9 And he cometh in there, unto the cave, and lodgeth there, and lo, the word of Jehovah 'is' unto him, and saith to him, 'What—to thee, here, Elijah?' 10 And he saith, 'I have been very zealous for Jehovah, God of Hosts, for the sons of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant—Thine altars they have thrown down, and Thy prophets they have slain by the sword, and I am left, I, by myself, and they seek my life—to take it.' 11 And He saith, 'Go out, and thou hast stood in the mount before Jehovah.' And lo, Jehovah is passing by, and a wind—great and strong—is rending mountains, and shivering rocks before Jehovah:—not in the wind 'is' Jehovah; and after the wind a shaking:—not in the shaking 'is' Jehovah; 12 and after the shaking a fire:—not in the fire 'is' Jehovah; and after the fire a voice still small; 13 and it cometh to pass, at Elijah's hearing 'it', that he wrappeth his face in his robe, and goeth out, and standeth at the opening of the cave, and lo, unto him 'is' a voice, and it saith, 'What—to thee, here, Elijah?' 14 And he saith, 'I have been very zealous for Jehovah, God of Hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant, Thine altars they have thrown down, and Thy prophets they have slain by the sword, and I am left, I, by myself, and they seek my life—to take it.' 15 And Jehovah saith unto him, 'Go turn back on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus, and thou hast gone in, and anointed Hazael for king over Aram, 16 and Jehu son of Nimshi thou dost anoint for king over Israel, and Elisha son of Shaphat, of Abel-Meholah, thou dost anoint for prophet in thy stead. 17 'And it hath been, him who is escaped from the sword of Hazael, put to death doth Jehu, and him who is escaped from the sword of Jehu put to death doth Elisha; 18 and I have left in Israel seven thousand, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that hath not kissed him.'
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 19:9-18
Commentary on 1 Kings 19:9-13
(Read 1 Kings 19:9-13)
The question God put, What doest thou here, Elijah? is a reproof. It 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 my 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 hinders 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. Gracious 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.
Commentary on 1 Kings 19:14-18
(Read 1 Kings 19:14-18)
God repeated the question, What doest thou here? Then he complained of his discouragement; and whither should God's prophets go with their complaints of that kind, but to their Master? The Lord gave him an answer. He declares that the wicked house of Ahab shall be rooted out, that the people of Israel shall be punished for their sins; and he shows that Elijah was not left alone as he had supposed, and also that a helper should at once be raised up for him. Thus all his complaints are answered and provided for. God's faithful ones are often his hidden ones, Psalm 83:3, and the visible church is scarcely to be seen: the wheat is lost in chaff, and the gold in dross, till the sifting, refining, separating day comes. The Lord knows them that are his, though we do not; he sees in secret. When we come to heaven we shall miss many whom we thought to have met there; we shall meet many whom we little thought to have met there. God's love often proves larger than man's charity, and far more extended.