She went: In languages where masculine and feminine pronouns are the same, it may be especially important to translate the pronoun she with the noun phrase “the widow” or “the woman” in order to avoid any possible confusion. The pronoun he later in the verse refers to Elijah, not to her son. For clarity New Living Translation replaces this pronoun with the name “Elijah” and Bible en français courant says “the prophet.”

She, and he, and her household ate for many days: In the Masoretic Text this is literally “she ate, he and she and her household for many days.” Several Hebrew manuscripts, however, read “she ate, she and he and her household…” and the margin of the Masoretic Text says that the text should read this way.

The Septuagint reads “her son” instead of her household and it omits the words for many days. It must be admitted that the mention of her household in the Masoretic Text is surprising since verses 12-13 have mentioned only the widow and her son. The Septuagint reading is followed by New Jerusalem Bible, which reads “they ate the food, she, himself and her son.” Peregrino combines the Hebrew and Greek texts by reading “her son” instead of “her household,” and by keeping the words for many days (similarly New American Bible, Osty-Trinquet).

Critique Textuelle de l’Ancien Testament, however, gives a {B} rating to the Masoretic Text and suggests that since verse 17 calls her “the mistress of the house,” and since the house was large enough to have an upper chamber (verse 19), it is reasonable to think that there were other people living in the house besides the woman and her son. Good News Translation tries to avoid the textual problem here by saying “all of them had enough food for many days,” but this rendering is too free.

For many days is literally “days.” The sense of the plural word “days” is “for many days.” Other acceptable translations include “for a long time” (Revised English Bible), “for a year” (New American Bible), and “for some time” (Anchor Bible). Regarding the length of time that Elijah was at Cherith Brook and in Zarephath, see the comments on verse 7.

Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .