17 Now after this, the son of the woman of the house became ill, so ill that there was no breath in him. 18 And she said to Elijah, What have I to do with you, O man of God? have you come to put God in mind of my sin, and to put my son to death? 19 And he said to her, Give your son to me. And lifting him out of her arms, he took him up to his room and put him down on his bed. 20 And crying to the Lord he said, O Lord my God, have you sent evil even on the widow whose guest I am, by causing her son's death? 21 And stretching herself out on the child three times, he made his prayer to the Lord, saying, O Lord my God, be pleased to let this child's life come back to him again. 22 And the Lord gave ear to the voice of Elijah, and the child's spirit came into him again, and he came back to life. 23 And Elijah took the child down from his room into the house and gave him to his mother and said to her, See, your son is living. 24 Then the woman said to Elijah, Now I am certain that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is true.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 17:17-24
Commentary on 1 Kings 17:17-24
(Read 1 Kings 17:17-24)
Neither faith nor obedience shut out afflictions and death. The child being dead, the mother spake to the prophet, rather to give vent to her sorrow, than in hope of relief. When God removes our comforts from us, he remembers our sins against us, perhaps the sins of our youth, though long since past. When God remembers our sins against us, he designs to teach us to remember them against ourselves, and to repent of them. Elijah's prayer was doubtless directed by the Holy Spirit. The child revived. See the power of prayer, and the power of Him who hears prayer.