The Meaning of 1 Kings 19:12 Explained

1 Kings 19:12

KJV: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

YLT: and after the shaking a fire: -- not in the fire is Jehovah; and after the fire a voice still small;

Darby: And after the earthquake, a fire: Jehovah was not in the fire. And after the fire, a soft gentle voice.

ASV: and after the earthquake a fire; but Jehovah was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And after  the earthquake  a fire;  [but] the LORD  [was] not in the fire:  and after  the fire  a still  small  voice. 

What does 1 Kings 19:12 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 19:12 mean?

And after the earthquake a fire not in the fire [but] Yahweh [was] the fire a voice still small
וְאַחַ֤ר הָרַ֙עַשׁ֙ אֵ֔שׁ לֹ֥א בָאֵ֖שׁ יְהוָ֑ה הָאֵ֔שׁ ק֖וֹל דְּמָמָ֥ה דַקָּֽה

וְאַחַ֤ר  And  after 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
הָרַ֙עַשׁ֙  the  earthquake 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רַעַשׁ  
Sense: quaking, rattling, shaking.
אֵ֔שׁ  a  fire 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
בָאֵ֖שׁ  in  the  fire 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
יְהוָ֑ה  [but]  Yahweh  [was] 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הָאֵ֔שׁ  the  fire 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
ק֖וֹל  a  voice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
דְּמָמָ֥ה  still 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: דְּמָמָה  
Sense: whisper, calm.
דַקָּֽה  small 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: דַּק  
Sense: thin, small, fine, gaunt.