Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks
Through His Servants the Prophets

Volume I: A Kingdom Divided

Lesson 6 Elijah & the Widow of Zarephath
the First Book of the Kings 15:25—17:24

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)*
New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE)*
Catechism of the Catholic Church
ex libris (in our library)
glossary for Thus Says the LORD—Volume I
cross references in Thus Says the LORD—Volume I
next lesson: Elijah Triumphs over the Prophets of Baal

This material coordinates with Lesson 6 on pages 39–44 in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.

“Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, and I showed myself their Master, says the LORD. But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”—the Book of Jeremiah 31:31–34

welcome to Volume I of our in-depth study of the biblical prophets
We invite you to check out the sample first lesson and video from Volume I of this Turning to God’s Word two-part Catholic Bible study. Our online pages link to the free related lesson videos, a glossary, and cross references in the biblical text, and include maps, additional commentary, and prayers based on the primary Scripture in each lesson. Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided contains 28 lessons and has been granted an imprimatur. It may be purchased from our website shop. The companion 23-lesson Volume II: Restoration & Redemption also is available for purchase. If you have a Bible-related question or comment, click on the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” button on any study page.

open with prayer
It’s always wise to begin any Bible study with prayer, whether reading the Scriptures alone or meeting with others in a discussion study group. You can pray using your own words or use one of the opening prayers on our website. We especially like the following:

Lord Jesus, you promised to send your Holy Spirit
to teach us all things.
As we read and study your word today,
allow it to touch our hearts and change our lives. Amen.

let’s review—the First Book of the Kings 14:1—15:24
In Lesson 5 Judah Also Sins Against the LORD, the prophet Abijah foretells the end of Jeroboam’s line. Because Jeroboam failed to honor God as David did, the promise of a lasting dynasty in the north no longer is an option. The ultimate doom for the northern kingdom of Israel is assured—a matter of when and not if. The relative instability of the north manifests in a shifting capital city and borlder battles. After a short reign of only three years in the southern kingdom of Judah, Abijam dies and is succeeded by his son Asa. Scripture describes Asa as having a heart wholly true to the LORD, and Asa’s reign lasts 41 years. The conflict between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continues even after both rulers no longer are alive. Asa enters into alliance with Syria to prevent the north from encroaching on Judah’s borders.

map notes—geography plays a role
The seventeenth chapter in the First Book of the Kings introduces the prophet Elijah with little fanfare. The background material that the biblical text provides about Elijah has to do with where he’s from—Tishbe in Gilead, which is located in a region known as the Transjordan (east of the Jordan River). The LORD directs Elijah to cross the Jordan again after he’s delivered the message that there’s about to be a drought in the northern kingdom. It’s important that Elijah remain in hiding during the drought, since he alone has been given power by the LORD to end this severe water shortage. When the brook Cherith dries up, Elijah is instructed by God to go to Zarephath and continue hiding there. It’s significant that Zarephath isn’t located in Israel but instead is in a region of Sidon close to the kingdom of Tyre, the childhood home of Ahab’s notorious wife Jezebel. In the Gospel According to Luke 4:25–26, Jesus calls attention to the fact that God sent Elijah outside the traditional boundaries of territory settled by the descendants of Jacob. Click on the map (right) to enlarge it. The original map is on page 43 in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided. 

a military state in the north (57:56)
Things go from bad to worse in the north, as first one ruler and then another ignore what God wants in order to pursue political power. Although the LORD was responsible for Jeroboam being given rule over the 10 northern tribes, the people also appeared to have a say in who was going to govern them. As Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps explains on the video overview for Lesson 6, that no longer is the case. The Davidic dynasty continues to rule in the south, but in the north things have deteriorated. Now whoever has the most military power can be king, so we see a number of different military leaders vying for the job. This makes for a potentially dangerous living situation for the people. Although things are far from perfect in the south, the leadership situation there is more stable than in the north.


