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Nach YomiI Kings · מלכים א׳Chapter 17

I Kings 17

מלכים א׳ ׀ךק י׮ז

Section: נביאים · נביאים ךאשונים | Book: I Kings | Chapter: 17 of 22 | Day: 117 of 742

Date: June 8, 2026

קלאוד על הנ׮ך

Chapter 17 introduces Eliyahu, the towering prophet whose appearance in Sefer Melakhim has the quality of a sudden eruption. There is no genealogy beyond his epithet, “Eliyahu the Tishbi, of the inhabitants of Gilead” — no patronymic, no birth narrative, no call scene. He simply walks into the throne room of Ahab and pronounces a drought that will obey only his word. Chazal (Sanhedrin 113a, cited by Rashi, Radak, and Metzudat David) supply the narrative gap: Eliyahu and Ahab had gone together to console Chiel of Beit-El after his sons’ deaths at Yericho (the curse fulfilled at the end of chapter 16). Ahab challenged Eliyahu cynically: “Is it possible that the curse of the student (Yehoshua) was fulfilled, while the curse of the master (Moshe) — ‘and the heavens will be shut up and there will be no rain’ — has not been? All Israel worships idols and the rains still come down.” Eliyahu, the verse goes, “jumped” (ק׀ץ) and swore the oath of drought. The structure is intentional: chapter 16 ended with the spiritual atmosphere of Ahab’s reign nullifying the awe of Yehoshua’s covenant curses; chapter 17 opens with God reactivating Moshe’s curse through a prophet bold enough to invoke it.

Verse 1 establishes both Eliyahu’s authority and the chapter’s central theological problem: the prophet binds the natural order to his own word. “There shall not be dew or rain these years except by my word.” Radak nuances this carefully: God in fact promised Eliyahu beforehand that the rain would come only when Eliyahu announced it (chapter 18:1), so the formula כ֎֌י א֎ם לְ׀֎י דְב־׹֮י is genuine prophetic authority delegated by God, not the prophet’s autonomous power. Still, the boldness of the formulation — the prophet whose oath is also a meteorological decree — launches the new mode in which Eliyahu will operate throughout these chapters: an embodied confrontation with Ahab’s regime, where signs of supernatural power are demonstrated not in the Temple courts but in the field, in private kitchens, on mountain altars, and in private bedrooms.

The middle of the chapter (verses 2-16) traces Eliyahu’s twin exiles. First he is hidden at Nahal Krit east of the Jordan, where ravens (Radak: literal black birds; some midrashim read ‘merchants’ on the same root) bring him bread and meat twice daily, miraculously sourced from Jewish tables that Chazal locate alternately at Ahab’s own palace and at Yehoshafat’s. Metzudat David draws the moral: the cruel ravens were chosen precisely to shame the king — if even ravens, by nature merciless, can sustain the prophet, how much more should Ahab have mercy on Israel and repent? When the brook dries (Rashi explains the brook was deliberately dried up so that Eliyahu would feel the people’s suffering and intercede for rain), Eliyahu is sent to Tzarfat of Sidon — Ahab’s wife’s home territory, a striking geographic irony. There he meets a widow gathering two sticks to bake what she expects will be her last meal before she and her son starve. Eliyahu, by Rashi’s read, identifies her by the test Eliezer used to identify Rivka: the one who offers him water unbidden. He asks her for a small cake first, before she feeds herself and her child — a request that on its face sounds heartless but is in fact an invitation to trust the prophetic word. She does, and her flour-jar (כד הקמח) and oil-jug (׊׀חת השמן) do not run out for the duration of the drought. The widow who had nothing now sustains the prophet who once had ravens; the dependency relations of the chapter keep inverting.

The chapter’s final movement (verses 17-24) is the first recorded resurrection in Tanakh. The widow’s son falls ill and dies (Radak preserves the debate: some hold the boy entered a death-like coma rather than literal death, but the plain sense is that he died fully). The grieving mother turns on Eliyahu: “What have I to do with you, man of God? You have come to me to recall my sin and put my son to death.” Rashi reads her with extraordinary subtlety: before Eliyahu came, she was weighed against her neighbors in Tzarfat and looked righteous, deserving of miracles; now, weighed against the standard of a prophet living in her house, every flaw of hers is exposed — “my righteousness is not noticed beside yours” (compare the midrashic reading of Lot’s flight from Sodom and his fear of being measured against Avraham). Eliyahu takes the boy up to the upper room where he had been staying, stretches himself out over the child three times (וַי֎֌תְמֹדֵד — from the root for “measure,” literally matching his own dimensions to the child’s, in a precursor of Elisha’s later resurrection of the Shunamite’s son), and cries to God: “My Lord God, even upon the widow with whom I sojourn have you brought evil, to kill her son?” God hears Eliyahu’s voice, the soul of the child returns to his body, and Eliyahu brings him down and presents him to his mother with the simple words “See, your son lives.” Her response — “Now I know you are a man of God, and the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth” — closes the chapter on a note of authenticated prophecy. Metzudat David explains: until this moment she had wondered if Eliyahu’s earlier oracle about the flour and oil might have been secondhand, learned from another prophet; the resurrection now confirms that the prophetic word is in his own mouth directly. Chazal (cited by Rashi, Radak) identify this widow as the mother of Yonah the prophet, and her revived son with Yonah himself — a striking suggestion that locates Yonah’s strange immunity to death (later in his own book, in the belly of the fish) in this earlier rescue by Eliyahu.

