No rain had descended, the fountains were dry,
The streamlets no water afford;
No clouds, thick and heavy, bespoke a supply,
When a voice to Elijah descends from on high,
And spoke the commands of the Lord.
Arise, O Elijah! to Zion repair,
Awhile in Zarephath remain;
A poor widow woman will welcome thee there,
To thee of her little a portion will spare,
And with food and with water sustain.
The Prophet arose at the heav’nly desire,
His steps to Zarephath he bound,
When lo! the poor widow in humble attire,
And busied with gathering sticks for her fire,
At the gates of the city he found.
He said, “I have travelled a wearisome way;
From Cherith to-day I have hied;
I have passed by no fountain my thirst to allay,
Then fetch me a draught of cold water, I pray,
Lest I perish with thirst at thy side.”
She turned, and again to the woman he spoke,
“A stranger am I in the land,
And since in compassion my thirst thou wilt slake,
Remember I also am hunger’d, and take
A morsel of bread in thy hand.”
She answered, “As liveth thy Maker and Lord,
No bread for thy hunger have I;
Of oil but a little my cruise can afford,
But an handful of meal in my barrel is stor’d,
And from none can I ask a supply.
“For fuel to dress this small portion, to-day,
To the gates of the city I hie,
And now with these sticks I return on my way,
That my son and myself may our hunger allay,
Then calmly resign us to die.”
Then answered Elijah, “As thou hast begun,
Go on till thy home shall appear;
Make cakes of thy meal, and first bake for me one,
Then after another for thee and thy son,
And your hunger allay without fear.
“For thus saith thy Maker, the meal shall not waste,
And the oil in the cruise shall not fail,
But thou and thy household his bounty shall taste,
Till the day when his wrath and his anger is past,
And showers of plenty prevail.”
No need had Elijah the words to repeat,—
To the house of the widow he went;
Many days he sojourned in the quiet retreat,
And she, and her son, and the prophet did eat,
And the oil and the meal were not spent.