The Scripture ranges for the videos that accompany this Catholic Bible study match the ranges for the sets of questions in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided. You can follow along with the video as Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps discusses Lesson 6, “Elijah & the Widow of Zarephath,” on pages 39–44 in the study book.

God is the Creator & can do whatever he wants
When Jehu pronounces the LORD’s judgment against Baasha, recorded in the First Book of the Kings 16:2, God begins with the phrase “Since I exalted you out of the dust. …” These words recall the version of Creation recorded in the book of Genesis 2:7: “then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground.” Learn more about the second biblical account of Creation in Lesson 2, “It Is Not Good That the Man Should Be Alone,” in the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study In the Beginning: The Book of Genesis. Jehu’s point—and God’s—seems to be to remind Baasha that the LORD rules over all matters of life and death. The First Book of the Kings 16:7 emphasizes that the house of Baasha is being destroyed not only because of the evil that Baasha’s done in leading the people of the north to sin, but also because Baasha was responsible for destroying the house of Jeroboam. It’s tempting to view Baasha as little more than the instrument chosen by the LORD to cut off the house of Jeroboam, but the judgment against Baasha suggests there was more to it, borne out by the fact that after Baasha came to power he continued to walk in the way of Jeroboam.

biblical vocabulary—citadel
The First Book of the Kings 16:18 records that when Zimri realizes Omri is besieging Tirzah, he goes into the citadel of the king’s house and sets it on fire, committing suicide by dying in the blaze. A citadel is a type of fortress, and it’s of interest that the recent rulers of the northern kingdom of Israel have felt it necessary to fortify their palace there against military attack.

a practical question
The First Book of the Kings 16:18–19 records that Zimri dies because of the sins that he committed, including walking in the way of Jeroboam and causing the people of the northern kingdom to sin. The obvious question that occurs is: How much sin could Zimri incite the people to commit in his short seven-day reign in the north? That question, however, is based on thinking in human terms and not as God thinks. Even though it seems that the LORD is endorsing the destruction of the houses of Jeroboam and Baasha, murder nevertheless is a serious sin that carries serious consequences.  

why does the LORD keep sending prophets to the northern kingdom?
Despite the attitude that the authors of the First and Second Books of the Kings appear to take against the northern kingdom, close reading of the biblical text indicates that God is upset with the spiritual direction in which his people there are being led. Although the LORD cuts off the houses of Jeroboam and Baasha—and will cut off even more family lines moving forward—God doesn’t want to cut off the 10 northern tribes in Israel. The LORD’s covenant is with all of the descendants of Jacob, and each of the tribes agreed to its terms in the book of Exodus 19:8. God’s attitude is somewhat more apparent in the New Testament when in the Gospel According to Matthew Jesus repeatedly says that he’s been sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel—this includes all of the descendants of Jacob.

WHAT DO YOU THINK about Ahab being the worst king so far?
Although Omri is described as doing more evil than all the rulers of the north before him, his son Ahab does his dad one better. The First Book of the Kings 16:33 records: “Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him.”

?  What are the specific things that Ahab does to anger the LORD?
?  Why might the biblical text link the sins of Ahab with the sins of Hiel of Bethel, who sacrificed the lives of two of his sons to rebuild Jericho?
?  Consider whether it’s likely that Hiel was unaware of Joshua’s much earlier prophecy about rebuilding Jericho.
?  If Hiel was aware of the prophecy, what might have prompted him to go ahead with his plans?
?  What could explain why Hiel might not have been aware of Joshua’s prophecy?
?  Jesus shares the same name as Joshua. Consider what biblical warnings issued by Jesus in the New Testament might be going unheeded in the present day.

