"I tell you truthfully." This phrase was used to emphasize the importance, truth, and accuracy of the statement that follows.
## widows ##
A widow is a woman whose husband has died.
## during Elijah's time ##
This could also be translated as "when Elijah was prophesying in Israel." The people Jesus was speaking to would have known that Elijah was one of God's prophets. If your readers would not know that, you can make this implicit information explicit as in the UDB. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])
## when the sky was shut up with no rain ##
This can be translated as "when no rain came down from the sky" or "when there was no rain at all." This is a metaphor. The sky is pictured as a ceiling that was closed up to keep the water above it from coming down as rain. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])
## when there was a great famine ##
"when there was a serious lack of food" or "when the people did not have enough food." A famine is a long period of time when the crops do not produce enough food for the people.
The people living in the town of Zarephath were Gentiles, not Jews. This could be translated as "a Gentile widow living in Zarephath." The people listening to Jesus would have understood that the people of Zarephath were Gentiles. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]], [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]])
A Syrian is a person from the country of Syria. The people of Syria were Gentiles, not Jews. This could be translated as "the Gentile Naaman from Syria." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/translate-names]])
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