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Read the Bible

The NET Bible®

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 soft whisper.

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 Century Version
After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a quiet, gentle sound.
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 He went into a cave there and spent the night. All of a sudden the Lord spoke to him, "Why are you here, Elijah?" 10 He answered, "I have been absolutely loyal to the Lord , the sovereign God, even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement 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." 11 The Lord 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, 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. 13 When Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his robe and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave. All of a sudden a voice asked him, "Why are you here, Elijah?" 14 He answered, "I have been absolutely loyal to the Lord , the sovereign God, even though the Israelites have abandoned the agreement 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." 15 The Lord said to him, "Go back the way you came and then head for the Desert 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 seven thousand followers who have not bowed their knees to Baal or kissed the images of him."

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
The Lord said to Noah, "Come into the ark, you and all your household, for I consider you godly among this generation.
Genesis 19:14
Then Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law who were going to marry his daughters. He said, "Quick, get out of this place because the Lord is about to destroy the city!" But his sons-in-law thought he was ridiculing them.
Genesis 19:17
When they had brought them outside, they said, "Run for your lives! Don't look behind you or stop anywhere in the valley! Escape to the mountains or you will be destroyed!"
Genesis 19:22
Run there quickly, for I cannot do anything until you arrive there." (This incident explains why the town was called Zoar.)
Genesis 19:23
The sun had just risen over the land as Lot reached Zoar.
Numbers 16:26
And he said to the community, "Move away from the tents of these wicked men, and do not touch anything they have, lest you be destroyed because of all their sins."
Jeremiah 32:39
I will give them a single-minded purpose to live in a way that always shows respect for me. They will want to do that for their own good and the good of the children who descend from them.
2 Peter 2:7
and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man in anguish over the debauched lifestyle of lawless men,
2 Peter 2:9
—if so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from their trials, and to reserve the unrighteous for punishment at the day of judgment,
Revelation 18:4
Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, so you will not take part in her sins and so you will not receive her plagues,

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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