New International Version
1 Kings 17:12
12“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.”
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.
- 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.”
- 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 went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” 11As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.” “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.” 13Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’ ”
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, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”
- 1 Samuel 14:39As surely as the Lord who rescues Israel lives, even if the guilt lies with my son Jonathan, he must die.” But not one of them said a word.
- 1 Samuel 20:3But David took an oath and said, “Your father knows very well that I have found favor in your eyes, and he has said to himself, ‘Jonathan must not know this or he will be grieved.’ Yet as surely as the Lord lives and as you live, there is only a step between me and death.”
- 1 Samuel 25:26And now, my lord, as surely as the Lord your God lives and as you live, since the Lord has kept you from bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hands, may your enemies and all who are intent on harming my lord be like Nabal.
- 1 Samuel 26:10As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish.
- 2 Samuel 15:21But Ittai replied to 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 in a truthful, just and righteous way you swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ then the nations will invoke blessings by him and in him they will boast.”
- Jeremiah 5:2Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ still they are swearing falsely.”
- 2 Kings 4:2Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”
- Matthew 15:33His disciples answered, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?”
- Genesis 21:16Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob.
- Jeremiah 14:18If I go into the country, I see those slain by the sword; if I go into the city, I see the ravages of famine. Both prophet and priest have gone to a land they know not.’ ”
- Lamentations 4:9Those killed by the sword are better off than those who die of famine; racked with hunger, they waste away for lack of food from the field.
- Ezekiel 12:18“Son of man, tremble as you eat your food, and shudder in fear as you drink your water.
- Joel 1:15Alas for that day! For the day of the Lord is near; it will come like 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
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