1 Kings 19:13

13 And when Elijah heard it, ¹he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, ²there came a voice to him and said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

1 Kings 19:13 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 19:13

And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face
in his mantle
Through reverence of the divine Majesty he perceived was there, and through shame and confusion under a sense of his impurity, imperfections, and unworthiness, as the seraphim in ( Isaiah 6:2 Isaiah 6:3 ) , and as Moses, ( Exodus 3:6 ) , and went out and stood in the entering in of the cave; he attempted to come forth out of the cave upon the divine order, ( 1 Kings 19:11 ) , but was stopped by the terrible appearances of the wind, earthquake, and fire, a little within it; but now he came quite out, and stood at the mouth of it, to hear what the Lord would say unto him:

and, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, what dost thou
here, Elijah?
the same question is here put as in ( 1 Kings 19:9 ) , though there by an angel, here by the Lord himself.

1 Kings 19:13 In-Context

11 And he said, "Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a 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 an 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.

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

14 He said, "I have been very jealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown 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.

Cross References

• 1. [Exodus 3:6]
• 2. ver. 9