1 Kings 19:9-19

The Lord Speaks to Elijah

9 There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, ¹the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

10 He said, "I have been very ²jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, ³thrown down your altars, and ⁴killed your prophets with the sword, ⁵and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away."

11 And he said, "Go out and ⁶stand on the mount before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and ⁷a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind ⁸an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.

12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.^[a]

13 And when Elijah heard it, ⁹he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, ¹⁰there came a voice to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

14 He said, ¹¹"I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, ¹²thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away."

15 And the LORD said to him, "Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria.

16 ¹³And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and ¹⁴Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place.

17 And the one who escapes from ¹⁵the sword of Hazael ¹⁶shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu ¹⁷shall Elisha put to death.

18 ¹⁸Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not ¹⁹kissed him."

The Call of Elisha

19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen in front of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and cast ²⁰his cloak upon him.

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1 Kings 19:9-19 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 19

This chapter gives us a further account of Elijah, of his being obliged to flee for his life through the threats of Jezebel, 1Ki 19:1-4, of the care the Lord took of him, providing food for him, in the strength of which he went to Horeb, 1Ki 19:5-8, of the Lord's appearance to him there, and conversation with him, 1Ki 19:9-14, of some instructions he gave him to anoint a king over Syria, another over Israel, and a prophet in his room, 1Ki 19:15-18, and of his finding Elisha, and throwing his mantle over him, who left his secular employment, and followed him, and became his servant, 1Ki 19:19-21.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 20

1. ver. 13
2. Numbers 25:11, 13
3. 1 Kings 18:30; Cited Romans 11:3
4. 1 Kings 18:4
5. 1 Kings 18:22
6. Exodus 24:12; Exodus 34:2
7. Ezekiel 1:4
8. Ezekiel 37:7
9. [Exodus 3:6]
10. ver. 9
11. [See ver. 10 above]
12. [See ver. 10 above]
13. See 2 Kings 9:1-6
14. [ver. 19-21; 2 Kings 2:9, 15]
15. 2 Kings 8:12; 2 Kings 13:3, 22
16. See 2 Kgs. 9 - 10
17. [Hosea 6:5]
18. Cited Romans 11:4
19. [Hosea 13:2]
20. 2 Kings 2:8

Footnotes 1

[a]. Or a sound, a thin silence

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.