1 Kings 19:5
in 1 Kings 19Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he lay down and slept under a juniper-tree; and, behold, an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
KJV
And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat.
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This verse in 1 Kings 19
Commentary
9 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
An angel touched him - The friendly ministration of angels, common in the time of the patriarchs Gen 18:2-16; 19:1-22; Gen 28:12; Gen 32:1, Gen 32:24-29, and known also under the Judges Jdg 6:11-21; 13:3-20, was now extended to Elijah. Any other explanation of this passage does violence to the words. It is certainly not the intention of the writer to represent Elijah as relieved on this occasion by a human “messenger.”
This site's exposition
an angel touched him
on 1 Kings 19:5-6
Before any word of correction comes food: a cake baken on the coals and a cruse of water, the same pattern of provision that fed Elijah by ravens at Cherith and by a widow's meal at Zarephath in the previous chapters. Barnes reads the angel as no human messenger but a plain angelic ministration, continuing what began with the patriarchs and the judges. Elijah eats, sleeps, and is fed again before he is asked a single question.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"The angel of the Lord came a second time, touched him and said, 'Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.' " Elijah was sleeping under a tree. Now an angel came to him and woke him up (sleep was …
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
He needed not to complain of the unkindness of men when it was thus made up by the ministration of angels. Thus provided for, he had reason to think he had fared better than the prophets of the groves, that did eat at Jezebel's table. Wherever God's children are, as they are still upon their Father's ground, so they are still under their Father's eye and care.
), wishing it may be to die in his sleep, and not to awake again; but he is awakened out of his sleep, and finds himself not only well provided for with bread and water (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree,.... Being weary and fatigued with his journey, the same under which he sat; for there was but one, as that is said to be in the preceding verse: behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, arise, and eat; so far was the Lord from granting his request to take away his life, that he made provision to preserve it; so careful was he of him, as to give an angel charge to get food ready for him, and then awake him to eat of it.
It is God's work to preserve that remnant, and distinguish them from the rest, for without his grace they could not have distinguished themselves: I have left me; it is therefore said to be a remnant according to the election of grace. It is but a little remnant, in comparison with the degenerate race; what are 7000 to the thousands of Israel?
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
In the solitude of Sinai, God appeared to instruct him. "What doest thou here, Elijah?" was a searching question addressed to one who had been called to so arduous and urgent a mission as his.
As he lay and slept - Excessive anguish of mind frequently induces sleep, as well as great fatigue of body. An angel touched him - He needed refreshment, and God sent an angel to bring him what was necessary.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּשְׁכַּב֙ | vaiyishkav | and he lay down | H7901 → | 212 times |
| וַיִּישַׁ֔ן | vaiyishan | and he slept | H3462 → | |
| תַּ֖חַת | tachat | under | H8478 → | 505 times |
| רֹ֣תֶם | rotem | a broom plant | H7574 → | |
| אֶחָ֑ד | ʾechad | one | H259 → | 971 times |
| וְהִנֵּֽה־ | vehineh- | and there! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| זֶ֤ה | zeh | this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| מַלְאָךְ֙ | malokh | an angel | H4397 → | 213 times |
| נֹגֵ֣עַ | nogea' | [was] touching | H5060 → | 150 times |
| בּ֔וֹ | bo | <in> him | ||
| וַיֹּ֥אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| ל֖וֹ | lo | to him | ||
| ק֥וּם | kum | arise | H6965 → | 628 times |
| אֱכֽוֹל׃ | ʾekhol | eat | H398 → | 810 times |
וַיִּשְׁכַּב֙and he lay down
vaiyishkavH7901 →212 times
וַיִּישַׁ֔ןand he slept
vaiyishanH3462 →
תַּ֖חַתunder
tachatH8478 →505 times
רֹ֣תֶםa broom plant
rotemH7574 →
אֶחָ֑דone
ʾechadH259 →971 times
וְהִנֵּֽה־and there!
vehineh-H2009 →843 times
זֶ֤הthis
zehH2088 →1180 times
מַלְאָךְ֙an angel
malokhH4397 →213 times
נֹגֵ֣עַ[was] touching
nogea'H5060 →150 times
בּ֔וֹ<in> him
bo
וַיֹּ֥אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
ל֖וֹto him
lo
ק֥וּםarise
kumH6965 →628 times
אֱכֽוֹל׃eat
ʾekholH398 →810 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 13:5Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, for God has said: “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.”
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 31:8
The LORD Himself goes before you; He will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”
- Joshua 1:5
No one shall stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so will I be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
- Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid or terrified of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
- 1 Samuel 12:22
Indeed, for the sake of His great name, the LORD will not abandon His people, because He was pleased to make you His own.
- Isaiah 41:17
The poor and needy seek water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I, the LORD, will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
- Deuteronomy 31:8
Through
Psalms 34:7The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him, and he delivers them.
it leads to
- Psalms 91:11
For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
- Daniel 6:22
My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, for I was found innocent in His sight, and I have done no wrong against you, O…
- Hebrews 1:14
Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?
- Psalms 91:11
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies4
About 1 Kings
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Ephrem the Syrian, ON THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS 19:4; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.