1 Kings 17:8–16

⁸A message came to Elijah from the Lord. He said, ⁹“Go right away to Zarephath in the territory of Sidon. Stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food.”

¹⁰So Elijah went to Zarephath. He came to the town gate. A widow was there gathering sticks. He called out to her. He asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar? I need a drink.”

¹¹She went to get the water.

Then he called out to her, “Please bring me a piece of bread too.”

¹²“I don’t have any bread,” she replied. “And that’s just as sure as the Lord your God is alive. All I have is a small amount of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I’m gathering a few sticks to take home. I’ll make one last meal for myself and my son. We’ll eat it. After that, we’ll die.”

¹³Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home. Do what you have said. But first make a little bread for me. Make it out of what you have. Bring it to me. Then make some for yourself and your son.

¹⁴“The Lord is the God of Israel. He says, ‘The jar of flour will not be used up. The jug will always have oil in it. You will have flour and oil until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’ ”

¹⁵She went away and did what Elijah had told her to do. So Elijah had food every day. There was also food for the woman and her family. ¹⁶The jar of flour wasn’t used up. The jug always had oil in it. That’s what the Lord had said would happen. He had spoken that message through Elijah.