Widow of Zarephath
Gentile Sidonian (Zarephath of Zidon) · Divided Kingdom · Old Testament
- Also called
- Widow of Sarepta
- Role
- Gentile widow who sheltered Elijah
- When
- 9th century BC (reign of Ahab)
What they did
In the famine she used her last handful of meal to feed Elijah, and her barrel of meal and cruse of oil did not fail. When her son died, Elijah prayed and God restored him to life.
Why it matters: the purpose of their role
Jesus pointed to her to show that God's grace reached a Gentile when many in Israel were passed by (Luke 4:25-26). She confessed that the word of the LORD in Elijah's mouth is truth.
And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth. 1 Kings 17:24 (KJV)
Bible references
Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. 1 Kings 17:9 (KJV)
And she went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah. 1 Kings 17:15-16 (KJV)
And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth. 1 Kings 17:24 (KJV)
But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. Luke 4:25-26 (KJV)
Family
- Children
- A son, raised from death