He looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on the coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again.
Parallel translations
- KJV And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.
- BSB And he looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again.
- NKJV Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again.
- NASB And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a round loaf of bread baked on hot coals, and a pitcher of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again.
- NLT He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Elijah finds bread and water provided, eats, and lies down again. God graciously sustains him in his weakness.
Overview
The miraculous provision of a baked cake and water meets Elijah where he is, allowing him to rest and recover. God patiently supplies what His servant needs without demanding immediate action. The scene echoes God's wilderness provision for Israel and points to the Lord who gives the bread of life to the famished.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Matt 4:11Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and served him.
- 1 Kgs 17:6The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook.
- Isa 33:16he will dwell on high. His place of defense will be the fortress of rocks. His bread will be supplied. His waters will be sure.
- 1 Kgs 17:9–15“Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to sustain you.”
- John 21:5Jesus therefore said to them, “Children, have you anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.”
- Ps 37:3Trust in Yahweh, and do good. Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture.
- Mark 8:2–3“I have compassion on the multitude, because they have stayed with me now three days, and have nothing to eat.
- Matt 6:32For the Gentiles seek after all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
- John 21:9So when they got out on the land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.
How 1 Kings 19:6 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.