English Standard Version
1 Kings 17:12
12And 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."
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.”
- 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.”
- New Living Translation (NLT)But she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.”
Context of 1 Kings 17:12
10So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, "Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink." 11And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, "Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand." 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." 13And Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said. But first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make something for yourself and your son. 14For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'The jar of flour shall not be spent, and the jug of oil shall not be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain upon 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
Words taken from the KJV.
- And she saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- thy Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- livethחַיchay · aliveH2416
- I haveיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
- not a cakeמָעוֹגmâ‛ôg · cakeH4580
- but an handfulכַּףkaph · palmH3709
- but an handfulמְלֹאmelô' melô' melô · fullnessH4393
- of mealקֶ֫מַחqemach · flourH7058
- in a barrelכַּדkad · jarH3537
- and a littleמְעַטme‛aţ me‛âţ · littleH4592
- oilשֶׁ֫מֶןshemen · oilH8081
- in a cruseצַפַּ֫חַתtsappachath · jarH6835
- gatheringקָשַׁשׁqâshash · to gatherH7197
- twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- sticksעֵץ‛êts · tree: stickH6086
- that I may go inבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- and dressעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- it for me and my sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- that we may eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- it, and dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
Cross-references for 1 Kings 17:12
- 1 Kings 17:1Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word."
- 1 Samuel 14:39For as the Lord lives who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die." But there was not a man among all the people who answered him.
- 1 Samuel 20:3But David vowed again, saying, "Your father knows well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he thinks, 'Do not let Jonathan know this, lest he be grieved.' But truly, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death."
- 1 Samuel 25:26Now then, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from saving with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal.
- 1 Samuel 26:10And David said, "As the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish.
- 2 Samuel 15:21But Ittai answered the king, "As the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king shall be, whether for death or for life, there also will your servant be."
- Jeremiah 4:2and if you swear, 'As the Lord lives,' in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory."
- Jeremiah 5:2Though they say, "As the Lord lives," yet they swear falsely.
- 2 Kings 4:2And Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?" And she said, "Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil."
- Matthew 15:33And the disciples said to him, "Where are we to get enough bread in such a desolate place to feed so great a crowd?"
- Genesis 21:16Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot, for she said, "Let me not look on the death of the child." And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept.
- Jeremiah 14:18If I go out into the field, behold, those pierced by the sword! And if I enter the city, behold, the diseases of famine! For both prophet and priest ply their trade through the land and have no knowledge.'"
- Lamentations 4:9Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who wasted away, pierced by lack of the fruits of the field.
- Ezekiel 12:18"Son of man, eat your bread with quaking, and drink water with trembling and with anxiety.
- Joel 1:15Alas for the day! For the day of the Lord is near, and as destruction from the Almighty it comes.
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries