choice bypasses all other possible options, particularly the Jewish widows in Israel, emphasizing God's sovereign prerogative.
• to Zarephath: (Greek: Σάρεπτα, Sarepta). This specific town, known from 1 Kings 17:9, was located in Phoenicia, a Gentile territory between Tyre and Sidon. Its designation immediately communicates a non-Israelite context, which would have been a direct affront to the Jewish audience's expectation of exclusive divine favor. The name itself signifies "a place of refining" or "a place of smelting," though Luke's primary focus is its Gentile identity.
• in the land of Sidon: (Greek: Σιδῶνος, Sidōnos, genitive case). The phrase further solidifies Zarephath's identity as non-Jewish territory. Sidon was a major Phoenician city, historically associated with idolatry (e.g., Jezebel's origin in 1 Kgs 16:31) and often portrayed in scripture as hostile to Israel. By explicitly placing Zarephath in the "land of Sidon," Jesus reinforces the controversial nature of God sending Elijah there instead of within Israel's famine-stricken lands.
• to a woman who was a widow: (Greek: γυναικὶ χήρᾳ, gunaiki chērai, dative case, indicating recipient). This describes the specific type of individual chosen. "Woman" (γυνή) identifies her gender, while "widow" (χήρα) highlights her social and economic vulnerability in ancient society. Widows were often among the most vulnerable, dependent on divine provision or charity. That God chose to send His prophet to a Gentile widow, overlooking many Israelite widows suffering the same fate, profoundly challenged the assumptions of God's covenantal favoritism solely based on national identity.
• "but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow": This entire phrase functions as a pointed rhetorical statement from Jesus. It describes a divinely orchestrated act of grace extended beyond the covenant nation, to one who was marginalized and foreign, during a period when Israel itself was experiencing great need due to their own unfaithfulness. The selection of this Gentile widow underscores that God’s blessing is based on His sovereign choice and found faith, not ethnic lineage or geographical proximity to the temple, serving as a powerful, unsettling precursor to the inclusion of Gentiles in the kingdom of God.

CommentaryLuke 4:26, drawing upon the narrative of Elijah, serves as a pivotal point in Jesus' Nazareth sermon, acting as a profound revelation of God's expansive salvific purposes. Jesus utilizes this historical account to shatter the exclusive, ethnocentric expectations of His Jewish audience, who presumed that God's miraculous intervention and Messiah's blessings would be reserved solely for them. By pointing out that God's prophet bypassed countless Israelite widows in a time of dire famine to minister to a lone Gentile widow in enemy territory, Jesus highlights a pattern of divine sovereignty: God extends His grace to whom He wills, often bypassing those who rely on privilege without true faith. This particular choice of example strongly suggests that faith, even found in unexpected places (like a vulnerable Gentile), often receives divine favor over national lineage coupled with spiritual apathy or unbelief. The fury this evoked in the synagogue confirms its revolutionary implications – it signified the dawn of an era where salvation's door would be open to all who believe, Jew and Gentile alike, challenging deep-seated national pride and exclusivity.

Bonus sectionThe inclusion of this reference to the Zarephath widow in Jesus' Nazareth sermon is highly significant as it effectively functions as a programmatic statement for Luke's Gospel and the subsequent book of Acts. Luke's recurring theme of the Gospel reaching the marginalized, the poor, and eventually the Gentiles is profoundly encapsulated here at the very outset of Jesus' public ministry. The immediate hostile reaction from His hometown indicates that this message of divine inclusivity would be a source of conflict and rejection from within Israel itself, ultimately paving the way for the apostles to "turn to the Gentiles" (Acts 13:46) as foretold. Jesus' prophetic use of these Old Testament instances (Zarephath widow, Naaman) also challenges the audience to self-reflect: are they truly righteous or merely presumptuous? This event sets the stage for the universal mission of the Church and signals that the Kingdom of God embraces those of all backgrounds who respond with faith.