The Meaning of 1 Kings 17:17 Explained

1 Kings 17:17

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.

YLT: And it cometh to pass, after these things, the son of the woman, mistress of the house, hath been sick, and his sickness is very severe till that no breath hath been left in him.

Darby: 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 severe that there was no breath left in him.

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 Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does 1 Kings 17:17 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 17:17-24 - New Life For The Dead
It must have been a severe trial to Elijah's faith, first to note the gradual diminishing of the brook; then the abject poverty of the woman to whom he was directed; and finally the illness and death of her child. But through it all, he held fast to the living God. It was still, "O Lord my God," 1 Kings 17:20. Affliction is no proof that we are off the path of duty. The way of obedience is sometimes paved with flints, as every servant of God has discovered. But the difficulties only give room for the exercise of greater faith, and reveal more of the delivering power of the Almighty Friend.
The true physician bends over the little child of the poor, eager to save a human life; but his power is limited. To faith and prayer, however, other forces are available, which accomplish what no skill or medicine can. When we have confessed and put away sin which the hour of anguish has brought to light, room is made for the exercise of that divine power which is always within the reach of hands that are lifted without fear or doubting. [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 17:17 mean?

And it came to pass after things these became sick [that] the son of the woman who owned the house and was his sickness so strong was so that - no there was left in him breath
וַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה חָלָ֕ה בֶּן־ הָאִשָּׁ֖ה בַּעֲלַ֣ת הַבָּ֑יִת וַיְהִ֤י חָלְיוֹ֙ חָזָ֣ק מְאֹ֔ד עַ֛ד אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־ נֽוֹתְרָה־ בּ֖וֹ נְשָׁמָֽה

וַיְהִ֗י  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
אַחַר֙  after 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
הַדְּבָרִ֣ים  things 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הָאֵ֔לֶּה  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
חָלָ֕ה  became  sick 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָלָה 
Sense: to be or become weak, be or become sick, be or become diseased, be or become grieved, be or become sorry.
בֶּן־  [that]  the  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
הָאִשָּׁ֖ה  of  the  woman 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִשָּׁה  
Sense: woman, wife, female.
בַּעֲלַ֣ת  who  owned 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בַּעֲלָה  
Sense: mistress, female owner.
הַבָּ֑יִת  the  house 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
וַיְהִ֤י  and  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
חָלְיוֹ֙  his  sickness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֳלִי  
Sense: sickness.
חָזָ֣ק  so  strong 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חָזָק  
Sense: strong, stout, mighty.
מְאֹ֔ד  was  so 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מְאֹד  
Sense: exceedingly, much subst.
עַ֛ד  that 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  - 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
לֹא־  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
נֽוֹתְרָה־  there  was  left 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָתַר  
Sense: to be left over, remain, remain over, leave.
בּ֖וֹ  in  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
נְשָׁמָֽה  breath 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: נְשָׁמָה  
Sense: breath, spirit.