The Meaning of 1 Kings 17:20 Explained

1 Kings 17:20

KJV: 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?

YLT: and crieth unto Jehovah, and saith, 'Jehovah my God, also on the widow with whom I am sojourning hast Thou done evil -- to put her son to death?'

Darby: And he cried to Jehovah and said, Jehovah, my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?

ASV: And he cried unto Jehovah, and said, O Jehovah my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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? 

What does 1 Kings 17:20 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 17:17-24 - New Life For The Dead
It must have been a severe trial to Elijah's faith, first to note the gradual diminishing of the brook; then the abject poverty of the woman to whom he was directed; and finally the illness and death of her child. But through it all, he held fast to the living God. It was still, "O Lord my God," 1 Kings 17:20. Affliction is no proof that we are off the path of duty. The way of obedience is sometimes paved with flints, as every servant of God has discovered. But the difficulties only give room for the exercise of greater faith, and reveal more of the delivering power of the Almighty Friend.
The true physician bends over the little child of the poor, eager to save a human life; but his power is limited. To faith and prayer, however, other forces are available, which accomplish what no skill or medicine can. When we have confessed and put away sin which the hour of anguish has brought to light, room is made for the exercise of that divine power which is always within the reach of hands that are lifted without fear or doubting. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 17

1  Elijah, having prophesied against Ahab,
3  is sent to Cherith where the ravens feed him
8  He is sent to the widow of Zarephath
17  He raises the widow's son
24  The woman believes him

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 17:20 mean?

And he cried out to Yahweh and said my God have also on the widow whom I lodge with whom You brought tragedy by killing - her son
וַיִּקְרָ֥א אֶל־ יְהוָ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אֱלֹהָ֔י הֲ֠גַם עַל־ הָאַלְמָנָ֞ה אֲשֶׁר־ אֲנִ֨י מִתְגּוֹרֵ֥ר עִמָּ֛הּ הֲרֵע֖וֹתָ לְהָמִ֥ית אֶת־ ؟ בְּנָֽהּ

וַיִּקְרָ֥א  And  he  cried  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.
וַיֹּאמַ֑ר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֱלֹהָ֔י  my  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
הֲ֠גַם  have  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
הָאַלְמָנָ֞ה  the  widow 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אַלְמָנָה  
Sense: widow.
אֲשֶׁר־  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
מִתְגּוֹרֵ֥ר  lodge 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Participle, masculine singular
Root: גּוּר 
Sense: to sojourn, abide, dwell in, dwell with, remain, inhabit, be a stranger, be continuing, surely.
עִמָּ֛הּ  with  whom 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
Root: עִם  
Sense: with.
הֲרֵע֖וֹתָ  You  brought  tragedy 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: מֵרֵעַ 
Sense: to be bad, be evil.
לְהָמִ֥ית  by  killing 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
؟ בְּנָֽהּ  her  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.