Location
Overview
Zarephath, a town of Sidon on the Phoenician coast, was the refuge God appointed for Elijah during the great drought — among foreigners, far from Israel.
The widow's provision
God sent Elijah to "Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon," to a widow gathering sticks for a last meal before she and her son starved. At his word, "the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail" through all the famine (1 Kings 17:9–16).
The son raised
When the widow's son fell sick and died, Elijah stretched himself over the child and prayed, and "the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived" — the first resurrection recorded in Scripture (1 Kings 17:17–24).
A sign to Israel
Jesus pointed to this very miracle — that Elijah was sent "unto none" of Israel's widows but to one "in Sarepta, a city of Sidon" — as a sign that God's mercy reaches beyond Israel (Luke 4:25–26).
Events Here
Elijah is sustained by the widow’s jar of meal and cruse of oil
Elijah raises the widow’s son to life
Scripture References
4 verses1 Kings2 verses
1 Kings 17:9
Arise, get thee to Zarephath, which belongeth to Zidon, and dwell there: behold, I have commanded a widow woman there to sustain thee. Zarephath: Gr. Sarepta
1 Kings 17:10
So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold, the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.
Obadiah1 verse
Obadiah 1:20
And the captivity of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites, even unto Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem, which is in Sepharad, shall possess the cities of the south. which: or, shall possess that which is in
Luke1 verse
Luke 4:26
But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.
Archaeology & History
Zarephath is preserved at Sarafand on the Lebanese coast between Tyre and Sidon. Its name, connected with smelting or refining, suggests a town of metalworkers. Excavations there have uncovered a Phoenician industrial and harbour town fitting its biblical setting.
People who appear here
Frequently asked about Zarephath
Where is Zarephath today?
Today, Zarephath corresponds to Sarafand, Lebanon.
What does the name Zarephath mean?
The name Zarephath means “Smelting / refining place”.
What happened at Zarephath in the Bible?
Key biblical events at Zarephath include elijah is sustained by the widow’s jar of meal and cruse of oil; elijah raises the widow’s son to life.
Where is Zarephath first mentioned in the Bible?
Zarephath is first mentioned in 1 Kings 17:9.
How often is Zarephath mentioned in the Bible?
Zarephath is mentioned in 4 verses across 3 books: 1 Kings, Obadiah, Luke.
What happened at Zarephath?
During the drought, Elijah lodged with a poor widow there whose jar of meal and cruse of oil never ran out; he also raised her son from the dead.
Why did Jesus mention Zarephath?
He cited Elijah being sent to the widow of Zarephath — a foreigner — rather than to Israel’s widows, as a sign that God’s grace extends beyond Israel (Luke 4).