And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.
And she said, 'As surely as the LORD your God lives, I don't have any bread. All I have is a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. Look, I'm gathering these two sticks so I can go in and prepare this last bit of food for me and my son. After we eat it, we will die.'
The widow is telling Elijah that she only has enough food for one final meal for herself and her son before they starve to death.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical narrative of 1 Kings 17, the prophet Elijah was living during a severe drought in Israel, which God had sent as judgment for the idolatry and wickedness of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. Elijah had been instructed by God to seek refuge in Zarephath, a town in a region outside Israel, where he encountered a widow who was on the brink of starvation, having only a small amount of flour and oil left for one final meal for herself and her son.
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