The Meaning of 1 Kings 19:13 Explained

1 Kings 19:13

KJV: And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

YLT: 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?'

Darby: And it came to pass, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

ASV: And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it was [so], when Elijah  heard  [it], that he wrapped  his face  in his mantle,  and went out,  and stood  in the entering in  of the cave.  And, behold, [there came] a voice  unto him, and said,  What doest thou here, Elijah? 

What does 1 Kings 19:13 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 19:9-14 - Learning How God Works
God knew how to treat His servant, resting beneath the juniper tree. He steeped his nature in refreshing sleep, fed his exhausted energies, caused angel-hands to minister to him, and finally conducted him across the desert to that sacred mountain where Moses in the old time had stood in the divine audience-chamber. There the forces of nature spoke to Elijah's varying moods. In the fire, the earthquake, and the tempest, he heard the voices of his own soul. They expressed what he would say, and relieved him in the expression. Then the accents of the "still small voice" fell upon his ear, calming, quieting, soothing. Best of all, the voice of God commissioned him once more with the words, "Go, return." The vacated post was open still; the crown of the life-work could be worthily placed; the gate was open through which he might serve the land he loved.
Often we lie down on the desert-sands, and think that death is near. But it is not so. God does not judge us by our moods. He knows the faithful heart that is true to Him, and he wants to bestow the crown of life. Not the winding-sheet of the desert-sands, but the chariot of fire to the Home-Land was to be the portion of God's faithful prophet. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 19

1  Elijah, threatened by Jezebel, flees to Beersheba
4  In the desert, being weary of his life, he is comforted by an angel
9  At Horeb God appears unto him, sending him to anoint Hazael, Jehu, and Elisha
19  Elisha, taking leave of his friends, follows Elijah

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 19:13 mean?

So it was when heard [it] Elijah that he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave And suddenly to him a voice [came] and said what are you doing here Elijah
וַיְהִ֣י ׀ כִּשְׁמֹ֣עַ אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ וַיָּ֤לֶט פָּנָיו֙ בְּאַדַּרְתּ֔וֹ וַיֵּצֵ֕א וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הַמְּעָרָ֑ה וְהִנֵּ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ ק֔וֹל וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מַה־ לְּךָ֥ פֹ֖ה ؟ אֵלִיָּֽהוּ

וַיְהִ֣י ׀  So  it  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כִּשְׁמֹ֣עַ  when  heard  [it] 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ  Elijah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵלִיָּה 
Sense: the great prophet of the reign of Ahab.
וַיָּ֤לֶט  that  he  wrapped 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: לוּט  
Sense: to wrap closely or tightly, enwrap, envelop.
פָּנָיו֙  his  face 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
בְּאַדַּרְתּ֔וֹ  in  his  cloak 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אַדֶּרֶת  
Sense: glory, cloak.
וַיֵּצֵ֕א  and  went  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֖ד  and  stood 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
פֶּ֣תַח  in  the  entrance 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּתַח  
Sense: opening, doorway, entrance.
הַמְּעָרָ֑ה  of  the  cave 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: מְעָרָה  
Sense: cave, den, hole.
וְהִנֵּ֤ה  And  suddenly 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
אֵלָיו֙  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
ק֔וֹל  a  voice  [came] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לְּךָ֥  are  you  doing 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
פֹ֖ה  here 
Parse: Adverb
Root: פֹּה  
Sense: here, from here, hither.
؟ אֵלִיָּֽהוּ  Elijah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵלִיָּה 
Sense: the great prophet of the reign of Ahab.