1. Elijah was from Tishbe in the land of Gilead. He said to Ahab, "I serve the Lord. He is the God of Israel. You can be sure that he lives. And you can be just as sure that there won't be any dew or rain on the whole land. There won't be any during the next few years. It won't come until I say so."
2. Then a message from the Lord came to Elijah. It said,
3. "Leave this place. Go east and hide in the Kerith Valley. It is east of the Jordan River.
4. You will drink water from the brook. I have ordered some ravens to feed you there."
5. So Elijah did what the Lord had told him to do. He went to the Kerith Valley. It was east of the Jordan River. He stayed there.
6. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning. They also brought him bread and meat in the evening. He drank water from the brook.
7. Some time later the brook dried up. It hadn't rained in the land for quite a while.
8. A message came to Elijah from the Lord. He said,
9. "Go right away to Zarephath in the territory of Sidon. Stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food."
10. So Elijah went to Zarephath. He came to the town gate. A widow was there gathering sticks. He called out to her. He asked, "Would you bring me a little water in a jar? I need a drink."
11. She went to get the water. Then he called out to her, "Please bring me a piece of bread too."