1 Kings 17:12
10 So 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.”
11 And 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,
14 for 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.’”
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- 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.”
- 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.
- WEB
- She said, “As the LORD your God lives, I don’t have anything baked, but only a handful of meal in a jar and a little oil in a jar. Behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and bake it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.”
- ASV
- And she said, As Jehovah thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but a handful of meal in the jar, and a little oil in the 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.
- DARBY
- And she said, As Jehovah thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but a 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.
- BLB
- And she said, “As YHWH your God lives, there is unto me no bread, but only the fullness of a palm of flour in the jar, and a little oil in the jug. And behold, I [am] gathering two sticks, that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.”
- ÅB
- Da sa hun: Så sant Herren din Gud lever: Jeg eier ikke en brødskive, men har bare en håndfull mel i krukken og litt olje i kruset, og nå går jeg her og sanker et par stykker ved for å gå hjem og lage det til for meg og min sønn, så vi kan spise det og så dø.
- OTB
- Men hun sa: "Så sant Herren din Gud lever, jeg har ingen mat, bare en håndfull mel i bollen og litt olje i krukken. Og se, jeg samler noen pinner så jeg kan gå inn og tilberede det for meg og min sønn, så vi kan spise det og deretter dø."
- B1930
- Da sa hun: Så sant Herren din Gud lever: Jeg eier ikke en brødskive, men har bare en håndfull mel i krukken og litt olje i kruset, og nu går jeg her og sanker et par stykker ved for å gå hjem og lage det til for mig og min sønn, så vi kan ete det og så dø.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Matthew 15:33–34
The disciples replied, “Where in this desolate place could we find enough bread to feed such a large crowd?”
Read in context1 Kings 17:1
Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was among the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As surely as the LORD lives—the God of Israel before whom I stand—there will be neither dew nor rain in these years except at my word!”
Read in context2 Kings 4:2–7
“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.”
Read in contextGenesis 21:16
Then 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.
Read in contextEzekiel 12:18–19
“Son of man, eat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with quivering and anxiety.
Read in context1 Samuel 26:10
David 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.
Read in context1 Samuel 14:45
But the people said to Saul, “Must Jonathan die—he who accomplished such a great deliverance for Israel? Never! As surely as the LORD lives, not a hair of his head will fall to the ground, for with God’s help he has accomplished this today.” So the people rescued Jonathan, and he did not die.
Read in contextJeremiah 4:2
and 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.”
Read in context