Moses & Elijah
Elijah almost always is the person chosen as representative of the Old Testament prophets, while Moses represents the Old Testament Law. Together Moses and Elijah represent what Jews consider to be the most important books of the Old Testament—the books of the law and the books of the prophets. Traditionally Moses is considered the author of the Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament known as the books of the law), although it seems unlikely that Moses actually wrote all of the Torah—especially the parts that record details of his death. While many prophets are credited with writing various of the books of the prophets, Elijah isn’t included in their number. Nevertheless, when a reference to Moses and Elijah appears in the Bible, it can be seen as a reference to the books of the law and the books of the prophets in the Hebrew Scriptures. How are Moses and Elijah similar?

healing—you could look it up in our archives
The prophet Elijah restores a widow’s son to life, calling attention to the power of God. It’s one thing to predict battle victory. It’s something else to stop rain for several years. To restore a dead person to life is outside the range of normal human power; Elijah anticipates the healing power of Jesus. In Lost in Translation, an online column that examines ideas expressed in the original languages of the Scriptures, Turning to God’s Word author Matthew Phelps looks at the New Testament connection between “healing” and salvation. New Lost in Translation entries are posted on Mondays, and past entries are archived on our website. Contact us if you’d like to receive Lost in Translation by email every week.

how to tell if a prophet is authentic
Whether a prophet authentically speaks for the LORD will be a continuing concern in the First and Second Books of the Kings. In the book of Deuteronomy 18:21–22, Moses provides a test for judging the authenticity of prophets who arise after his death: “And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’—when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word which the LORD has not spoken.” Admittedly, this test is difficult to apply to predictions that come to pass many years after the prophecy first is delivered.

what’s happening when & where
Click on the timeline for Lesson 6 to expand it. It also appears on page 43 in the study book.

the best Catholic commentary about Scripture
To find out more about how Church teaching is supported by Scripture passages in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided, check out the Index of Citations in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Links to the primary Scripture passages in the lesson (Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition [RSVCE*]) and relevant paragraphs in the Catechism are provided here. Not every passage in the biblical text for this Catholic Bible study is referenced in a Catechism paragraph, however.

the First Book of the Kings 17:7–24—paragraph 2853

ways our glossary might prove helpful
In addition to providing information about geographical locations, our glossary also points out persons and places mentioned in the biblical text under multiple names or spellings. If you can remember a name but aren’t sure in which lesson it shows up, you can find it in the glossary, which lists every proper noun in the primary biblical text for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.

to learn more, read more Scripture
If you’re having difficulty with a particular passage of Scripture, it can be helpful to read the relevant cross references—but looking these up can take time. To make that easier, we’ve compiled the cross references from the Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE)—the translation that we reprint in our study books. That list can be found at the top of every online study page, and it includes links to cross references in the primary biblical text for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided.

don’t forget about our indexes & extra online material
If you’re trying to locate information about a specific Scripture passage, you can look it up in the index at the back of the study book or sample lesson. If you want to find a particular commentary, you can look up its title in the topics index. To learn more about another book of the Bible for which there’s a Turning to God’s Word study, visit the online study directories to read the commentaries and watch any accompanying videos. Finally, if you have a question or would like to make a comment about any of our studies, you can use one of the “ask us your question” or “what do you think” buttons to email our authors.

ex libris—Church documents & books about religious topics
Link to magisterial documents referred to in our Bible studies at ex libris—magisterial documents. This listing includes significant recent encyclicals as well as a number of historical Church documents. Recommended books related to Scripture study can be found at ex libris—main bookshelf

wondering how to pronounce some of these words?
The following link is to a reading from the New International Version (NIV) Bible. To listen, open the link and click on the audio icon above the printed text. Although not taken from the translations used in our study materials, the NIV reading provides an audio guide to pronunciation of words in this lesson’s primary biblical texts. A close online version of the translation of the Bible used in Catholic liturgy in the United States as well as an audio guide for daily Mass readings for the current month can be found on the website of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

the First Book of the Kings 15:25—17:24 (NIV)

round black doveclose with Bible-based prayer related to this lesson
Many of our Catholic study groups like to conclude their discussions with a prayer based on the scriptural focus of their lesson, and some participants include Scripture-specific prayer in their individual study. If you’re uncomfortable composing your own Bible-based prayers, you can follow our four easy steps. If you prefer, you can use the following prayer based on this lesson’s biblical text.

