1 Kings 17:1-7*

A.(1) And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the inhabitants of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As the LORD God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word.

B.(2-3) And the word of the Lord came unto him, saying, Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.

C. (4a) And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook;

D. (4b) and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.

E. (5a) So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD:

E’. (5b) for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before
Jordan.

D’.(6a) And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening;

C’. (6b) and he drank of the brook.

B’.(7a) And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up,

A’. (7b) because there had been no rain in the land.

2 thoughts on “1 Kings 17:1-7*”

  1. I’d like to suggest a simpler theme-based chiasm for this passage:

    A) 17:1 Drought prophesied
    B) 17:2-4 God promises provision
    C) 17:5 “According to the word of the LORD”
    B) God provides for Elijah
    A) Drought occurs

  2. I have just found a virtually identical pattern noted by Nathan Klaus in,  Pivot Patterns in the Former Prophets, Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series 247, Sheffield, 1999, pg 57

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