God was displeased with King Ahab, and sent His prophet, Elijah the
Tishbite, to say unto him, "As the Lord God of Israel liveth there
shall not be dew nor rain for years in all Israel." God knew that
these words would make Ahab angry with Elijah, so He commanded Elijah
to get out of Ahab's way. "Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and
hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall
be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the
ravens to feed thee there."

Elijah went, and the ravens brought him bread and meat, morning and
evening, and he drank of the brook. But after many days the brook
dried up, and God told him to go to Zarephath, where a widow would
sustain him. So he arose and went to Zarephath. When he came to the
gate of the city he saw the widow gathering sticks; and called to her,
saying, "Bring me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may
drink, and a morsel of bread in thy hand, that I may eat."

The widow turned and said, "As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a
cake, but only a handful of meal, and a little oil in a cruse; and,
behold, I am gathering a few sticks, that I may go in and bake it for
me and my son, that we may eat it before we starve to death." Elijah
told her not to fear, but to make a cake for him, and, afterwards, one
for her son and herself, for God had said that neither her handful of
meal nor her cruse of oil should fail until He again sent rain upon
the earth. So she did as Elijah told her, and there was always enough
oil and meal for their daily food, according to the word of the Lord
which He spake by Elijah.

[Illustration: ELIJAH FED BY RAVENS.]