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Wednesday, August 13th, 2025
the Week of Proper 14 / Ordinary 19
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Read the Bible

New Century Version

1 Kings 19:12

After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a quiet, gentle sound.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Elijah;   God;   Minister, Christian;   Trouble;   Thompson Chain Reference - Fire;   God;   God's;   Silence-Speech;   Voice;   The Topic Concordance - God;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Jezebel;   Sinai;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Elijah;   Sinai;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Elijah;   Gentleness;   Prophet, Prophetess, Prophecy;   Remnant;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Divination;   Earthquake;   Elijah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Earthquake;   Elijah;   Elisha;   God;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ahab;   Elijah;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Earthquake;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Elijah;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Eli'jah;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Fire;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Israel;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Dwarf;   Elijah;   Elisha;   God;   Still;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Earthquake;   Fire;   Ma'aseh Bereshit;  

Devotionals:

- Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life - Devotion for July 25;   Every Day Light - Devotion for March 19;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
After the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper.
Hebrew Names Version
and after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
King James Version
And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
English Standard Version
And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.
New English Translation
After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a soft whisper.
Amplified Bible
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.
New American Standard Bible
And after the earthquake, a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire, a sound of a gentle blowing.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And after the earthquake came fire: but the Lorde was not in the fire: and after the fire came a still and soft voyce.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then after the earthquake a fire, but Yahweh was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a thin gentle whisper.
Contemporary English Version
Then there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. Finally, there was a gentle breeze,
Complete Jewish Bible
After the earthquake, fire broke out; but Adonai was not in the fire. And after the fire came a quiet, subdued voice.
Darby Translation
And after the earthquake, a fire: Jehovah was not in the fire. And after the fire, a soft gentle voice.
Easy-to-Read Version
After the earthquake, there was a fire. But that fire was not the Lord . After the fire, there was a quiet, gentle voice.
George Lamsa Translation
And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
Good News Translation
After the earthquake there was a fire—but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the soft whisper of a voice.
Lexham English Bible
After the earthquake was a fire, but Yahweh was not in the fire. After the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.
Literal Translation
And after the earthquake was a fire, but Jehovah was not in the fire; and after the fire came a still, small voice.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And after the earth quake there came a fyre, but the LORDE was not in the fyre. And after the fyre came there a styll softe hyssinge.
American Standard Version
and after the earthquake a fire; but Jehovah was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
Bible in Basic English
And after the earth-shock a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire, the sound of a soft breath.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And after the earthquake came fire, but the Lorde was not in the fire: And after the fire, came a small still voyce.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
and after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
King James Version (1611)
And after the earthquake, a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire, a still small voice.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
and after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire the voice of a gentle breeze.
English Revised Version
and after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
Berean Standard Bible
After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, small voice.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And aftir the stiryng is fier; not in the fier is the Lord. And aftir the fier is the issyng of thinne wynd; there is the Lord.
Young's Literal Translation
and after the shaking a fire: -- not in the fire [is] Jehovah; and after the fire a voice still small;
Update Bible Version
and after the earthquake a fire; but Yahweh was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
Webster's Bible Translation
And after the earthquake a fire; [but] the LORD [was] not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
World English Bible
and after the earthquake a fire; but Yahweh was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.
New King James Version
and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
New Living Translation
And 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 whisper.
New Life Bible
After the earth shook, a fire came. But the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a sound of gentle blowing.
New Revised Standard
and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, after the earthquake, a, fire, Not, in the fire, was, Yahweh, - And, after the fire, the voice of a gentle whisper.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And after the earthquake, a fire: but the Lord is not in the fire. And after the fire, a whistling of a gentle air.
Revised Standard Version
and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
After the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing.

Contextual Overview

9 There Elijah went into a cave and stayed all night. Then the Lord spoke his word to him: "Elijah! Why are you here?" 10 He answered, " Lord God All-Powerful, I have always served you as well as I could. But the people of Israel have broken their agreement with you, destroyed your altars, and killed your prophets with swords. I am the only prophet left, and now they are trying to kill me, too." 11 The Lord said to Elijah, "Go, stand in front of me on the mountain, and I will pass by you." Then a very strong wind blew until it caused the mountains to fall apart and large rocks to break in front of the Lord . But the Lord was not in the wind. 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. After the fire, there was a quiet, gentle sound. 13 When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his coat and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. Then a voice said to him, "Elijah! Why are you here?" 14 He answered, " Lord God All-Powerful, I have always served you as well as I could. But the people of Israel have broken their agreement with you, destroyed your altars, and killed your prophets with swords. I am the only prophet left, and now they are trying to kill me, too." 15 The Lord said to him, "Go back on the road that leads to the desert around Damascus. Enter that city, and pour olive oil on Hazael to make him king over Aram. 16 Then pour oil on Jehu son of Nimshi to make him king over Israel. Next, pour oil on Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to make him a prophet in your place. 17 Jehu will kill anyone who escapes from Hazael's sword, and Elisha will kill anyone who escapes from Jehu's sword. 18 I have seven thousand people left in Israel who have never bowed down before Baal and whose mouths have never kissed his idol."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

