The Meaning of 1 Kings 17:14 Explained

1 Kings 17:14

KJV: For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth.

YLT: for thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, The pitcher of meal is not consumed, and the dish of oil is not lacking, till the day of Jehovah's giving a shower on the face of the ground.'

Darby: For thus saith Jehovah the God of Israel: The meal in the barrel shall not waste, neither shall the oil in the cruse fail, until the day that Jehovah sendeth rain upon the face of the earth!

ASV: For thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, The jar of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that Jehovah sendeth rain upon the earth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For thus saith  the LORD  God  of Israel,  The barrel  of meal  shall not waste,  neither shall the cruse  of oil  fail,  until the day  [that] the LORD  sendeth  rain  upon  the earth. 

What does 1 Kings 17:14 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 17:8-16 - The Jar Of Meal That Wasted Not
Even at Cherith we cannot be exempt from trial, and it is hard to sit beside a gradually dwindling brook. But God always provides. None of them that trust in Him shall be desolate. Whether the visible agents are ravens, or a poor heathen widow ready to perish, it matters little. God's majestic "I have commanded" is enough. Whether it is ordinary or extraordinary, natural or supernatural, through Jew or Gentile, God's purpose does not tarry.
Gentile help supplied what Israel might not give, Luke 4:25-26. God uses the weak and foolish things as well as those which are not, 1 Corinthians 1:28. Yet there were noble qualities in this woman. She did not complain, but went at once for the water; she was generous and hospitable, and believed that God would supply their need. How little did she realize the greatness of her reward, Matthew 10:41-42! But her faith was great. She stood the test of making Elijah's cake first, believing that afterward there would be enough for herself and her son. Though she little understood it, she had within her a spark of the same fire that burned in the soul of the great prophet; and therefore, when we all stand in our lot at the end of the days, Daniel 12:13, her portion will be with the great prophets and heroes of faith. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 17

1  Elijah, having prophesied against Ahab,
3  is sent to Cherith where the ravens feed him
8  He is sent to the widow of Zarephath
17  He raises the widow's son
24  The woman believes him

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 17:14 mean?

For thus says Yahweh God of Israel the bin of flour not shall be used up and the jar of oil nor shall run dry until the day - sends Yahweh rain on on the earth
כִּ֣י כֹה֩ אָמַ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כַּ֤ד הַקֶּ֙מַח֙ לֹ֣א תִכְלָ֔ה וְצַפַּ֥חַת הַשֶּׁ֖מֶן לֹ֣א תֶחְסָ֑ר עַ֠ד י֧וֹם [תתן־] (תֵּת־) יְהוָ֛ה גֶּ֖שֶׁם עַל־ פְּנֵ֥י הָאֲדָמָֽה

כֹה֩  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֨ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֜ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵ֣י  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
כַּ֤ד  the  bin 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: כַּד  
Sense: jar, large jar (portable).
הַקֶּ֙מַח֙  of  flour 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֶמַח  
Sense: flour, meal, meal flour.
תִכְלָ֔ה  shall  be  used  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: כָּלָה  
Sense: to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent.
וְצַפַּ֥חַת  and  the  jar 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: צַפַּחַת  
Sense: jar, jug (for liquids).
הַשֶּׁ֖מֶן  of  oil 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁמֶן  
Sense: fat, oil.
לֹ֣א  nor 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תֶחְסָ֑ר  shall  run  dry 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: חָסֵר  
Sense: to lack, be without, decrease, be lacking, have a need.
עַ֠ד  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
י֧וֹם  the  day 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
[תתן־]  - 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
(תֵּת־)  sends 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
יְהוָ֛ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
גֶּ֖שֶׁם  rain 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֶּשֶׁם  
Sense: rain, shower.
הָאֲדָמָֽה  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲדָמָה 
Sense: ground, land.