HOME | SCRIPTURE INDEX | MOVIE INDEX | ART INDEX | SEARCH | ABOUT | MOBILE | ADVERTISE | SUPPORT | BLOG | CONTACT

1 Kings 17:8-24
With thanks to page sponsor 2015:
Steve Godfrey,
Church in the World

• Reading the Text:
  • NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
  • Hebrew Interlinear Bible, WLCv, WLC5, CHES, AV.
  • The Bible Gateway: NRSV, RSV, NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
  • The Blue Letter Bible. KJV, alternate versions, Hebrew text with concordance, commentaries.
  • The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary, exposition and sermons.
• Historical References, Commentary and Comparative Texts:
  • IV.21s, Against Marcion, Tertullian (c. 210)
  • II.LVII, Against Celsus, Origen. (c.246)
  • Concerning Works and Almsgiving -- Cyprian of Carthage (c. 254)
  • Chapter XIV, Historia Calamitatusm: The Story of My Misfortunes, Pierre Abélard / Peter Abelard, c. 1140.
  • Rashi's Commentary, c. 1075. chabad.org.
  • From the Geneva Notes.
    • "As the troubles of the saints of God are many, so his mercy is always at hand to deliver them."
  • From Matthew Henry's Commentary.
    • "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."
  • From Wesley's Notes.
    • "And God's providing for his prophet, first, by an unclean bird, and then by a Gentile, whom the Jews esteemed unclean, was a presage of the calling of the Gentiles, and rejection of the Jews."
  • From the Commentary on the Whole Bible (Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
    • "Meeting, at his entrance into the town, the very woman who was appointed by divine providence to support him, his faith was severely tested by learning from her that her supplies were exhausted and that she was preparing her last meal for herself and son. The Spirit of God having prompted him to ask, and her to grant, some necessary succor, she received a prophet's reward (Mt 10:41, 42), and for the one meal afforded to him, God, by a miraculous increase of the little stock, afforded many to her."
• Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
  • Commentary, 1 Kings 17:17-24 (Pentecost 3C), Julianna Claassens, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2016.
    • "Deprivation and despair are two words that come to mind when reading the stories narrated in 1 Kings 17"
  • "An Amazinng Partnership with God," James Alexander Forbes, Jr., ON Scripture. Includes discussion questions and video.
  • "Avoid the Magic, View the Man," John C. Holbert, The Peripatetic Preacher, 2016.
  • Pulpit Fiction, with podcast. Reflections of lectionary text, pop culture, current events, etc. Robb Mc Coy and Eric Fistler, 2016.
  • Commentary, 1 Kings 17:8-16, Michael J. Chan, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2016.
    • "The widow of Zarephath labors under a death sentence."
  • The Truett Pulpit, Dr. Vicki Vaughn, Executive Director, Richard Jackson Center for Evangelism & Encouragement, Brownwood, Texas.
  • Commentary, 1 Kings 17:8-16, Steed Davidson, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2015.
    • "The literary shifts that bring us to chapter 17 in the book of Kings make Elijah the central character of this narrative."
  • Commentary, 1 Kings 17:17-24 (Pentecost 3C), Cameron Howard, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2013.
    • "The widow's doubt, as well as her profession of faith, may also be our own. It is easy to believe in death-dealing powers, for that is what we witness in the world every day. It is much harder to imagine the power of love that conquers death."
  • "Love Your Bible, But Watch Out!" John C. Holbert, Opening the Old Testament, 2013.
    • "May this remarkable scene not suggest that our human attempts to box God into a simple reward/punishment nexus, to claim that we always know what God is about in our lives, need to cease?"
  • "The Politics of 1 Kings 17:8-16, (17-24)," MaryAnn McKibben Dana, Political Theology, 2013.
  • "Fight, Flight and Freeze," Lia Scholl, The Hardest Question, 2013.
    • "The church and trauma."
  • Pulpit Fiction, podcast. Reflections of lectionary text, pop culture, current events, etc. Robb Mc Coy and Eric Fistler, 2013.
  • Commentary, 1 Kings 17:8-16 (Pentecost 3C), Corrine Carvalho, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2013.
