1 Kings Chapter 17 begins with the prophet Elijah telling King Ahab that there will be a drought that will only end when the Lord says it will. Then God tells Elijah to leave the town and hide in a ravine that lies east of Jordan. Elijah obeys and goes to hide in the Kerith Ravine and is fed by ravens and drinks water from the brook there.

Elijah Visits a Widow

Because of the drought, the brook eventually dries up. God tells Elijah to go to a widow who lives in Sidon. God has already told this woman to feed Elijah. Elijah goes and finds the woman collecting sticks and he asks her for some water. As she goes to get some he tells her to bring him some bread, too.

But she says she has no bread. She only has a bit of flour and a bit of oil. This was why she was gathering sticks so she could make some food for herself and her son so that they can at least have this. Elijah comforts her and tells her to go to her home and cook, but first make him a cake from what she has in store then feed herself and her son, because the Lord says that her flour and her oil will not run out before the drought ends.

Elijah Heals Her Son

The woman does what Elijah says and there is enough food for her, her son, and Elijah and they eat well every day. But one day the son sickens. The widow is angry at Elijah, insisting that he came to bring turmoil on her family. But Elijah asks to be given the boy.

He carries the boy upstairs to his room and puts him on the bed and calls out to God to save the boy’s life. God hears Elijah and restores the boy’s life. Elijah carries the boy downstairs to his mother and the widow praises him as a true man of God.