Tyndale Open Study Notes1 Kings 17

The prophet Elijah's work was closely tied to his spiritual growth. Elijah challenged Israel's interest in Baal, the Canaanite storm god. During this conflict, Elijah saw God's power and support, unlike Baal's weakness. This was shown in Elijah's contest with Baal's prophets on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18:1–46). After fleeing from Jezebel, God renewed Elijah's mission at Mount Sinai (1 Kings 19:1–18). Elijah's mission was finished by his successor, Elisha (1 Kings 19:19–21).

• Elijah was God's prophet to the northern kingdom during the reigns of the third-dynasty kings:

  • Ahab, who ruled from 874 to 853 BC,

  • Ahaziah, who ruled from 853 to 852 BC, and

  • Joram, who ruled from 852 to 841 BC.

• Elijah showed his dedication to the Lord by declaring that he served the living God of Israel.

• Elijah stopped the dew and rain to challenge Baal, who supposedly controlled these natural forces. Their absence, until God instructed Elijah to speak, started the contest with Baal that would peak on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18).

• Kerith Brook was a safe place for Elijah during the drought God caused (see 1 Kings 18:10). The food and water there showed Elijah that God was protecting him.

• When the water source dried up, Elijah had to move to a new place.

• Zarephath was in Phoenician territory. It was about seven miles south of Sidon, outside Ahab’s control. In an ironic twist, God gave Elijah a place of safety in Jezebel’s homeland, a region known for the worship of Baal.

• Elijah got up and went: Elijah once more obeyed the Lord’s command (see 1 Kings 17:5). He had key traits for successful spiritual service:

  • obedience (1 Samuel 15:22; Psalm 40:1–6; Isaiah 1:10–20),

  • trust (Psalm 37:3; Proverbs 3:5–6), and

  • faithfulness (Psalm 18:25; Revelation 2:10).

• God’s ongoing care for Elijah and the widow of Zarephath showed His concern for everyone who prioritizes Him.

• water … bread: Elijah asked for basic needs, but these were scarce as the drought affected Phoenician territory.

Elijah’s faith faced another test. At Kerith Brook, God directly provided for him. When those supplies stopped, Elijah had to rely on a foreign woman's reaction to a divine test. The story has four parts:

1. The setting (1 Kings 17:8–10a).

2. Elijah’s test for the widow (1 Kings 17:10b–14).

3. The woman’s obedience (1 Kings 17:15).

4. God’s reward (1 Kings 17:15–16).

As 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.

Even though the woman had few supplies (1 Kings 17:12), Elijah asked her to serve him before herself and her son. Like the poor widow who gave two small coins (Luke 21:1–4), this woman was asked to give everything she had to God's prophet. True faithfulness means putting the kingdom of God before personal needs (Matthew 6:33).

She followed Elijah's instructions, and God rewarded her faith. The daily supply of essentials reminded her of God's faithfulness and goodness (Lamentations 3:22–24; Philippians 4:19).

This story starts with the woman's doubts about Elijah (1 Kings 17:17–18) and ends with her recognizing the power of God's word through Elijah (1 Kings 17:24). Interestingly, this non-Israelite widow acknowledged God's miraculous power, while God's own people, Israel, had forgotten his mighty acts.

until no breath remained in him: All attempts to dismiss the following miracle contradict the clear statement.

my iniquity: The widow believed the common idea that suffering or disaster always comes from a person’s own sins. But the Bible shows this is not always true (see Job 4:7; Luke 13:1–4; John 9:1–3).

In ancient Near Eastern culture, Elijah likely stayed in a separate room with an outside stairway. This setup protected the woman's reputation and gave Elijah some privacy.

have You also brought tragedy: Elijah sadly asked God if his presence caused the child's death.

We do not know what life-giving power Elijah intended to show by touching the dead boy, but he clearly trusted in the Lord. Elisha later did a similar ritual when the Lord brought back to life the dead son of the woman from Shunem (2 Kings 4:32–37).

The miracle of the child's resurrection rewarded Elijah's faith and confirmed the mother's trust in God's prophet. Her story suggests she put her faith in the Lord. Jesus mentioned her as an example of God's care for non-Israelites and to show that God's messengers are often more accepted by outsiders than by their own people (Luke 4:24–26). The Scriptures often highlight God's care for widows to show his concern for those in need (Exodus 22:21; Deuteronomy 10:18; 27:19; Psalm 68:5; Isaiah 1:17; James 1:27).