Berean Standard Bible
1 Kings 17:12
12But she replied, “As surely as the LORD your God lives, I have no bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. Look, I am gathering a couple of sticks to take home and prepare a meal for myself and my son, so that we may eat it and die.”
1 Kings 17:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
- New International Version (NIV)“As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And she said, "As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. And now I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die."
- New King James Version (NKJV)So she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”
Context of 1 Kings 17:12
10So Elijah got up and went to Zarephath. When he arrived at the city gate, there was a widow gathering sticks. Elijah called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, so that I may drink.” 11And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread.” But she replied, “As surely as the LORD your God lives, I have no bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. Look, I am gathering a couple of sticks to take home and prepare a meal for myself and my son, so that we may eat it and die.” 13“Do not be afraid,” Elijah said to her. “Go and do as you have said. But first make me a small cake of bread from what you have, and bring it out to me. Afterward, make some for yourself and your son, 14for this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be exhausted and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD sends rain upon the face of the earth.’”
Read all of 1 Kings 171 Kings 17:12 word by word
וַתֹּ֗אמֶר חַי־יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ אִם־יֶשׁ־לִ֣י מָע֔וֹג כִּ֣י אִם־מְלֹ֤א כַף־קֶ֙מַח֙ בַּכַּ֔ד וּמְעַט־שֶׁ֖מֶן בַּצַּפָּ֑חַת וְהִנְנִ֨י מְקֹשֶׁ֜שֶׁת שְׁנַ֣יִם עֵצִ֗ים וּבָ֙אתִי֙ וַעֲשִׂיתִ֙יהוּ֙ לִ֣י וְלִבְנִ֔י וַאֲכַלְנֻ֖הוּ וָמָֽתְנוּ׃Read the interlinear
- But she repliedאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- As surely as the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- your Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- livesחַיchay · aliveH2416
- haveיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
- noאִם'im · if: surely noH518
- breadמָעוֹגmâ‛ôg · cakeH4580
- onlyכִּי [אם]kîy · that if: exceptH3588
- only[כִּי] אם'im · if: exceptH518
- a handfulמְלֹאmelô' melô' melô · fullnessH4393
- a handfulכַּףkaph · palmH3709
- of flourקֶ֫מַחqemach · flourH7058
- in a jarכַּדkad · jarH3537
- and a littleמְעַטme‛aţ me‛âţ · littleH4592
- oilשֶׁ֫מֶןshemen · oilH8081
- in a jugצַפַּ֫חַתtsappachath · jarH6835
- Lookהֵןhên · look!H2005
- I am gatheringקָשַׁשׁqâshash · to gatherH7197
- a couple ofשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- sticksעֵץ‛êts · tree: stickH6086
- to take homeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- and prepareעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- and my sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- so that we may eat itאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- and dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
Cross-references for 1 Kings 17:12
- 1 Kings 17:1Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was among the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As surely as the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there will be neither dew nor rain in these years except at my word!”
- 1 Samuel 14:39As surely as the LORD who saves Israel lives, even if it is my son Jonathan, he must die!” But not one of the troops said a word.
- 1 Samuel 20:3But David again vowed, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said, ‘Jonathan must not know of this, or he will be grieved.’ As surely as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, there is but a step between me and death.”
- 1 Samuel 25:26Now, my lord, as surely as the LORD lives and you yourself live, since the LORD has held you back from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hand, may your enemies and those who seek harm for my lord be like Nabal.
- 1 Samuel 26:10David added, “As surely as the LORD lives, the LORD Himself will strike him down; either his day will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish.
- 2 Samuel 15:21But Ittai answered the king, “As surely as the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be!”
- Jeremiah 4:2and if you can swear, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then the nations will be blessed by Him, and in Him they will glory.”
- Jeremiah 5:2Although they say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ they are swearing falsely.”
- 2 Kings 4:2“How can I help you?” asked Elisha. “Tell me, what do you have in the house?” She answered, “Your servant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”
- Matthew 15:33The disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could we find enough bread to feed such a large crowd?”
- Genesis 21:16Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she said, “I cannot bear to watch the boy die!” And as she sat nearby, she lifted up her voice and wept.
- Jeremiah 14:18If I go out to the country, I see those slain by the sword; if I enter the city, I see those ravaged by famine! For both prophet and priest travel to a land they do not know.’”
- Lamentations 4:9Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce.
- Ezekiel 12:18“Son of man, eat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with quivering and anxiety.
- Joel 1:15Alas for the day! For the Day of the LORD is near, and it will come as destruction from the Almighty.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 17:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12A handful of meal in a barrel - The word כד cad is to be understood as implying an earthen jar; not a wooden vessel, or barrel of any kind. In the East they preserve their corn and meal in such vessels; without which precaution the insects would destroy them. Travellers in Asiatic countries abound with observations of this kind. The word cruse, צפחת tsappachath, says Jarchi, signifies what in our tongue is expressed by bouteille, a bottle. Jarchi was a…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12As the Lord thy God liveth - The words do not prove that the woman was an Israelite, or a worshipper of the true God; any Phoenician, recognizing in Elijah‘s appearance the garb and manner of a Jehovistic prophet, might have thus addressed him: Baal-worshippers would have admitted Yahweh to be “a” living God. The woman does not say “as the Lord my God liveth.” That we may eat it and die - Phoenicia always depended for its cereal supplies on the harvests…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-16Verses 8-16 Many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, and some, it is likely, would have bidden him welcome to their houses; yet he is sent to honour and bless with his presence a city of Sidon, a Gentile city, and so becomes the first prophet of the Gentiles. Jezebel was Elijah's greatest enemy; yet, to show her how powerless was her malice, God will find a hiding-place for him even in her own country. The person appointed to entertain Elijah is…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12As surely as the LORD your God lives: This wording shows Elijah’s promise and statement to Ahab (1 Kings 17:1). The non-Jewish woman’s promise does not mean the Lord is her god, but it assures Elijah she is telling the truth.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-168-16. the word of the Lord came to him--Zarephath, Sarepta, now Surafend, whither he was directed to go, was far away on the western coast of Palestine, about nine miles south of Sidon, and within the dominions of Jezebel's impious father, where the famine also prevailed. Meeting, at his entrance into the town, the very woman who was appointed by divine providence to support him, his faith was severely tested by learning from her that her supplies were…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 17:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Kings 17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Berean Standard Bible — © Berean Bible — CC0 / Public Domain
Commentaries