Then he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the LORD, “O LORD my God, please let this boy’s life return to him!”
The child dies though fed by miracle, and the widow loses her only comfort in widowhood. Mark this: even when we serve God faithfully and receive His clearest favours, sharp afflictions come. Our mountain never stands so strong but it may be moved; therefore rejoice with trembling always in this world.
AI summary
Commenting on 1 Kings 17:17-24
And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah,.... In prayer, and answered it: and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived; this is the first instance of anyone being raised from the dead; this Satan has imitated; hence the many fabulous stories with the Heathens of persons being raised to life after death (k). (k) Vid. Huet. Alnetan. Quaest. l. 2. c. 12. sect. 30.
Stretched himself upon the child three times - It is supposed that he did this in order to communicate some natural warmth to the body of the child, in order to dispose it to receive the departed spirit. Elisha, his disciple, did the same in order to restore the dead child of the Shunammite, Kg2 4:34. And St.