And he cast himself down, end slept in the shadow of the juniper tree: and behold an angel of the Lord touched him, and said to him: Arise and eat.

And he lay down and slept under the broom-bush. And behold, an angel touched him, and said to him, Arise, eat!

And he lieth down and sleepeth under a certain retem-tree, and lo, a messenger cometh against him, and saith to him, 'Rise, eat;'

And stretching himself on the earth, he went to sleep under the broom-plant; but an angel, touching him, said to him, Get up and have some food.

And he lay down and slept under a broom-tree; and, behold, an angel touched him, and said unto him: 'Arise and eat.'

And he stretched himself out, and he slept deeply in the shadow of the juniper tree. And behold, an Angel of the Lord touched him, and said to him, "Rise up and eat."

An angel touched him - The friendly ministration of angels, common in the time of the patriarchs Genesis 18:2-16; 19:1-22; Genesis 28:12; Genesis 32:1, Genesis 32:24-29, and known also under the Judges Judges 6:11-21; 13:3-20, was now extended to Elijah. Any other explanation of this passage does violence to the words. It is certainly not the intention of the writer to represent Elijah as relieved on this occasion by a human "messenger."

As he lay and slept - Excessive anguish of mind frequently induces sleep, as well as great fatigue of body.
An angel touched him - He needed refreshment, and God sent an angel to bring him what was necessary.

And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree,.... Being weary and fatigued with his journey, the same under which he sat; for there was but one, as that is said to be in the preceding verse:
behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, arise, and eat; so far was the Lord from granting his request to take away his life, that he made provision to preserve it; so careful was he of him, as to give an angel charge to get food ready for him, and then awake him to eat of it.