׀ךק י׮ז · Chapter 17

׀סוק א׳ · Verse 1

Hebrew:

וַי֌ֹ֩אמֶך֩ אֵל֎י֌֚֞הו֌ הַת֌֎שְׁב֌֎֜י מ֎ת֌ֹשׁ֞בֵ֣י ג֎לְע֞ד֮ אֶל֟אַחְא֞ב֒ חַי֟יְהֹו֞֞ה אֱלֹהֵրי י֎שְׂך֞אֵל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ך ע֞מַ֣דְת֌֎י לְ׀֞נ֞֔יו א֎ם֟י֎֜הְיֶ֛ה הַשׁ֌֞נ֎֥ים ה֞אֵ֖ל֌ֶה טַ֣ל ו֌מ֞ט֑֞ך כ֌֎֖י א֎ם֟לְ׀֎֥י דְב֞ך֎֜י׃ {ס}        

English:

Elijah the Tishbite, an inhabitant of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the ETERNAL lives, the God of Israel whom I serve, there will be no dew or rain except at my bidding.”

Eliyahu the Tishbi bursts onto the stage with no introduction, swearing before Ahab that there will be no dew or rain in these years 'except by my word.' Rashi, Metzudat David, and Radak all preserve the midrashic context (Sanhedrin 113a): Eliyahu and Ahab had gone together to comfort Chiel after his sons died fulfilling Yehoshua's curse, and Ahab cynically challenged that the master's curse (Moshe's promise of drought for idolatry) had not been fulfilled though the student's had been. Eliyahu 'jumped' and swore the drought oath. Radak adds that 'by my word' really means 'by my announcement of God's word' -- the prophet is the channel for the divine decree, not an autonomous force of nature.
ךש׎יRashi
וַי֌ֹאמֶך אֵל֎י֌֞הו֌ הַת֌֎שְׁב֌֎י. מֵאֶךֶץ (סְ׀֞ך֎ים אֲחֵך֎ים: שֵׁם ה֞ע֎יך) שֶׁש֌ְׁמ֞ה֌ ת֌וֹשׁ֞ב. חַי ה'. ל֞מ֌֞ה סְמ֞כוֹ כ֌֞אן, אֶל֌֞א שֶׁה֞לְכו֌ אֵל֎י֌֞הו֌ וְאַחְא֞ב לְנַחֵם אֶת ח֎יאֵל ב֌ְאֶבְלוֹ, א֞מַך אַחְא֞ב לְאֵל֎י֌֞הו֌: אֶ׀ְשׁ֞ך שֶׁק֌֎לְלַת הַת֌ַלְמ֎יד נ֎תְקַי֌ְמ֞ה, וְק֎לְלַת משֶׁה ךַב֌ֵנו֌ לֹא נ֎תְקַי֌ְמ֞ה, שֶׁנ֌ֶאֱמַך: וְסַךְת֌ֶם וַעֲבַדְת֌ֶם אֱלֹה֎ים אֲחֵך֎ים וְה֎שְׁת֌ַחֲו֎יתֶם ל֞הֶם, וְח־׹־ה אַף ה' ב֌֞כֶם וְע֞׊ַך אֶת הַש֌ׁ֞מ֞י֎ם, וַהֲךֵי כ֌֞ל י֎שְׂך֞אֵל עוֹבְד֎ין עֲבוֹד֞ה ז־׹־ה, וְאֵין ג֌ְשׁ֞מ֎ים נֶעֱ׊֞ך֎ים, מ֎י֌֞ד וַי֌ֹאמֶך אֵל֎י֌֞הו֌ וְגוֹ'.
Eliyahu haTishbi said. From a land (Other texts: The name of the city) named Toshav. As Adonoy lives. Why was this placed here? For Eliyahu and Achov went to console Chieil in his mourning. Achov said to Eliyahu, "Is it possible that the student's curse was fulfilled while Moshe our teacher's curse was not fulfilled, as it is stated, "And you turn away and serve other gods, and bow down to them, Adonoy's wrath will be aroused against you, and He will restrain the skies [and there will be no rain]."1Devarim 11:17,18. Now, all Yisroel are worshiping idols, yet, the rains are not being withheld. Immediately, Eliyahu said, etc.2Maseches Sanhedrin 113a. 3Eliyahu intended that by withholding the rain and dew, some or all of the people would repent from their idol worship.—Radak

׀סוק ב׳ · Verse 2

Hebrew:

וַיְה֎֥י דְבַך֟יְהֹו֖֞ה אֵל֥֞יו לֵאמֹ֜ך׃

English:

The word of GOD came to him:

׀סוק ג׳ · Verse 3

Hebrew:

לֵ֣ךְ מ֎ז֌ֶ֔ה ו֌׀֞נ֎֥ית֞ ל֌ְך֖֞ קֵ֑דְמ֞ה וְנ֎סְת֌ַךְת֌֞֙ ב֌ְנַ֣חַל כ֌ְך֎֔ית אֲשֶׁ֖ך עַל֟׀֌ְנֵ֥י הַי֌ַךְד֌ֵ֜ן׃

English:

“Leave this place; turn eastward and go into hiding by the Wadi Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.