O God, you chose to communicate to sinful humanity
first through the Old Testament prophets
and then in the person of your own sinless Son.
Open our minds and hearts to listen to your message of love
and to respond by doing your will.
We ask this in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ,
who never lost sight that the purpose of his life
was to open the possibility of eternal life to all men and women. Amen.

Lesson 7 Elijah Triumphs over the Prophets of Baal—the First Book of the Kings 18:1—19:21
Lesson 5 Judah Also Sins Against the LORD—the First Book of the Kings 14:1—15:24

you also may like our study of the Gospel According to John
The Gospel According to John: An Encounter with Grace & Truth, a 25-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, examines the Fourth Gospel’s view of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, with special emphasis on the institution of the sacraments of the Church as the means by which Christians are purified and made holy. This recently revised study includes maps and additional commentary, and takes a closer look at the way in which Jesus relates to individual men and women. Click on the book’s cover to view a sample lesson.

start a Turning to God’s Word Bible study
Thank you for your interest in Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets— Volume I: A Kingdom Divided. Information about beginning this or one of our other Turning to God’s Word Bible studies can be found at start a Bible study. Tami, Matthew, and I always are available to answer your Bible-study questions or concerns. Contact us if you’d like to start one of our studies or have your schedule listed with other TtGW study groups on our website. —Jennifer

*There are seven deuterocanonical books in the Old Testament—the Books of Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, Baruch, and First and Second Maccabees, as well as some passages in the Books of Esther and Daniel. Protestants usually refer to these works as “apocryphal,” a word that means “outside the (Protestant) canon” because they’re excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The word “deuterocanonical” means “second canon”; Catholics use that word to refer to any section of the Catholic Old Testament for which there are no extant, or existing, Hebrew manuscripts. All of the deuterocanonical books appear in the Septuagint, the earliest remaining versions of which date to the 1st century B.C. This Greek translation of the Old Testament was in common use by Jews at the time of Jesus. Learn more by reading How Do Catholic & Protestant Bibles Differ?

Turning to God’s Word printed Bible studies use the 2006 Revised Standard Version Second Catholic Edition (RSV2CE) translation for all Scripture references except those to the Psalms, which are taken from The Abbey Psalms and Canticles, prepared by the Benedictine monks of Conception Abbey and published in 2020 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Scripture on the online study pages for Thus Says the LORD: God Speaks Through His Servants the Prophets—Volume I: A Kingdom Divided links to the 1966 Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE). The New International Version (NIV) audio recordings follow the same chapter and verse numbering as the RSV Catholic translations, but the NIV translation doesn’t include the deuterocanonical books and passages.

The 1966 RSVCE uses archaic pronouns and verb forms such as “thee,” “thou,” “didst” in the Psalms and in direct quotations attributed to God. The 2006 RSV2CE replaces these with more accessible English. A handful of significant translation changes in the RSV2CE include rendering almah as “virgin” in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 and restoring the term “begotten” in the Gospel According to John 3:16.

Numbering varies for some passages in this Bible study. Turning to God’s Word studies (print and digital) follow the numbering in the Revised Standard Version Catholic translations (RSV2CE and RSVCE). Discrepancies in the New American Bible Revised Edition (NABRE) are noted in the Index of Scripture Citations in the study book and the online sample.

You can learn more about the Psalms by viewing a sample lesson from the Turning to God’s Word Catholic Bible study Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume I: Lauds & Vespers. The second part of that study, Sing a New Psalm: Communicating with God Through the Prayers of the Church—Volume II: Vigils, Day Prayer & Compline, is scheduled for publication in 2025. Some verse numbers may vary in different translations of the Psalms.