" 'As surely as the Lord your God lives,' she replied, 'I don't have any bread- only a handful of flour in a jar (barrel, KJV) and a little oil in a jug" 1 Kings 17:12

The Hebrew word kad does not mean "barrel" as we understand it, but rather a vessel made of clay.

For centuries it was the custom in the Middle East to store grain in earthen jars.

The same kind of jar that was used for flour (meal, KJV) in this story by the widow was also used for water on the occasion of Elijah's sacrifice (1 Ki.18:33)

Gail's note- I always envisioned the barrels that Elijah used to be much bigger!