1st Reading – 1 Kings 17:10-16

In those days, Elijah the prophet went to Zarephath.
As he arrived at the entrance of the city,
a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her,
“Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink.”
She left to get it, and he called out after her,
“Please bring along a bit of bread.”
She answered, “As the LORD, your God, lives,
I have nothing baked; there is only a handful of flour in my jar
and a little oil in my jug.
Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks,
to go in and prepare something for myself and my son;
when we have eaten it, we shall die.”
Elijah said to her, “Do not be afraid.
Go and do as you propose.
But first make me a little cake and bring it to me.
Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son.
For the LORD, the God of Israel, says,
‘The jar of flour shall not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
until the day when the LORD sends rain upon the earth.’”
She left and did as Elijah had said.
She was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well;
the jar of flour did not go empty,
nor the jug of oil run dry,
as the LORD had foretold through Elijah.

The books of 1 Kings and 2 Kings were originally a single narrative in the Hebrew Scriptures, but they were later divided into two parts for practical reasons. This separation happened when the Hebrew text was translated into Greek in the 3rd century BC, producing what is known as the Septuagint. The Septuagint’s Greek translation expanded the length of the text significantly, making it more manageable to copy, read, and reference if split into two scrolls. The tradition of dividing Kings into two books continued in the Latin Vulgate and was later adopted by most modern Bibles.

Together, the two books chronicle the history of Israel from the last days of King David through the era of the divided monarchy of Israel and Judah, concluding with the tragic fall of both kingdoms. Although recounting historical events, 1 and 2 Kings primarily serve as a theological reflection on Israel’s journey, emphasizing the blessings of covenant faithfulness and the consequences of forsaking God.

Today’s reading is a prediction-fulfillment story featuring Elijah, who was a prophet in the northern kingdom of Israel during the 9th century BC, amid a devastating drought.

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