Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 17:19
And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.
19. And he took him out of her bosom ] Her arms were clasped about the dead boy. We need not understand the expression as of a child who was still young enough to be carried in the arms, though the prophet was able to carry him into his own chamber.
into a loft ] R.V. the chamber. The word is so rendered in 1Ki 17:23, and the two should be made to agree.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Into a loft – Rather, into the upper chamber; often the best apartment in an Eastern house.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Give me thy son into mine arms.
Into a loft; a private place, where he might more freely and fully pour out his soul to God, and use such gestures or methods as he thought most proper, without any offence or observation.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And he said unto her, give me thy son, and he took him out of her bosom,…. Where she had laid him, mourning over him; from thence the prophet took him with her leave:
and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed; an upper room, which was his bedchamber; hither he carried him, that he might be alone, and use the greater freedom both in his expressions and gestures.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
19. A loft , the aliyah; the upper chamber. “This is the most desirable part of an establishment, is best fitted up, and is still given to guests who are to be treated with honour. It is more retired than the lower apartments of the house, and, of course, appropriate for the restingplace of prophets. The poorer sort of houses have no aliyeh. We may infer from this word that the mode of building in Elijah’s time, and the custom of giving the aliyeh to the guest, were the same as now; also, that this widow was not originally among the very poorest classes, but that her extreme destitution was owing to the dreadful famine which then prevailed.” Thomson.
(19) And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. (20) And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? (21) And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again. (22) And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. (23) And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth.
What an interesting representation is here made of the prophet. He stops not to reason with the disconsolate mother: makes no reply to her angry expostulation: presumes to promise nothing; gives no encouragement; but takes the child and hastens with it to the Lord. Reader! oh! that you and I could learn from hence, where we are to have recourse in all our trials, difficulties, and discouragements. No doubt the mind of Elijah was distressed greatly at the event. It is probable, from long living with the widow and her child, he had conceived no small affection for him. But we hear nothing of this. He hastens to a throne of grace, there to pour out his soul before the Lord. But what were his views? Never to this period, was there any instance upon record, of a dead body raised to life again. And could Elijah hope that such a miracle would be granted? Yes! it is certain, from his prayer, that he looked for this mercy. For after having pleaded with the Lord, he makes this the one great desire of his petition; that the child’s soul might come into him again. And the event answered his expectation. Oh! what cannot strong faith perform! One of the ancient fathers, in his observation on this passage, saith, that certainly such a return of the soul to the body, not only taught the early church the reality of the soul’s existence when separated from the body; but also conveyed the further intimation, in the outlines of it, of that glorious doctrine of life and immortality, hereafter to be brought fully to light by the gospel. 2Ti 1:10 .
1Ki 17:19 And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed.
Ver. 19. And he said unto her. ] So to clear himself.
Carried him up into a loft. into a loft: 2Ki 4:10, 2Ki 4:21, 2Ki 4:32, Act 9:37
Reciprocal: 2Ki 4:4 – thou shalt shut Mar 7:33 – he took Luk 8:51 – he suffered Act 9:40 – and prayed Act 20:9 – the third
1Ki 17:19-20. Give me thy son Into my arms. He took him out of her bosom By which it appears he was but a little child. And carried him up into a loft A private place, where he might more freely and fully pour out his soul to God, and use such gestures and methods as his heart inclined him to use, without any offence or observation. And laid him upon his own bed So that it was the room where he lodged, though near the top of the house. And he cried unto the Lord And, in his prayer, humbly reasons with God concerning the death of the child, using most powerful arguments. Thou art the Lord, that canst revive the child; and my God, and therefore wilt not deny me. She is a widow, add not affliction to the afflicted; deprive her not of the support and staff of her age: she hath given me kind entertainment: let her not fare the worse for her kindness to a prophet, whereby wicked men will take occasion to reproach both her and religion.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments