John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 6. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening , etc.] For his breakfast and supper, the two principal meals then in use; and as there were several employed, they could bring a sufficiency in a short time for each meal; and these provisions were ready prepared, the bread made and baked, and the flesh boiled, broiled, or roasted; from whence they had it need not be inquired after; the Jews say they were fetched from Ahab’s table, and others from Jehoshaphat’s, and others, as probable as any, from the tables of the 7000 who had not bowed the knee to Baal: and he drank of the brook ; at his meals. Ver. 7 . And it came to pass after a while , etc.] Or “at the end of days” f370 , perhaps a year, which sometimes is the sense of this phrase, (see Exodus 13:10 Judges 17:10), that the brook dried up ; through the excessive heat, and for want of supplies from the springs and fountains with which it was fed, and for the following reason: because there had been no rain in the land ; from the time Elijah prayed and prophesied; of this drought mention is made in profane history:
Menander, a Phoenician writer, speaks of a drought in the times of Ithobalus (the same with Ethbaal the father of Jezebel), which lasted a whole year, and upon prayer being made there were thunder, etc.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-7 - God wonderfully suits men to the work he designs them for. The time were fit for an Elijah; an Elijah was fit for them. The Spirit of the Lord knows how to fit men for the occasions. Elijah let Ahab know tha God was displeased with the idolaters, and would chastise them by the want of rain, which it was not in the power of the gods they served to bestow. Elijah was commanded to hide himself. If Providence calls us to solitude and retirement, it becomes us to go: when we cannot be useful we must be patient; and when we cannot work for God, we must sit stil quietly for him. The ravens were appointed to bring him meat, and di so. Let those who have but from hand to mouth, learn to live upo Providence, and trust it for the bread of the day, in the day. God could have sent angels to minister to him; but he chose to show that he can serve his own purposes by the meanest creatures, as effectually a by the mightiest. Elijah seems to have continued thus above a year. The natural supply of water, which came by common providence, failed; but the miraculous supply of food, made sure to him by promise, failed not If the heavens fail, the earth fails of course; such are all ou creature-comforts: we lose them when we most need them, like brooks in summer. But there is a river which makes glad the city of God, tha never runs dry, a well of water that springs up to eternal life. Lord give us that living water! (1Ki 17:8-16)
Original Hebrew והערבים6158 מביאים935 לו לחם3899 ובשׂר1320 בבקר1242 ולחם3899 ובשׂר1320 בערב6153 ומן4480 הנחל5158 ישׁתה׃8354
