Elijah and the Ravens — Bible story for kids

Elijah stood before King Ahab with a message from the living God. Because Israel had turned away from the Lord, no dew or rain would fall except at Elijah’s word. Then God told Elijah to leave. He went east and hid beside the brook Cherith, beyond the Jordan.

Among the rocks, Elijah listened to the little stream flowing past. He had no field, no oven, and no storehouse. But God had not forgotten him. Every morning, ravens brought him bread and meat. Every evening, they returned with more. Elijah drank from the brook and rested in the hidden place where God had sent him.

Day after day, no rain fell. The brook became shallower and shallower. At last, it dried up.

Then God sent Elijah to Zarephath, a town in the land of Sidon. God said that a widow there would feed him.

When Elijah reached the city gate, he saw a widow gathering sticks. He called to her and asked for a little water. As she went to get it, he also asked for a piece of bread.

The widow stopped. She had no bread ready. She had only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. She was gathering two sticks so she could prepare one last meal for herself and her son. After that, they had nothing left.

“Don’t be afraid,” Elijah told her. He asked her to make a small cake for him first and then prepare food for herself and her son. God had promised that her flour would not run out and her oil would not fail until rain returned to the land.

The widow trusted God’s word. She went home and prepared food for Elijah first.

The next day, there was still flour in the jar. There was still oil in the jug. The day after that, there was enough again. Elijah, the widow, and her household ate for many days. Just as God had promised, the flour did not run out, and the oil did not fail.

Later, the widow’s son became very sick. His sickness grew worse until he stopped breathing. The grieving mother cried out to Elijah.

Elijah took the boy in his arms and carried him upstairs to the room where he was staying. He laid the child on his bed. Then Elijah cried out to God. Three times, he stretched himself over the boy and prayed, asking God to let the child’s life return.

God heard Elijah’s prayer. Life returned to the boy, and he lived!

Elijah carried him downstairs and gave him to his mother. “See,” he said, “your son lives.”

The widow looked at her living child. Now she knew that Elijah truly was a man of God and that the Lord’s word in his mouth was true.