1 Kings 17:18

“And she said unto Elijah, what have I to do with thee, O thou man of God! etc.] As if she should say, it would have been well for me if I had never seen thy face, or had any conversation with thee; this she said rashly, and in her passion and agony, being extremely affected with the death of her child, which made her forget and overlook all the benefits she had received through the prophet’s being with her: art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son? to punish her for her former sins, she was conscious she had been guilty of; for she supposed, that as it was by his prayer that the drought and famine were come upon the land, so it was in the same way that her…”

“What have I to do with thee? - i. e., “What have we in common?” - implying a further question, “Why hast thou not left me in peace?” The woman imagines that Elijah’s visit had drawn God’s attention to her, and so to her sins, which (she feels) deserve a judgment - her son’s death. Thou man of God - In the mouth of the Phoenician woman this expression is remarkable. Among the Jews and Israelites 1 Kings 12:22; Judges 13:6, Judges 13:8 it seems to have become the ordinary designation of a prophet. We now see that it was understood in the same sense beyond the borders of the holy land. return to 'Top of Page'”

“She said - Wherein have I injured thee? Or, why didst thou come to sojourn in my house, if this be the fruit of it? They are the words of a troubled mind. Art thou come - Didst thou come for this end, that thou mightest severely observe my sins, and by thy prayers bring down God's just judgment upon me, as thou hast brought down this famine upon the nation? To call, &c. - To God's remembrance: for God is said in scripture, to remember sins, when he punisheth them; and to forget them, when he spares the sinner. 3 Kings (1 Kings) 17:19”

“17:18 my sins: The widow held to the common idea that suffering and misfortune are always the result of personal sin (see Job 4:7; Luke 13:1-4; John 9:1-3).”

“What have I: Sa2 16:10, Sa2 19:22; Kg2 3:13; Ch2 35:21; Luk 4:34, Luk 5:8, Luk 8:28; Joh 2:4 O thou man: Kg1 13:1 art thou come: Kg1 18:9; Gen 42:21, Gen 42:22, Gen 50:15, Gen 50:17; Sa1 16:4; Job 13:23, Job 13:26; Eze 21:23, Eze 21:24; Mar 5:7, Mar 5:15-17, Mar 6:16 3 Kings (1 Kings) 17:19”