24 And the woman H802 said H559 to Elijah, H452 Now by this H2088 I know H3045 that thou art a man H376 of God, H430 and that the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 in thy mouth H6310 is truth. H571
The same G3778 came G2064 to G4314 Jesus G2424 by night, G3571 and G2532 said G2036 unto him, G846 Rabbi, G4461 we know G1492 that G3754 thou art G2064 a teacher G1320 come G2064 from G575 God: G2316 for G1063 no man G3762 can G1410 do G4160 these G5023 miracles G4592 that G3739 thou G4771 doest, G4160 except G3362 God G2316 be G5600 with G3326 him. G846
The preacher H6953 sought H1245 to find out H4672 acceptable H2656 words: H1697 and that which was written H3789 was upright, H3476 even words H1697 of truth. H571
And G5037 said G3004 unto the woman, G1135 G3754 Now G3765 we believe, G4100 not G3754 because G1223 of thy G4674 saying: G2981 for G1063 we have heard G191 him ourselves, G846 and G2532 know G1492 that G3754 this G3778 is G2076 indeed G230 the Christ, G5547 the Saviour G4990 of the world. G2889 Now G1161 after G3326 two G1417 days G2250 he departed G565 G1831 thence, G1564 and G2532 went into G1519 Galilee. G1056 For G1063 Jesus G2424 himself G846 testified, G3140 that G3754 a prophet G4396 hath G2192 no G3756 honour G5092 in G1722 his own G2398 country. G3968 Then G3767 when G3753 he was come G2064 into G1519 Galilee, G1056 the Galilaeans G1057 received G1209 him, G846 having seen G3708 all the things G3956 that G3739 he did G4160 at G1722 Jerusalem G2414 at G1722 the feast: G1859 for G1063 they G846 also G2532 went G2064 unto G1519 the feast. G1859 So G3767 Jesus G2424 came G2064 again G3825 into G1519 Cana G2580 of Galilee, G1056 where G3699 he made G4160 the water G5204 wine. G3631 And G2532 there was G2258 a certain G5100 nobleman, G937 whose G3739 son G5207 was sick G770 at G1722 Capernaum. G2584 When he G3778 heard G191 that G3754 Jesus G2424 was come G2240 out of G1537 Judaea G2449 into G1519 Galilee, G1056 he went G565 unto G4314 him, G846 and G2532 besought G2065 him G846 that G2443 he would come down, G2597 and G2532 heal G2390 his G846 son: G5207 for G1063 he was at the point G3195 of death. G599 Then G3767 said G2036 Jesus G2424 unto G4314 him, G846 Except G3362 ye see G1492 signs G4592 and G2532 wonders, G5059 ye will G4100 not G3364 believe. G4100
And G1161 I G1473 knew G1492 that G3754 thou hearest G191 me G3450 always: G3842 but G235 because G1223 of the people G3793 which G3588 stand by G4026 I said G2036 it, that G2443 they may believe G4100 that G3754 thou G4771 hast sent G649 me. G3165
If G1508 I had G4160 not G1508 done G4160 among G1722 them G846 the works G2041 which G3739 none G3762 other man G243 did, G4160 they had G2192 not G3756 had G2192 sin: G266 but G1161 now G3568 have they G3708 both G2532 seen G3708 and G2532 hated G3404 both G2532 me G1691 and G2532 my G3450 Father. G3962
For this G5124 cause G1223 also G2532 thank G2168 we G2249 God G2316 without ceasing, G89 because, G3754 when ye received G3880 the word G3056 of God G2316 which ye heard G189 of G3844 us, G2257 ye received G1209 it not G3756 as the word G3056 of men, G444 but G235 as G2531 it is G2076 in truth, G230 the word G3056 of God, G2316 which G3739 effectually worketh G1754 also G2532 in G1722 you G5213 that believe. G4100
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Kings 17
Commentary on 1 Kings 17 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 17
So sad was the character both of the princes and people of Israel, as described in the foregoing chapter, that one might have expected God would cast off a people that had so cast him off; but, as an evidence to the contrary, never was Israel so blessed with a good prophet as when it was so plagued with a bad king. Never was king so bold to sin as Ahab; never was prophet so bold to reprove and threaten as Elijah, whose story begins in this chapter and is full of wonders. Scarcely any part of the Old-Testament history shines brighter than this history of the spirit and power of Elias; he only, of all the prophets, had the honour of Enoch, the first prophet, to be translated, that he should not see death, and the honour of Moses, the great prophet, to attend our Saviour in his transfiguration. Other prophets prophesied and wrote, he prophesied and acted, but wrote nothing; but his actions cast more lustre on his name than their writings did on theirs. In this chapter we have,
Thus his story begins with judgments and miracles, designed to awaken that stupid generation that had to deeply corrupted themselves.
1Ki 17:1-7
The history of Elijah begins somewhat abruptly. Usually, when a prophet enters, we have some account of his parentage, are told whose son he was and of what tribe; but Elijah drops (so to speak) out of the clouds, as if, like Melchisedek, he were without father, without mother, and without descent, which made some of the Jews fancy that he was an angel sent from heaven; but the apostle has assured us that he was a man subject to like passions as we are (James 5:17), which perhaps intimates, not only that he was liable to the common infirmities of human nature, but that, by his natural temper, he was a man of strong passions, more hot and eager than most men, and therefore the more fit to deal with the daring sinners of the age he lived in: so wonderfully does God suit men to the work he designs them for. Rough spirits are called to rough services. The reformation needed such a man as Luther to break the ice. Observe,
Thus does Elijah, for a great while, eat his morsels alone, and his provision of water, which he has in an ordinary way from the brook, fails him before that which he has by miracle. The powers of nature are limited, but not the powers of the God of nature. Elijah's brook dried up (v. 7) because there was no rain. If the heavens fail, earth fails of course; such are all our creature-comforts; we lose them when we most need them, like the brooks in summer, Job 6:15. But there is a river which makes glad the city of God and which never runs dry (Ps. 46:4), a well of water that springs up to eternal life. Lord, give us that living water!
1Ki 17:8-16
We have here an account of the further protection Elijah was taken under, and the further provision made for him in his retirement. At destruction and famine he shall laugh that has God for his friend to guard and maintain him. The brook Cherith is dried up, but God's care of his people, and kindness to them, never slacken, never fail, but are still the same, are still continued and drawn out to those that know him, Ps. 36:10. When the brook was dried up Jordan was not; why did not God send him thither? Surely because he would show that he has a variety of ways to provide for his people and is not tied to any one. God will now provide for him where he shall have some company and opportunity of usefulness, and not be, as he had been, buried alive. Observe,
1Ki 17:17-24
We have here a further recompence made to the widow for her kindness to the prophet; as if it were a small thing to be kept alive, her son, when dead, is restored to life, and so restored to her. Observe,