1 Kings 19:9-18
New English Translation
9 He went into a cave there and spent the night. Suddenly the Lord’s message came to him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” 10 He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal[a] to the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies,[b] even though the Israelites have abandoned the covenant they made with you,[c] torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.”[d] 11 The Lord[e] said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord. Look, the Lord is ready to pass by.”
A very powerful wind went before the Lord, digging into the mountain and causing landslides,[f] but the Lord was not in the wind. After the windstorm there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a soft whisper.[g] 13 When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. Suddenly[h] a voice asked him, “Why are you here, Elijah?” 14 He answered, “I have been absolutely loyal[i] to the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies,[j] even though the Israelites have abandoned the covenant they made with you, torn down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left and now they want to take my life.”[k] 15 The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came and then head for the wilderness of Damascus. Go and anoint Hazael king over Syria. 16 You must anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to take your place as prophet. 17 Jehu will kill anyone who escapes Hazael’s sword, and Elisha will kill anyone who escapes Jehu’s sword. 18 I still have left in Israel 7,000 followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him.”[l]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Kings 19:10 tn Or “very zealous.” The infinitive absolute preceding the finite verb emphasizes the degree of his zeal and allegiance.
- 1 Kings 19:10 tn Traditionally, “the God of hosts.”
- 1 Kings 19:10 tn Heb “abandoned your covenant.”
- 1 Kings 19:10 tn Heb “and they are seeking my life to take it.”
- 1 Kings 19:11 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- 1 Kings 19:11 tn Heb “tearing away the mountains and breaking the cliffs” (or perhaps, “breaking the stones”).
- 1 Kings 19:12 tn Heb “a voice, calm, soft.”
- 1 Kings 19:13 tn Heb “look.”
- 1 Kings 19:14 tn Or “very zealous.” The infinitive absolute preceding the finite verb emphasizes the degree of his zeal and allegiance.
- 1 Kings 19:14 tn Traditionally, “the God of hosts.”
- 1 Kings 19:14 tn Heb “and they are seeking my life to take it.”
- 1 Kings 19:18 tn Heb “I have kept in Israel 7,000, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and all the mouths that have not kissed him.”
1 Kings 19:9-18
Amplified Bible
Elijah at Horeb
9 There he came to a cave and spent the night in it; and behold, the 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 [a]zealous (impassioned) for the Lord God of hosts (armies) [proclaiming what is rightfully and uniquely His]; for the sons of Israel have abandoned (broken) Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I, only I, am left; and they seek to take away my life.”
11 So He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by, and a great and powerful wind was tearing out the mountains and breaking the rocks in pieces before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind, [there was] an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake, [there was] a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire, [there was] the sound of a gentle blowing. 13 When Elijah heard the sound, he wrapped his face in his mantle (cloak) and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts (armies), because the sons of Israel have abandoned (broken) Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I, only I, am left; and they seek to take away my life.”
15 The Lord [b]said to him, “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram (Syria); 16 and you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and anoint Elisha the son of Shaphat of [c]Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. 17 It shall come about that Jehu shall put to death whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, and Elisha shall put to death whoever escapes the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I will leave 7,000 [survivors] in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed down to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Kings 19:10 Or jealous, i.e. intolerant of unfaithfulness.
- 1 Kings 19:15 God tells Elijah how to complete the destruction of the worship of Baal. First, Hazael was to be placed on the Aramean (Syrian) throne in order to attack Ahab. Second, when Ahab was weakened, Jehu was to seize his throne because he opposed the worship of Baal and was a powerful military man. Third, Elijah was to appoint Elisha as his successor, as the one who would, along with Jehu, strike down Baal’s remaining followers.
- 1 Kings 19:16 This city was located in the tribal territory of Manasseh in the Jordan River valley.
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