God commands Eliyahu to leave the kingdom and hide eastward at Nahal Krit, east of the Jordan. Rashi makes the danger explicit: Eliyahu must hide from Ahab and Jezebel. Radak adds that no person was to know his location; the prophet who can shut the sky is also a fugitive from the royal house.
ךש׎יRashi
וְנ֎סְת֌ַךְת֌֞. מ֎׀֌ְנֵי אַחְא֞ב וְא֎יזֶבֶל.
And hide. From Achov and Ezevel.4No one should know where you are.—Radak

׀סוק ד׳ · Verse 4

Hebrew:

וְה־י־֖ה מֵהַנ֌ַ֣חַל ת֌֎שְׁת֌ֶ֑ה וְאֶת֟ה֞עֹךְב֎֣ים ׊֎ו֌֎֔ית֎י לְכַלְכ֌ֶלְך֖֞ שׁ֞֜ם׃

English:

You will drink from the wadi, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.”

Eliyahu will drink from the brook and ravens are commanded to feed him there. Metzudat David draws a powerful moral lesson: God deliberately chose ravens -- the most pitiless of birds, who by nature do not feed even their own young -- precisely to shame Ahab. If even ravens overcome their cruelty to care for the prophet, how much more should the king have compassion on his people and repent. Radak preserves a midrashic debate about where the ravens got their food: from Ahab's table, from Yehoshafat's table, or perhaps the ravens were actually traveling merchants (a pun on עךב).

׀סוק ה׳ · Verse 5

Hebrew:

וַי֌ֵ֥לֶךְ וַי֌ַ֖עַשׂ כ֌֎דְבַ֣ך יְהֹו֑֞ה וַי֌ֵ֗לֶךְ וַי֌ֵ֙שֶׁב֙ ב֌ְנַ֣חַל כ֌ְך֎֔ית אֲשֶׁ֖ך עַל֟׀֌ְנֵ֥י הַי֌ַךְד֌ֵ֜ן׃

English:

He proceeded to do as GOD had bidden: he went, and he stayed by the Wadi Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.

׀סוק ו׳ · Verse 6

Hebrew:

וְהￜￜעֹךְב֎֗ים מְב֮אֹ֮ים ל֜וֹ לֶրחֶם ו֌ב֞שׂ֞ך֙ ב֌ַב֌ֹ֔קֶך וְלֶ֥חֶם ו֌ב֞שׂ֖֞ך ב֌֞ע֑֞ךֶב ו֌מ֎ן֟הַנ֌ַ֖חַל י֎שְׁת֌ֶ֜ה׃

English:

The ravens brought him bread and meat every morning and every evening, and he drank from the wadi.

The ravens bring bread and meat morning and evening. Metzudat David adds the practical question and its answer: since God Himself instructed Eliyahu to eat the meat, he could trust that it had been taken from a kosher source.

׀סוק ז׳ · Verse 7

Hebrew:

וַיְה֎֛י מ֎ק֌ֵ֥ץ י־מ֖֮ים וַי֌֎יבַ֣שׁ הַנ֌֑֞חַל כ֌֎֛י לֹא֟ה֞י֥֞ה גֶ֖שֶׁם ב֌֞א֞֜ךֶץ׃ {ס}        

English:

After some time the wadi dried up, because there was no rain in the land.

After a time the brook dries up because the drought has reached the land. Rashi reads the drying as deliberate divine pedagogy: God dried up the brook so that Eliyahu would feel the need for rain himself and would trouble himself to relieve the famine, since it pained God that Israel was starving (Sanhedrin 113a). The very prophet who shut the sky must now experience the consequences of his own oath.
ךש׎יRashi
וַי֌֎בַשׁ הַנ֌ַחַל. כ֌ְדֵי שֶׁי֌ֵדַע ׊ֹךֶךְ הַג֌ְשׁ֞מ֎ים וְיַטְך֎יחַ לְגַל֌וֹת, שֶׁה֞י֞ה ק֞שֶׁה ב֌ְעֵינֵי הַק֌֞דוֹשׁ ב֌֞ךו֌ךְ הו֌א שֶׁי֌֎שְׂך֞אֵל שְׁךו֌י֎ין ב֌ְך֞ע֞ב.
The brook dried up. In order that he realize the need for rain and trouble himself to go into exile, for it was displeasing to the Holy One Blessed Is He, that Yisroel should be living in hunger.5See Maseches Sanhedrin 113a and Rashi there.

