SEV Biblia, Chapter 19:11
Y él le dijo: Sal fuera, y ponte en el monte delante del SEÑOR. Y he aquí el SEÑOR que pasaba, y un gran y poderoso viento que rompía los montes, y quebraba las peñas delante del SEÑOR; mas el SEÑOR no estaba en el viento. Y tras el viento un terremoto; mas el SEÑOR no estaba en el terremoto.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 19:11
Verse 11. Stand upon the mount before the Lord.] God was now treating Elijah nearly in the same way that he treated Moses; and it is not unlikely that Elijah was now standing on the same place where Moses stood, when God revealed himself to him in the giving of the law. See Exod. xix. 9, 16. The Lord passed by] It appears that the passing by of the Lord occasioned the strong wind, the earthquake, and the fire; but in none of these was God to make a discovery of himself unto the prophet; yet these, in some sort, prepared his way, and prepared Elijah to hear the still small voice. The apparatus, indicating the presence of the Divine Majesty, is nearly the same as that employed to minister the law to Moses; and many have supposed that God intended these things to be understood thus: that God intended to display himself to mankind not in judgment, but in mercy; and that as the wind, the earthquake, and the fire, were only the forerunners of the still small voice, which proclaimed the benignity of the Father of spirits; so the law, and all its terrors, were only intended to introduce that mild spirit of the Gospel of Jesus, proclaiming glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and good will unto men. Others think that all this was merely natural; and that a real earthquake, and its accompaniments, are described. 1. Previously to earthquakes the atmosphere becomes greatly disturbed, mighty winds and tempests taking place. 2. This is followed by the actual agitation of the earth. 3. In this agitation fire frequently escapes, or a burning lava is poured out, often accompanied with thunder and lightning. 4. After these the air becomes serene, the thunder ceases to roll, the forked lightnings no longer play, and nothing remains but a gentle breeze. However correct all this may be, it seems most probably evident that what took place at this time was out of the ordinary course of nature; and although the things, as mentioned here, may often be the accompaniments of an earthquake that has nothing supernatural in it; yet here, though every thing is produced in its natural order, yet the exciting cause of the whole is supernatural. Thus the Chaldee understands the whole passage: "And behold the Lord was revealed; and before him was a host of the angels of the wind, tearing the mountains, and breaking the rocks before the Lord, but the Majesty (Shechinah) of the Lord was not in the host of the angels of the wind. And after the host of the angels of the wind, there was a host of the angels of commotion; but the Majesty of the Lord was not in the host of the angels of commotion. And after the host of the angels of commotion, a fire; but the Majesty of the Lord was not in the host of the angels of fire. And after the host of the angels of fire, a voice singing in silence," &c.; that is, a sound with which no other sound was mingled. Perhaps the whole of this is intended to give an emblematical representation of the various displays of Divine providence and grace.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 11. And he said, go forth and stand upon the mount before the Lord , etc.] Who would appear there as he had to Moses formerly, though not in the same manner: and, behold, the Lord passed by ; or was about to pass, for as yet he had not; his messengers first went before him: and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord ; strong enough to do all this, and so it might: but the Lord was not in the wind ; as he sometimes is, (Na 1:3), he spake to Job out of a whirlwind, ( Job 38:1), and after the wind an earthquake ; that shook the earth all around, and the mountain also, as it did when the law was given on it, ( Psalm 68:8) but the Lord was not in the earthquake ; as he was when it trembled in the times of Moses, ( Exodus 19:18). Ver. 12 . And after the earthquake a fire, [but] the Lord was not in the fire , etc.] As he was when he descended on this mount, and spake to Moses, ( Exodus 19:1-25), 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 <19A404> Psalm 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 12:18,19 Exodus 19:18), 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, ( Psalm 89:15).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 9-13 - The question God put, What doest thou here, Elijah? is a reproof. I concerns us often to ask whether we are in our place, and in the way of our duty. Am I where I should be? whither God calls me, where m business lies, and where I may be useful? He complained of the people and their obstinacy in sin; I only am left. Despair of success hinder many a good enterprise. Did Elijah come hither to meet with God? he shall find that God will meet him. The wind, and earthquake, and fire did not make him cover his face, but the still voice did. Graciou souls are more affected by the tender mercies of the Lord, than by his terrors. The mild voice of Him who speaks from the cross, or the mercy-seat, is accompanied with peculiar power in taking possession of the heart.
Original Hebrew
ויאמר 559 צא 3318 ועמדת 5975 בהר 2022 לפני 6440 יהוה 3068 והנה 2009 יהוה 3068 עבר 5674 ורוח 7307 גדולה 1419 וחזק 2389 מפרק 6561 הרים 2022 ומשׁבר 7665 סלעים 5553 לפני 6440 יהוה 3068 לא 3808 ברוח 7307 יהוה 3068 ואחר 310 הרוח 7307 רעשׁ 7494 לא 3808 ברעשׁ 7494 יהוה׃ 3068
