1 Kings 17:17
in 1 Kings 17Later, the son of the woman who owned the house became ill, and his sickness grew worse and worse, until no breath remained in him.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.
KJV
And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him.
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This verse in 1 Kings 17
Commentary
8 notes on this verseObserve carefully the tears of that woman, and see her humility in her grief, because she does not at all blame the judgment of God or rise against the prophet. In the humility of her intellect, she recognizes that that sentence struck her because of …
This site's exposition
until no breath remained in him
on 1 Kings 17:17-18
The widow's son sickens until “no breath remained in him”. She asks whether the prophet has come “to remind me of my iniquity and cause the death of my son”. Her question ties the death to her own sin and to the man whose word brought drought at verse 1.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
A commentator
Philoxenus of Mabbug13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 2 -- On Faith · Written before 523.
proposed
And again when he raised the widow's son, he prayed, and prostrated himself, and then raised him. And in this prayer also faith made its appearance. For if he had not believed that he could raise him, he would not have taken the boy from …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
He prayed earnestly (in a holy indignation at Israel's apostasy, and a holy zeal for the glory of God, whose judgments were defied) that it might not rain; and, according to his prayers, the heavens became as brass, till he prayed again that it might rain. In allusion to this story it is said of God's witnesses ( Rev. xi.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And it came to pass after these things,....
Thus his story begins with judgments and miracles, designed to awaken that stupid generation that had to deeply corrupted themselves. 1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the L ORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
No breath - Or, “no spirit,” “no soul.” (Compare Gen 2:7). The word used is translated “spirit” in Pro 20:27; Ecc 3:21; Job 26:4; and elsewhere.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
There was no breath left in him - He ceased to breathe and died.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְהִ֗י | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| אַחַר֙ | ʾachar | after | H310 → | 715 times |
| הַדְּבָרִ֣ים | hadevarim | the things | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| הָאֵ֔לֶּה | haeleh | <the> these | H428 → | 746 times |
| חָלָ֕ה | chalah | he became sick | H2470 → | 76 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| הָאִשָּׁ֖ה | haishah | the woman | H802 → | 781 times |
| בַּעֲלַ֣ת | baalat | [the] mistress of | H1172 → | |
| הַבָּ֑יִת | habayit | the house | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| וַיְהִ֤י | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| חָלְיוֹ֙ | chalyo | sickness his | H2483 → | |
| חָזָ֣ק | chazak | severe | H2389 → | 56 times |
| מְאֹ֔ד | meod | very | H3966 → | 300 times |
| עַ֛ד | ʾad | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לֹא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| נֽוֹתְרָה־ | notrah- | it was left | H3498 → | 106 times |
| בּ֖וֹ | bo | in him | ||
| נְשָׁמָֽה׃ | neshamah | breath | H5397 → |
וַיְהִ֗יand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
אַחַר֙after
ʾacharH310 →715 times
הַדְּבָרִ֣יםthe things
hadevarimH1697 →1440 times
הָאֵ֔לֶּה<the> these
haelehH428 →746 times
חָלָ֕הhe became sick
chalahH2470 →76 times
בֶּן־[the] son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
הָאִשָּׁ֖הthe woman
haishahH802 →781 times
בַּעֲלַ֣ת[the] mistress of
baalatH1172 →
הַבָּ֑יִתthe house
habayitH1004 →2046 times
וַיְהִ֤יand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
חָלְיוֹ֙sickness his
chalyoH2483 →
חָזָ֣קsevere
chazakH2389 →56 times
מְאֹ֔דvery
meodH3966 →300 times
עַ֛דuntil
ʾadH5704 →1261 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לֹא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
נֽוֹתְרָה־it was left
notrah-H3498 →106 times
בּ֖וֹin him
bo
נְשָׁמָֽה׃breath
neshamahH5397 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Peter 1:7so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
it leads to
- Job 23:10
Yet He knows the way I have taken; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
- James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him.
- Isaiah 48:10
See, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
- 1 Peter 4:12
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that has come upon you, as though something strange were happening to you.
- James 1:3–4
because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
- Job 23:10
Through
Job 34:14If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath,
it leads to
- Psalms 104:29
When You hide Your face, they are terrified; when You take away their breath, they die and return to dust.
- Psalms 104:29
Through
John 11:14So Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead,
it leads to
- John 16:25
I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. An hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you this way, but will tell you plainly about the Father.
- John 10:24
So the Jews gathered around Him and demanded, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
- John 16:25
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 1 Kings
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ephrem the Syrian, ON THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS 17:2; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Philoxenus of Mabbug, 13 Ascetic Discourses, Discourse 2 -- On Faith.