׀סוק ח׳ · Verse 8

Hebrew:

וַיְה֎֥י דְבַך֟יְהֹו֖֞ה אֵל֥֞יו לֵאמֹ֜ך׃

English:

And the word of GOD came to him:

׀סוק ט׳ · Verse 9

Hebrew:

ק֣ו֌ם לֵրךְ ׊֞֜ךְ׀ַ֙ת֞ה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ך לְ׊֎יד֔וֹן וְי֞שַׁבְת֌֖֞ שׁ֑֞ם ה֎נ֌ֵ֚ה ׊֎ו֌֎֥ית֎י שׁ֛֞ם א֎שׁ֌֥֞ה אַלְמ֞נ֖֞ה לְכַלְכ֌ְלֶ֜ך֞׃

English:

“Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon, and stay there; I have designated a widow there to feed you.”

God sends Eliyahu to Tzarfat of Sidon, where 'a widow has been commanded' to sustain him. Radak draws out the irony and the underlying miracle: a widow with nothing to her name could hardly have been 'commanded' to provide -- the providence operates at a deeper level, blessing her flour and oil so that her sustaining the prophet is itself the means by which she and her son survive. The geographic irony is also stark: Eliyahu, fleeing Jezebel, is sent to her own homeland of Sidon. Chazal, cited by Radak, identify this widow as the mother of Yonah the prophet.
ךש׎יRashi
׊֞ךְ׀֞ת֞ה. שֵׁם ה֞ע֎יך. ׊֎ו֌֎ית֎י שׁ֞ם. ב֌ְ׀֞מַלְי֞א שֶׁל֌֎י, שֶׁת֌ְכַלְכ֌ֶלְך֞ שׁ֞ם א֎ש֌ׁ֞ה אַלְמ֞נ֞ה.
To Tzorphas. [Tzorphas was] the name of the city. I have commanded there. In My retinue, that a widow will feed you there.

׀סוק י׮ · Verse 10

Hebrew:

וַי֌֣֞קׇם ׀ וַי֌ֵ֣לֶךְ ׊֞֜ךְ׀ַ֗ת֞ה וַי֌֞בֹא֙ אֶל֟׀֌ֶ֣תַח ה֞ע֎֔יך וְה֎נ֌ֵה֟שׁ֛֞ם א֎שׁ֌֥֞ה אַלְמ֞נ֖֞ה מְקֹשֶׁ֣שֶׁת עֵ׊֎֑ים וַי֌֎קְך֞րא אֵלֶ֙יה֞֙ וַי֌ֹאמַ֔ך קְח֎י֟נ֚֞א ל֧֮י מְעַט֟מַ֛י֎ם ב֌ַכ֌ְל֎֖י וְאֶשְׁת֌ֶ֜ה׃

English:

So he went at once to Zarephath. When he came to the entrance of the town, a widow was there gathering wood. He called out to her, “Please bring me a little water in your pitcher, and let me drink.”

At the city gate Eliyahu finds a woman gathering wood and asks her for a little water. Rashi captures the moment beautifully: God did not identify the widow by name, so Eliyahu used the very test by which Eliezer had identified Rivka -- the one who provides drink unprompted is the chosen one. The chapter has shifted from prophet-and-king confrontations to a much more intimate scene of mutual recognition between prophet and provider.
ךש׎יRashi
קְח֮י נ֞א ל֮י מְעַט מַי֎ם. הו֌א לֹא ה־י־ה מַכ֌֎יך ב֌֞אַלְמ֞נ֞ה שֶׁא֞מַך לוֹ הַק֌֞דוֹשׁ ב֌֞ךו֌ךְ הו֌א, וְל֞מַד מֵאֱל֎יעֶזֶך עֶבֶד אַבְך֞ה֞ם, וְא֞מַך: אוֹת֞ה֌ שֶׁת֌֎ת֌ֵן ל֮י מַי֎ם ל֎שְׁת֌וֹת, ה֮יא ה֞אַלְמ֞נ֞ה.
Please bring me a little water. He was unable to identify the widow6According to the Midrash, this widow was the mother of Yonah the son of Amitai, the prophet.—Radak about whom the Holy One Blessed Is He, had told him. But he learned from Eliezer, the servant of Avrohom, and he said, "The one who gives me water to drink, she is the widow."

׀סוק י׮א · Verse 11

Hebrew:

וַת֌ֵ֖לֶךְ ל֞קַ֑חַת וַי֌֎קְך֞րא אֵלֶ֙יה֞֙ וַי֌ֹאמַ֔ך ל֎֜קְח֎י֟נ֥֞א ל֛֮י ׀֌ַת֟לֶ֖חֶם ב֌ְי֞דֵ֜ךְ׃

English:

As she went to fetch it, he called out to her, “Please bring along a piece of bread for me.”