a fire: 1 Kings 18:38, Genesis 15:17, Exodus 3:2, Deuteronomy 4:11, Deuteronomy 4:12, Deuteronomy 4:33, 2 Kings 1:10, 2 Kings 2:11, Hebrews 12:29

a still: Exodus 34:6, Job 4:16, Job 33:7, Zechariah 4:6, Acts 2:2, Acts 2:36, Acts 2:37

Reciprocal: Exodus 19:18 - whole Psalms 50:3 - a fire

Cross-References

Genesis 7:1
Then the Lord said to Noah, "I have seen that you are the best person among the people of this time, so you and your family can go into the boat.
Genesis 19:14
So Lot went out and said to his future sons-in-law who were pledged to marry his daughters, "Hurry and leave this city! The Lord is about to destroy it!" But they thought Lot was joking.
Genesis 19:17
After they brought them out of the city, one of the men said, "Run for your lives! Don't look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Run to the mountains, or you will be destroyed."
Genesis 19:22
But run there fast, because I cannot destroy Sodom until you are safely in that town." (That town is named Zoar, because it is little.)
Genesis 19:23
The sun had already come up when Lot entered Zoar.
Numbers 16:26
Moses warned the people, "Move away from the tents of these evil men! Don't touch anything of theirs, or you will be destroyed because of their sins."
Jeremiah 32:39
I will make them truly want to be one people with one goal. They will truly want to worship me all their lives, for their own good and for the good of their children after them.
2 Peter 2:7
But he saved Lot from those cities. Lot, a good man, was troubled because of the filthy lives of evil people.
2 Peter 2:9
So the Lord knows how to save those who serve him when troubles come. He will hold evil people and punish them, while waiting for the Judgment Day.
Revelation 18:4
Then I heard another voice from heaven saying: "Come out of that city, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive the disasters that will come to her.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And after the earthquake a fire, [but] the Lord was not in the fire,.... As he was when he descended on this mount, and spake to Moses, Exodus 19:1, the Targum, and so Jarchi, interpret all these appearances of angels, and not amiss; the wind, of an host of angels of wind; the earthquake, of an host of angels of commotion; the fire, of an host of angels of fire; see Psalms 104:4, these ministers of the Lord went before him, to prepare the way of his glorious Majesty; which emblems may represent the power of God, the terribleness of his majesty, and the fury of his wrath, which he could display, if he would, to the destruction of his enemies; and could as easily destroy the idolatrous kingdom of Israel, which Elijah seems to be solicitous of, as the wind rent the mountains, and broke the rocks, and the earthquake shook the earth, and the fire consumed all in its way; but he chose not to do it now, but to use lenity, and show mercy, signified by the next emblem:

and after the fire a still small voice: not rough, but gentle, more like whispering than roaring; something soft, easy, and musical; the Targum is, the voice of those that praise God in silence; and all this may be considered as showing the difference between the two dispensations of law and Gospel; the law is a voice of terrible words, and was given amidst a tempest of wind, thunder, and lightning, attended with an earthquake, Hebrews 12:18, but the Gospel is a gentle voice of love, grace, and mercy, of peace, pardon, righteousness, and salvation by Christ; and may also point at the order and manner of the Lord's dealings with the souls of men, who usually by the law breaks the rocky hearts of men in pieces, shakes their consciences, and fills their minds with a sense of fiery wrath and indignation they deserve, and then speaks comfortably to them, speaks peace and pardon through the ministration of the Gospel by his Spirit; blessed are the people that hear this still, small, gentle voice, the joyful sound, Psalms 89:15.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

A still small voice - literally, “a sound of soft stillness.” The teaching is a condemnation of that “zeal” which Elijah had gloried in, a zeal exhibiting itself in fierce and terrible vengeances, and an exaltation and recommendation of that mild and gentle temper, which “beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” But it was so contrary to the whole character of the stern, harsh, unsparing Tishbite, that it could have found no ready entrance into his heart. It may have for a while moderated his excessive zeal, and inclined him to gentler courses; but later in his life the old harshness recurred in a deed in reference to which our Lord himself drew the well-known contrast between the spirits of the two Dispensations Luke 9:51-56.


 
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