Brook Cherith

Biblical Text and Narrative

The Brook Cherith appears in 1 Kings 17:2–7. Elijah declares to Ahab, king of the northern kingdom of Israel, that there will be neither dew nor rain except at his word (1 Kings 17:1). God then commands Elijah to turn eastward and hide himself by the brook Cherith, "that is before Jordan." Elijah drank from the brook, and ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning and in the evening. After a while the brook dried up because there had been no rain, and God sent him to Zarephath in the land of Sidon (1 Kings 17:8–9). The account that follows is the story of the widow of Zarephath.

Background

The word rendered "brook" is understood to refer to a stream in a valley (a wadi) that dries up in summer and flows only during the rainy season. That the water ran out as the drought continued is consistent with the nature of such a stream. Some connect the Hebrew name Kerith with a root meaning "to cut" and interpret it as "a deeply cut ravine," but this explanation is not certain.

The exact location is unknown. The phrase "before Jordan" has been taken by some to mean east of the Jordan River and by others to mean west of it. Proponents of the eastern view point to a valley in the region of Gilead, on the grounds that Elijah was a Tishbite of Gilead (1 Kings 17:1). Proponents of the western view point to a valley near Jericho; the identification of this valley with Cherith has been handed down in Christian monastic tradition.

Significance in the Wider Biblical Narrative

The account of the Brook Cherith tells how God hid and fed His prophet during the era when Ahab and Jezebel were spreading the worship of Baal. This scene opens the Elijah narrative, which continues with God's provision at Zarephath and the contest on Mount Carmel. The name Cherith does not appear in the New Testament. However, Jesus refers to the drought in Elijah's day and to the widow of Zarephath (Luke 4:25–26), and the Epistle of James cites Elijah's prayer and the drought as an example of prayer (James 5:16–18). The New Testament gives the length of this drought as three years and six months.

Interpretation and Points of Discussion

• The ravens: Under the Law, the raven is classified as a bird that may not be eaten (Leviticus 11:15). Interpreters have noted that God used an unclean bird to feed His prophet. A minority view, citing the similarity of the Hebrew consonants, proposes reading "Arabs" or the inhabitants of a particular place instead of "ravens." Most translations and interpreters, however, follow the text as it stands and read "ravens."
• What the text does not say: The text does not state how long Elijah stayed by the brook or what he thought while he was there. Meanings commonly drawn in sermons, such as a "period of training" or "refinement in solitude," are not stated directly in the text; they are applications added by interpreters.

In the Korean Church

In Korean church preaching, the Brook Cherith is frequently cited in discussions of God's providence and provision. The drying up of the brook is interpreted as the occasion through which God leads His servant on to the next stage, and the scene has also come to symbolize seasons of hardship and waiting.