20 Then he cried out to the Lord, "Lord my God, have you brought tragedy even on this widow I am staying with, by causing her son to die?" 21 Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, "Lord my God, let this boy's life return to him!" 22 The Lord heard Elijah's cry, and the boy's life returned to him, and he lived.

Other Translations of 1 Kings 17:20-22

King James Version

20 And he cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? 21 And he stretched stretched: Heb. measured himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. 22 And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.

English Standard Version

20 And he cried to the Lord, "O Lord my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by killing her son?" 21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the Lord, "O Lord my God, let this child's lifeOr soul; also verse 22 come into him again." 22 And the Lord listened to the voice of Elijah. And the life of the child came into him again, and he revived.

The Message

20 Then he prayed, "O God, my God, why have you brought this terrible thing on this widow who has opened her home to me? Why have you killed her son?" 21 Three times he stretched himself out full-length on the boy, praying with all his might, "God, my God, put breath back into this boy's body!" 22 God listened to Elijah's prayer and put breath back into his body - he was alive!

New King James Version

20 Then he cried out to the Lord and said, "O Lord my God, have You also brought tragedy on the widow with whom I lodge, by killing her son?" 21 And he stretched himself out on the child three times, and cried out to the Lord and said, "O Lord my God, I pray, let this child's soul come back to him." 22 Then the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived.

New Living Translation

20 Then Elijah cried out to the Lord, "O Lord my God, why have you brought tragedy to this widow who has opened her home to me, causing her son to die?" 21 And he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the Lord, "O Lord my God, please let this child's life return to him." 22 The Lord heard Elijah's prayer, and the life of the child returned, and he revived!

Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 17:20-22

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.