And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
Ver. 6. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh.] Which he knew could not be done but by a miracle. This was to Elijah a sensible demonstration of the divine care and providence: and therefore must every bit needs be more pleasing to him, than a whole tableful of Ahab's best cheer. Angeli autem hos panes et carnes apparabant, saith one; the angels made ready this bread and flesh. Luther saith, that at the continual feast of a good conscience angels are cooks and butlers; and the three persons in Trinity joyful guests. Elijah was ever at this feast, over and besides his food for the day, in the day, duly brought him in by the ravens; which are naturally ravenous, unnatural, malignant, and inanspicate creatures Who hath not heard how Rochelle, in a strait siege and sore famine, was likewise miraculously relieved by God, who made the tide their purveyor to bring them in an ocean of shell-fish: the like whereof was never known before, nor since. The patrons of monkery tell us of Paul the Hermit, of St Benedict - as they call him - and some other such fed by ravens in like manner. But so did Mohammed boast, and David George - those notorious impostors - that they had communication with wild beasts and birds in all languages, and that they brought them meat for their sustenance.