    • "The proclamation of biblical texts in the context of a community of faith feeds the religious imagination of that community, and provides an opportunity to challenge naïve ethical conclusions that do not fully appreciate the impact of religious and political decisions on people at risk of starvation and death. They challenge the assumption that God is best seen in glorious victory and suggest that God is more present among those whose lives are most affected by the decisions of those in power."
  • Commentary, 1 Kings 17:8-16, Pentecost 24B, Kathryn Schifferdecker, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2012.
    • "Do not be afraid. There is enough. In God’s abundant mercy, there is more than enough. Thanks be to God."
  • Radical Gratitude, 1 Kings 17:8-24, lectionary-based stewardship, Northwest United Methodist Foundation. (.pdf)
  • Commentary, 1 Kings 17:17-24 (Pentecost 2C), Amy Erickson, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2010.
    • "The wheels almost come off the wagon of the bold narrative known as the Elijah cycle, when the boy dies unexpectedly."
  • Surprising Abundance, Bruce Epperly, Faith Forward, Patheos, 2010.
    • "The encounter between Elijah and widow is an inspiration and a challenge for today?s moderate and progressive churches and institutions: an inspiration to explore today?s perceived 'impossibilities' in light of divine wisdom and to trust God enough to generously share with others, knowing that generosity connects us with the energy of the universe and the wisdom of God, which will provide for our deepest needs."
  • I Kings 17:8-16 (17-24), Pentecost 2, The Old Testament Readings: Weekly Comments on the Revised Common Lectionary, Theological Hall of the Uniting Church, Melbourne, Australia.
    • "The woman, like the prophet she feeds, will be supported by the Lord..."
  • "The Miracle of the Jars," Larry Broding's Word-Sunday.Com: A Lectionary Resource for Catholics.
  • "Elijah Raising the Widow's Son," Old Testament Analysis, Sermons from Seattle, Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington. Detailed background and exegesis.
    • "It is important to know who is an authentic man/woman of God and that the Word of the Lord is TRULY being spoken."
  • Kairos CoMotion Lectionary Discussion, 1 Kings 17:8-24, "A place of conversation regarding Progressive Christianity."
    • "Isn't it intriguing that with a goose that lays golden eggs, we are still fearful and ready to blame G*D for not being only a positive force in our life. Here the widow still had her unending supply (good) but loses her son (bad) and that the latter is seen as G*D's judgment, not the former."
  • Commentary, 1 Kings 17:8-16, Pentecost 23B, Juliana Claassens, Preaching This Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2009.
    • "Just as surprising as the widow of Zarephath's intervention in the life of Elijah would have been, so we may find ourselves surprised and blessed by those whom we would least expect to serve as our source of survival."
  • 1 Kings 17:8-16, Studies on Old Testament texts from Series B, Ralph W. Klein, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.
  • "The Widow of Zeraphath," Michael Hudson, Homily Blog, 2009.
    • "What constitutes a tipping point between self-protection and generosity?"
  • "Testings and Ministry at Zaraphath (1 Kings 17:8-16)," by J. Hampton Keathley III at the Biblical Studies Foundation.
    • "When you and I measure what God is doing, we tend to measure it by what we see and think according to the natural man. We tend to measure God?s supply, or our confidence and hope in God?s supply, by what we see. When we do this, we are walking by sight rather than by faith. The question we need to ask ourselves is: ?Do I tend to look at human conditions as a basis for my confidence or do I see through them to the Savior??"
• Recommended articles from ATLAS, an online collection of religion and theology journals, are linked below. ATLAS Access options are available for academic institutions, alumni of selected theological schools, and clergy/church offices. Annotated list of "starting place" articles at ATLAS for this week's texts (includes direct links).