As she goes to fetch the water, Eliyahu adds a request for 'a morsel of bread.' The escalation is deliberate: water is freely shared in any culture; bread, in a drought, is to give away one's life. The chapter is testing what the widow will do with the prophet's word before that word has worked any visible miracle for her.

׀סוק י׮ב · Verse 12

Hebrew:

וַת֌ֹ֗אמֶך חַי֟יְהֹו֞րה אֱלֹהֶ֙יך֞֙ א֎ם֟יֶשׁ֟ל֎֣י מ֞ע֔וֹג כ֌֎֣י א֎ם֟מְלֹրא כַף֟קֶ֙מַח֙ ב֌ַכ֌ַ֔ד ו֌מְעַט֟שֶׁ֖מֶן ב֌ַ׊֌ַ׀֌֑֞חַת וְה֮נְנֹ֮י מְקֹשֶׁ֜שֶׁת שְׁנַ֣י֎ם עֵ׊֎֗ים ו֌ב֞֙את֎י֙ וַעֲשׂ֎ית֎֙יהו֌֙ ל֎֣י וְל֮בְנ֮֔י וַאֲכַלְנֻ֖הו֌ ו֞מ֞֜תְנו֌׃

English:

“As the ETERNAL your God lives,” she replied, “I have nothing baked, nothing but a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am just gathering a couple of sticks, so that I can go home and prepare it for me and my son; we shall eat it and then we shall die.”

The widow swears by Eliyahu's God that she has nothing baked -- only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug -- and is gathering 'two sticks' to bake one final meal for herself and her son before they die of starvation. Her oath, 'as the Lord your God lives,' echoes Eliyahu's own opening oath of verse 1; she names his God even though she is a Sidonian widow. The detail of 'two sticks' (Radak: literally two) sharpens the destitution -- not even enough wood for a proper fire.
ךש׎יRashi
מ֞עוֹג. כ֌ְמוֹ עו֌ג֞ה. מְלֹא כַף. ת֌֎ךְג֌ֵם יוֹנ֞ת֞ן: מְלֵי ׀֌֎יסַת יְד־א. בַ׊֌ַ׀֌֞חַת. ביטויל"א ב֌ְלַעַ"ז (ב֌ַקְב֌ו֌קוֹן), כ֌ְמוֹ שֶׁנ֌ֶאֱמַך ב֌ְשׁ֞או֌ל: ׊ַ׀֌ַחַת הַמ֌ַי֎ם אֲשֶׁך מֵךַאֲשׁוֹת֞יו. ו֞מ֞תְנו֌. מ֎ש֌ׁ֞ם ו֌לְהַל֌֞ן נ֞מו֌ת ב֌֞ך֞ע֞ב.
Cake. [מעוג means] the same as עוגה [=cake]. A handful. [Targum] Yonoson rendered, "the palm of a handful." In a bottle. Bouteille, in O.F., as it is stated regarding Shaul, "the flask of water that was at [Shaul's] head."7I Shmuel 26:12. We will die. From then on,8I.e., because after we eat it there is nothing else left for us to eat so ultimately we will die of hunger. we will die of hunger.

׀סוק י׮ג · Verse 13

Hebrew:

וַי֌ֹ֚אמֶך אֵלֶրיה֞ אֵל֎י֌֞֙הו֌֙ אַל֟ת֌֎֣יךְא֎֔י ב֌ֹ֖א֎י עֲשׂ֎֣י כ֎דְב֞ךֵ֑ךְ אַ֣ךְ עֲשׂ֎י֟ל֎֜י֟מ֎֠שׁ֌֞֠ם ×¢Ö»×’ÖžÖš×” קְטַנ֌֞րה ב֞ך֎֜אשֹׁנ֞ה֙ וְהוֹ׊ֵ֣את ל֮֔י וְל֣֞ךְ וְל֎בְנֵ֔ךְ ת֌ַעֲשׂ֎֖י ב֌֞אַחֲךֹנ֞֜ה׃

English:

“Don’t be afraid,” said Elijah to her. “Go and do as you have said; but first make me a small cake from what you have there, and bring it out to me; then make some for yourself and your son.

Eliyahu tells her not to fear, but to make him a small cake from her flour first, then make for herself and her son. Rashi notes a midrashic tradition from Bereishit Rabbah (now lost to our texts) that explains the 'first' requirement; Radak preserves another midrash that since Eliyahu was a kohen, she was being asked to give him challah from her dough. Whatever the symbolic frame, the request asks her to act on the prophetic word before she sees it confirmed.
ךש׎יRashi
×¢Ö»×’Öž×” קְטַנ֌֞ה ב֞ך֎אשֹׁנ֞ה. מ֎דְךַשׁ אַג֌֞ד֞ה יֵשׁ, (ל֞מ֌֞ה ב֌֞ך֎אשׁוֹנ֞ה) ב֌ְוַת֌ֹאמֶך לֵא֞ה ב֌֞ג֞ד.
A small cake first. There is a Midrash Aggdah in Bereishis Rabboh9The Midrash cited by Rashi is not found in our texts of Midrash Rabboh on this verse. (why he wanted it first) on [the verse], "And Leah said, 'Unexpected success has come.'"10Bereishis 30:11.

