Chapter 17:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 2 Samuel 2 Kings
1 Kings 17
Concise Complete
Elijah fed by ravens. (1-7) Elijah sent to Zarephath.
(8-16) Elijah raises the widow's son to life. (17-24)
Verses 1-7 God
wonderfully suits men to the work he designs them for. The times were fit for an
Elijah; an Elijah was fit for them. The Spirit of the Lord knows how to fit men
for the occasions. Elijah let Ahab know that God was displeased with the
idolaters, and would chastise them by the want of rain, which it was not in the
power of the gods they served to bestow. Elijah was commanded to hide himself.
If Providence calls us to solitude and retirement, it becomes us to go: when we
cannot be useful, we must be patient; and when we cannot work for God, we must
sit still quietly for him. The ravens were appointed to bring him meat, and did
so. Let those who have but from hand to mouth, learn to live upon Providence,
and trust it for the bread of the day, in the day. God could have sent angels to
minister to him; but he chose to show that he can serve his own purposes by the
meanest creatures, as effectually as by the mightiest. Elijah seems to have
continued thus above a year. The natural supply of water, which came by common
providence, failed; but the miraculous supply of food, made sure to him by
promise, failed not. If the heavens fail, the earth fails of course; such are
all our creature-comforts: we lose them when we most need them, like brooks in
summer. But there is a river which makes glad the city of God, that never runs
dry, a well of water that springs up to eternal life. Lord, give us that living
water!
Verses 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 not one of the rich or
great men of Sidon; but a poor widow woman, in want, and desolate, is made both
able and willing to sustain him. It is God's way, and it is his glory, to make
use of, and put honour upon, the weak and foolish things of the world. O woman,
great was thy faith; one has not found the like, no not in Israel. She took the
prophet's word, that she should not lose by it. Those who can venture upon the
promise of God, will make no difficulty to expose and empty themselves in his
service, by giving him his part first. Surely the increase of this widow's
faith, so as to enable her thus readily to deny herself, and to depend upon the
Divine promise, was as great a miracle in the kingdom of grace, as the increase
of her meal and oil in the kingdom of providence. Happy are all who can thus,
against hope, believe and obey in hope. One poor meal's meat this poor widow
gave the prophet; in recompence of it, she and her son did eat above two years,
in a time of famine. To have food from God's special favour, and in such good
company as Elijah, made it more than doubly sweet. It is promised to those who
trust in God, that they shall not be ashamed in evil time; in days of famine
they shall be satisfied.
Verses 17-24
Neither faith nor obedience shut out afflictions and death. The child being
dead, the mother spake to the prophet, rather to give vent to her sorrow, than
in hope of relief. When God removes our comforts from us, he remembers our sins
against us, perhaps the sins of our youth, though long since past. When God
remembers our sins against us, he designs to teach us to remember them against
ourselves, and to repent of them. Elijah's prayer was doubtless directed by the
Holy Spirit. The child revived. See the power of prayer, and the power of Him
who hears prayer.
Chapter 17:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 2 Samuel 2 Kings
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