  • Cohn, Robert L., "The Literary Logic of 1 Kings 17-19," Journal of Biblical Literature, 1982.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Dyrness, William, "Two Widows as Role Models," The Christian Century, 1994.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Evans, Craig A., "Luke's Use of the Elijah/Elisha Narratives and the Ethic of Election," Journal of Biblical Literature, 1987.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Glover, Neil, "Elijah versus the Narrative of Elijah: The Contest between the Prophet and the Word," Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, 2006.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Gomes, Peter J., "Veterans and Stewards," The Christian Century, 1997.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • "Homiletical Helps," Concordia Journal, 2010. (Section on this text begins on page 169)
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • "Homiletical Helps on LW Series C - Old Testament," Concordia Journal, 2004. (Section on this text begins on page 87.)
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Lasine, Stuart, "Matters of Life and Death: The Story of Elijah and the Widow's Son in Comparative Perspective," Biblical Interpretation, 2004.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Neumark, Heidi, "The Widow's Hand," The Christian Century, 2000.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Otto, Susanne, "The Composition of the Elijah-Elisha Stories and the Deuteronomistic History," Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, 2003.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Parzen, Herbert, "The Prophets and the Omri Dynasty," Harvard Theological Review, 1940.
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Perkins, Pheme, "Understanding Faith and Miracle," The Christian Century, 1989. (1 Kings 17:17-24)
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
  • Peter, David, "Homiletical Helps on LW Series C - Old Testament," Concordia Journal, 2007. (Section on this text begins on p. 196)
      EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
      EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
• Sermons:
  • "Turning Points," the Rev. Dr. Stephen Hayner, Day 1, 2010.
  • "Hard Decisions?" Rev. Frank Schaefer, DesperatePreacher.com.
• With Children:
  • Worshiping with Children, Including children in the congregation's worship, using the Revised Common Lectionary, Carolyn C. Brown, 2016.
  • Storypath, Connecting Children's Literature with our Faith Story, Union Presbyterian Seminary, 2016.
  • "Elijah," Illustrating the Story (lessons, children's sermons), coloring pages, activity sheets, crafts, children's songs. MSSS Crafts.
  • "Elijah," "Elijah (Part 2)," "Elijah (Part 3)," Linda Edwards, The Children's Chapel.
  • "All I Have Is a Little Olive Oil," Sunday School Lessons: Family Bible Study, art projects, music, stories, etc.
  • "The Ravens Bring Food to Elijah," "Elijah Helps a Poor Widow," children's study, puzzles, coloring sheet, etc. Higher Praise Christian Center.
• Drama:
  • "Elijah and the Raven," John Fewings, dramatix.
• Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
  • Images for this week's readings, Pitts Theology Library Digital Image Archive.
  • Clip Art: Elijah, Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld woodcuts, World Mission Collection, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
  • Elijah and Ravens, Clip Art, Anglican Diocese of Dunedin, New Zealand.
• Hymns and Music:
  • Hymnary.org, hymns, scores, media, information.
  • Hymns with Scripture Allusions: 1 Kings 17:16. The Cyber Hymnal.
• Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
  • Elijah
• Movies scenes with the following themes, listed at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance:
  • Sacrifice/Sacrificial Death
  • Generosity
• Study Links and Resources for the Book of 1 Kin

 

• INDEX BY SCRIPTURE
• PODCASTS
• NARRATIVE LECTIONARY RESOURCES
• DAILY LECTIONARY RESOURCES
• FESTIVALS/SPECIAL DAYS (includes Creation)
• FOR USE IN TIMES OF VIOLENCE
• PEACE RESOURCES
• FOR USE IN TIMES OF NATURAL DISASTER

• Year C
• Maundy Thurs Apr 14
• Good Friday Apr 15
• Easter Day Apr 17
• Easter 2 Apr 24
• Easter 3 May 1
• Easter 4 May 8
• Easter 5 May 15
• Easter 6 May 22
• Ascension May 26
• Easter 7 May 29
• Pentecost June 5
  

• Calendars
• YEAR A
• YEAR B
• YEAR C

©1997-2020, Jenee Woodard