׀סוק י׮ד · Verse 14

Hebrew:

כ֌֎֣י כֹה֩ א֞מַ֚ך יְהֹו֞֜ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י י֎שְׂך֞אֵ֗ל כ֌ַրד הַק֌ֶ֙מַח֙ לֹ֣א ת֎כְל֞֔ה וְ׊ַ׀֌ַ֥חַת הַשׁ֌ֶ֖מֶן לֹ֣א תֶחְס֑֞ך עַ֠ד י֧וֹם (תתן) [ת֌ֵת֟]יְהֹו֛֞ה ג֌ֶ֖שֶׁם עַל֟׀֌ְנֵ֥י ה֞אֲד֞מ֞֜ה׃

English:

For thus said the ETERNAL, the God of Israel: The jar of flour shall not give out and the jug of oil shall not fail until the day that GOD sends rain upon the ground.”

Eliyahu makes the promise explicit: 'the jar of flour shall not give out and the jug of oil shall not fail until the day the Lord sends rain.' The two vessels become the visible signs by which divine sustenance is mediated through the prophetic word; their daily refilling is a quiet, domestic parallel to the cosmic shutting of the sky.

׀סוק ט׮ו · Verse 15

Hebrew:

וַת֌ֵ֥לֶךְ וַ֜ת֌ַעֲשֶׂ֖ה כ֌֎דְבַ֣ך אֵￜￜ֎י֌֑֞הו֌ וַת֌ֹ֧אכַל (הוא והיא) [ה֎֜יא֟ו֞ה֛ו֌א] ו֌בֵית֖֞ה֌ י֞מ֎֜ים׃

English:

She went and did as Elijah had spoken, and she and he and her household had food for a long time.

She does as Eliyahu has spoken, and the household -- she, he, and her son -- eats 'for many days.' Radak notes a midrashic reading of the kethiv/qere variation 'he and she' versus 'she and he': the kethiv puts Eliyahu first because the miracle was performed for his sake; the qere puts the widow first because she is the protagonist of the verse. Either way, the same flour and the same oil now feed not only her son but Eliyahu and her household.

׀סוק ט׮ז · Verse 16

Hebrew:

כ֌ַրד הַק֌ֶ֙מַח֙ לֹ֣א כ֞ל֞֔ת֞ה וְ׊ַ׀֌ַ֥חַת הַשׁ֌ֶ֖מֶן לֹ֣א ח֞סֵ֑ך כ֌֎דְבַ֣ך יְהֹו֞֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ך ד֌֎ב֌ֶ֖ך ב֌ְיַ֥ד אֵ֜ל֎י֌֞֜הו֌׃ {×€}

English:

The jar of flour did not give out, nor did the jug of oil fail, just as GOD had spoken through Elijah.

The narrative confirms the fulfillment: the jar of flour did not give out, the jug of oil did not fail, exactly as God's word through Eliyahu had spoken. The miracle is summarized not as a one-time act but as an ongoing daily sustenance that lasted throughout the famine.

׀סוק י׮ז · Verse 17

Hebrew:

וַיְה֎֗י אַחַך֙ הַד֌ְב֞ך֎֣ים ה֞אֵ֔ל֌ֶה ח־ל־֕ה ב֌ֶן֟ה֞א֎שׁ֌֖֞ה ב֌ַעֲלַ֣ת הַב֌֑֞י֎ת וַיְה֎րי חׇלְיוֹ֙ ח֞ז֣֞ק מְאֹ֔ד עַ֛ד אֲשֶׁ֥ך לֹא֟נ֜וֹתְך֞ה֟ב֌֖וֹ נְשׁ֞מ֞֜ה׃

English:

After a while, the son of that woman—the owner of the house—fell sick, and his illness grew worse, until he had no breath left in him.

After these things, the widow's son falls ill, and his illness grows so severe that 'no breath was left in him.' Rashi cites Chazal (Sanhedrin 113a): the boy was made to die specifically so that the 'key of resurrection' would be invoked -- one of the divinely guarded keys not normally entrusted to mortals. Radak preserves a debate: some hold the boy entered only a death-like coma (since the same phrase 'no breath was left in him' appears in Daniel as hyperbole), but Radak himself follows the plain meaning that he died fully.
ךש׎יRashi
ח־ל־ה ב֌ֶן ה֞א֎ש֌ׁ֞ה. כ֌ְדֵי שֶׁי֌֎׊ְט֞ךֵךְ לְמַ׀ְת֌ֵחַ שֶׁל תְח֎י֌ַת הַמ֌ֵת֎ים, כ֌֎דְא֎ית֞א בְשׁ֎לְהֵי אַג֌ַדְת֌֞א ד֌ְחֵלֶק.
Illness struck the son of the woman. So that he should need the Key of Resurrection of the Dead, as stated at the end of the Aggadah of [the chapter entitled] "Cheilek."11Maseches Sanhedrin 113a.

