The Meaning of 1 Kings 17:18 Explained

1 Kings 17:18

KJV: And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son?

YLT: And she saith unto Elijah, 'What -- to me and to thee, O man of God? thou hast come unto me to cause mine iniquity to be remembered, and to put my son to death!'

Darby: And she said to Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come to me to call mine iniquity to remembrance, and to slay my son?

ASV: And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? thou art come unto me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son!

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And she said  unto Elijah,  What have I to do with thee, O thou man  of God?  art thou come  unto me to call  my sin  to remembrance,  and to slay  my son? 

What does 1 Kings 17:18 Mean?

Context Summary

1Kings 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: 1Kings 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 17:18 mean?

So she said to Elijah what have I to do and with you man of God have you come to me to bring to remembrance - my sin and to kill my son
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־ אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ מַה־ לִּ֥י וָלָ֖ךְ אִ֣ישׁ ؟ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים בָּ֧אתָ אֵלַ֛י לְהַזְכִּ֥יר אֶת־ עֲוֺנִ֖י וּלְהָמִ֥ית ؟ בְּנִֽי

וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙  So  she  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ  Elijah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵלִיָּה 
Sense: the great prophet of the reign of Ahab.
לִּ֥י  have  I  to  do 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
וָלָ֖ךְ  and  with  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, second person feminine singular
אִ֣ישׁ  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
؟ הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בָּ֧אתָ  have  you  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֵלַ֛י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
לְהַזְכִּ֥יר  to  bring  to  remembrance 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עֲוֺנִ֖י  my  sin 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, first person common singular
Root: עָוֹן  
Sense: perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity.
וּלְהָמִ֥ית  and  to  kill 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
؟ בְּנִֽי  my  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.