׀סוק י׮ח · Verse 18

Hebrew:

וַת֌ֹ֙אמֶך֙ אֶל֟אֵ֣ל֎י֌֞֔הו֌ מַה֟ל֌֎֥י ו־ל־֖ךְ א֎֣ישׁ ה֞אֱלֹה֎֑ים ב֌֧֞את֞ אֵלַ֛י לְהַזְכ֌֎֥יך אֶת֟עֲוֺנ֎֖י ו֌לְה֞מ֎֥ית אֶת֟ב֌ְנ֎֜י׃

English:

She said to Elijah, “What harm have I done you, O agent of God, that you should come here to recall my sin and cause the death of my son?”

The widow turns on Eliyahu with grief and accusation: 'What have I to do with you, man of God? You came to me to recall my sin and kill my son.' Rashi reads her with profound psychological depth: before Eliyahu came to live in her house, her deeds were weighed against those of her city and she looked righteous and deserving of miracles; once a true prophet was living under her roof, every flaw of hers was thrown into relief and her righteousness ceased to be noticeable -- the same dynamic, Rashi notes, that made Lot afraid to flee to the mountain where Avraham was. Radak offers a simpler reading: she assumed she had not served the prophet adequately, and her son's death was God's response.
ךש׎יRashi
לְהַזְכ֌֎יך אֶת עֲוֹנ֎י. עַד שֶׁל֌ֹא ב֌֞את֞ אֵלַי, ה֞יו֌ שׁוֹקְל֎ין מַעֲשַׂי ו֌מַעֲשֵׂה ע֎יך֎י, וְה֞י֎ית֎י ךְאו֌י֞ה לְנֵס, מ֎ש֌ֶׁב֌֞את֞ לְכ־אן, לֹא נֶחְשַׁבְת֌֎י ל֎כְלו֌ם, וְאֵין ׊֎דְק֞ת֎י נ֎כ֌ֶךֶת (סְ׀֞ך֎ים אֲחֵך֎ים: נ֎זְכ֌ֶךֶת), וְכֵן ב֌ְלוֹט הו֌א אוֹמֵך: וְא֞נֹכ֎י לֹא או֌כַל לְה֎מ֌֞לֵט ה־ה־׹־ה, אֵ׊ֶל אַבְך֞ה֞ם, שֶׁל֌ֹא ת֌ְהֵא זְכו֌ת֎י נ֎זְכ֌ֶךֶת אֶ׊ְלוֹ.
To cause my sins to be remembered. Before you came, they would weigh my deeds and the deeds of my city, and I was worthy of a miracle. But since you came here, I am not reckoned with as [being worthy of] anything and my righteousness is not noticeable.12Before you came I was no worse than my neighbors, but compared to you I am a sinner.—Ralbag 13Alternatively, she said that her sins were being remembered because she had not properly served Eliyahu, and that is why her son died.—Radak (Other texts: Remembered) And similarly, concerning Lot it states, "I cannot escape to the mountain,"14Bereishis 19:19. [i.e., referring] to Avrohom, for my merit will not be remembered next to his.15Bereishis Rabboh 50:11.

׀סוק י׮ט · Verse 19

Hebrew:

וַי֌ֹ֥אמֶך אֵלֶ֖יה֞ ת֌ְנ֎י֟ל֎֣י אֶת֟ב֌ְנֵ֑ךְ וַי֌֎ק֌֞חֵ֣הו֌ מֵחֵיק֞֗ה֌ וַ֜י֌ַעֲלֵ֙הו֌֙ אֶל֟ה֞עֲל֎י֌֞֗ה אֲשֶׁך֟הו֌א֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב שׁ֞֔ם וַי֌ַשְׁכ֌֎בֵ֖הו֌ עַל֟מ֎ט֌֞תￜￜוֹ׃

English:

“Give me the boy,” he said to her; and taking him from her arms, he carried him to the upper chamber where he was staying, and laid him down on his own bed.

׀סוק כ׳ · Verse 20

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎קְך֥֞א אֶל֟יְהֹו֖֞ה וַי֌ֹאמַ֑ך יְהֹו֣֞ה אֱלֹה֞֔י הֲ֠גַ֠ם עַ֜ל֟ה֞אַלְמ֞נ֞֞ה אֲשֶׁך֟אֲנ֎֚י מ֎תְג֌וֹךֵ֥ך ע֎מ֌֛֞ה֌ הֲךֵע֖וֹת֞ לְה֞מ֎֥ית אֶת֟ב֌ְנ֞֜ה֌׃

English:

He cried out to GOD and said, “My ETERNAL God, will You bring calamity upon this widow whose guest I am, and let her son die?”

Eliyahu cries out to God: 'My Lord God, even upon the widow with whom I sojourn have You brought evil, to kill her son?' Metzudat David and Radak both unpack the prayer's force: Eliyahu effectively argues with God that it is bad enough that he himself wanders as a fugitive because of his drought-oath, but is divine wrath now extending even to the one person who sheltered him? Will any future host now turn him away? Radak adds that the targum's reading ('she will not be punished and her son shall not die') suggests the child had not fully died, supporting the coma reading.

׀סוק כ׮א · Verse 21

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎תְמֹדֵրד עַל֟הַי֌ֶ֙לֶד֙ שׁ֞לֹ֣שׁ ׀֌ְע֞מ֎֔ים וַי֌֎קְך֥֞א אֶל֟יְהֹו֖֞ה וַי֌ֹאמַ֑ך יְהֹו֣֞ה אֱלֹה֞֔י ת֌֥֞שׇׁב נ־֛א נֶ׀ֶשׁ֟הַי֌ֶ֥לֶד הַז֌ֶ֖ה עַל֟ק֎ךְב֌֜וֹ׃

English:

Then he stretched out over the child three times, and cried out to GOD, saying, “My ETERNAL God, let this child’s life return to his body!”

Eliyahu stretches himself out (וַי֎֌תְמֹדֵד) upon the child three times and cries: 'My Lord God, let this child's soul return to his inwards.' Rashi reads the verb from the root 'measure' -- Eliyahu literally measured himself against the child by stretching out his full body upon him. Metzudat David and Radak both compare this to Elisha's later resurrection of the Shunamite's son (II Kings 4:34), where the prophet places mouth upon mouth and eyes upon eyes. Radak suggests the bodily contact serves two purposes: it focuses the prophet's concentration on the very person he is praying for, and it may also have warmed the child's body, since miracles often work through a thin envelope of natural means.
ךש׎יRashi
וַי֌֎תְמֹדֵד. מ֎ל֌ְשׁוֹן מ֎ד֌֞ה, נ֎שְׁת֌ַט֌ַח ע֞ל֞יו.
He spread himself out. [ויתמודד is] an expression of מדה, [i.e.,] he spread himself upon him.16Eliyahu prostrated himself in the same manner as Elisha did, in the case of Shunamis' son. He placed his eyes on the youth's eyes, and his mouth on the youth's mouth, in II Melochim 4:34.—Radak

׀סוק כ׮ב · Verse 22

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎שְׁמַ֥ע יְהֹו֖֞ה ב֌ְק֣וֹל אֵל֎י֌֑֞הו֌ וַת֌֧֞שׇׁב נֶ׀ֶשׁ֟הַי֌ֶ֛לֶד עַל֟ק֎ךְב֌֖וֹ וַי֌ֶ֜ח֎י׃

English:

GOD heard Elijah’s plea; the child’s life returned to his body, and he revived.

׀סוק כ׮ג · Verse 23

Hebrew:

וַי֌֎ק֌ַ֚ח אֵל֎י֌֞֜הו֌ אֶת֟הַי֌ֶ֗לֶד וַי֌ֹך֎דֵրהו֌ מ֎ן֟ה֞֜עֲל֎י֌֞ה֙ הַב֌ַ֔יְת֞ה וַ֜י֌֎ת֌ְנֵ֖הו֌ לְא֎מ֌֑וֹ וַי֌ֹ֙אמֶך֙ אֵ֣ל֎י֌֞֔הו֌ ׹ְא֖֮י חַ֥י ב֌ְנֵ֜ךְ׃

English:

Elijah picked up the child and brought him down from the upper room into the main room, and gave him to his mother. “See,” said Elijah, “your son is alive.”

׀סוק כ׮ד · Verse 24

Hebrew:

וַת֌ֹրאמֶך ה֞֜א֎שׁ֌֞ה֙ אֶל֟אֵ֣ל֎י֌֞֔הו֌ עַת֌֞ה֙ זֶ֣ה י֞דַ֔עְת֌֎י כ֌֎֛י א֎֥ישׁ אֱלֹה֎֖ים א֑֞ת֌֞ה ו֌דְבַך֟יְהֹו֥֞ה ב֌ְ׀֎֖יך֞ אֱמֶ֜ת׃ {×€}

English:

And the woman answered Elijah, “Now I know that you are an agent of God and that the word of GOD is truly in your mouth.”

The widow responds: 'Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.' Metzudat David explains the apparent redundancy -- she had already called him an איש האלהים when he arrived. Until now she had been uncertain whether his promise about the flour and oil was his own prophecy or merely a secondhand report from another prophet. The resurrection of her son proves that the prophetic word is in his own mouth -- meaning that the earlier promise too had been his own direct revelation. Radak reads the second half slightly differently: 'now I know you are a man of God by raising my son, and the proof of the earlier promise (flour and oil) was already true.' The chapter that opened with a prophet's oath swallowing the sky closes with a private acknowledgment from a foreign widow that the word in his mouth is truth.

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