Reference: Earthquake
American
A convulsion of the earth common in volcanic regions, and well known in all parts of the world; probably occasioned by the action of internal heat or fire. Scripture speaks of several earthquakes, Nu 16; 1Ki 19:11-12. One occurred in the twenty-seventh year of Uzziah king of Judah, and is mentioned in Am 1:1; Zec 14:5. A very memorable earthquake was that at our Savior's death, Mt 27:51, which some suppose extended throughout the world. Palestine has been often visited by earthquakes. So late as 1837 one occurred in the vicinity of the Sea of Galilee, by which about a third part of Tiberias was destroyed, and thousands of people perished there and in the towns near by. Earthquakes were among the calamities foretold as connected with the destruction of Jerusalem, Mt 24:7; and history proves the truth of the prediction.
The word earthquake is also used figuratively to denote God's power and wrath, as in Ps 18:7; 46:2; 104:32, etc.; and as an emblem of a great civil or national catastrophe, Mt 24:7,29; Re 16:18-19.
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And he said, Go forth and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire, a still small voice,
Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of the mountains collapsed and were removed because he was wroth.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea,
He looks on the earth, and it trembles: he touches the mountains, and they smoke.
The words of Amos, who was among the pastors of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal; and ye shall flee like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah; and the LORD my God shall come, and all his saints with him.
For nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places.
For nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places.
Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from the heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken,
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
Then there were voices and thunders and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as has never been since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the Gentiles fell; and Babylon the great came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
Easton
mentioned among the extraordinary phenomena of Palestine (Ps 18:7; comp. Hab 3:6; Na 1:5; Isa 5:25).
The first earthquake in Palestine of which we have any record happened in the reign of Ahab (1Ki 19:11-12). Another took place in the days of Uzziah, King of Judah (Zec 14:5). The most memorable earthquake taking place in New Testament times happened at the crucifixion of our Lord (Mt 27:54). An earthquake at Philippi shook the prison in which Paul and Silas were imprisoned (Ac 16:26).
It is used figuratively as a token of the presence of the Lord (Jg 5:4; 2Sa 22:8; Ps 77:18; 97:4; 104:32).
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LORD, when thou didst go out of Seir, when thou didst march out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped; the clouds also dropped water.
And he said, Go forth and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire, a still small voice,
Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of the mountains collapsed and were removed because he was wroth.
The voice of thy thunder was all around; the lightnings lightened the world; the earth trembled and shook.
His lightnings enlightened the world; the earth saw and trembled.
He looks on the earth, and it trembles: he touches the mountains, and they smoke.
Therefore is the anger of the LORD kindled against his people, and he has stretched forth his hand against them and has smitten them; and the mountains trembled, and their carcasses were torn in the midst of the streets. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, and the world and all that dwell therein.
He stood and measured the earth; he beheld and drove out the Gentiles; and the ancient mountains crumbled, the ancient hills; the ways of the world bowed unto him.
And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal; and ye shall flee like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah; and the LORD my God shall come, and all his saints with him.
Now when the centurion and those that were with him, guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was God's Son.
then suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
Fausets
Traces of volcanic agency abound in Palestine. Yet the only recorded earthquake is that in Uzziah's reign (Am 1:1). It must have been a terrible one, since two and a half centuries later it was still being made an epoch in Zec 14:5; his sin in the spiritual world was connected with the convulsion in the natural world. Such physical signs and premonitory upheavals shall accompany the closing conflict between the powers of light and darkness (Isa 24:20; Zec 14:4; Mt 24:7). Also that in 1Ki 19:11. The awe it inspires made it an accompaniment attributed to Jehovah's presence (Jg 5:4; 2Sa 22:8; Ps 77:18; 104:32; Am 8:8; Hab 3:10). The valley of Siddim, S. of the Dead Sea, probably subsided owing to an earthquake. Bela is so-called ("swallowed up") from having been engulfed by an earthquake, as Dathan and Abiram were (Nu 16:30-32; Ge 14:2).
The miraculous darkness and earthquake at our Lord's death (Mt 27:51-54) agree with the natural fact of darkness often accompanying earthquakes. The Jordan Valley, with a lower and a lower valley, the sulphurous and bituminous neighborhood of the Dead Sea, the lava, pumice stones, and hot springs, the crater like depression of the Dead Sea, 1,300 ft. below the Mediterranean level, and 3,500 ft. below Jerusalem, only 20 miles away (the deepest depression on the earth), its basaltic columns, disturbed strata, and numerous crevices, all betoken action of volcanoes and earthquakes. The line of earthquakes extends from Hebron and Jerusalem to Baalbek and Aleppo, from S.W. to N.E., following the central chain of Syria, parallel to the Jordan Valley, and terminating in the volcanic slope of Taurus on the N. and in the mountains of Arabia Petrea on the S.
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made war against Bera king of Sodom and against Birsha king of Gomorrah and against Shinab king of Admah and against Shemeber king of Zeboiim and against the king of Bela, which is Zoar.
But if the LORD does a new thing and the earth opens her mouth and swallows them up with all their things and they go down alive into Sheol, then ye shall know that these men have provoked the LORD. And it came to pass as he had made an end of speaking all these words that the ground broke open under them; read more. the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, and their houses and all the men of Korah and all their goods.
LORD, when thou didst go out of Seir, when thou didst march out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, and the heavens dropped; the clouds also dropped water.
And he said, Go forth and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
The voice of thy thunder was all around; the lightnings lightened the world; the earth trembled and shook.
He looks on the earth, and it trembles: he touches the mountains, and they smoke.
The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard and shall be removed like a cottage; and its transgression shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall and never rise again.
The words of Amos, who was among the pastors of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwells therein? and it shall all rise up as a flood, and it shall be cast out and sunk, as the river of Egypt.
The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the waters passed by; the abyss uttered its voice; the deep lifted up its hands.
And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, making a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal; and ye shall flee like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah; and the LORD my God shall come, and all his saints with him.
For nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places.
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who slept arose read more. and came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion and those that were with him, guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was God's Son.
Hastings
The whole formation of the country running in a straight line from the Taurus range to the gulf of Akabah, which therefore includes Central Jud
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And all Mount Sinai smoked because the LORD had descended upon it in fire, and its smoke ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.
And it came to pass as he had made an end of speaking all these words that the ground broke open under them;
Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of the mountains collapsed and were removed because he was wroth.
The earth shook, the heavens also dropped their rain at the presence of God; even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.
The voice of thy thunder was all around; the lightnings lightened the world; the earth trembled and shook.
who makes his angels spirits, his ministers a flaming fire,
Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of the hosts with thunders, with earthquakes, and with great noise, with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.
The words of Amos, who was among the pastors of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal; and ye shall flee like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah; and the LORD my God shall come, and all his saints with him.
For nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places.
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
Now when the centurion and those that were with him, guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was God's Son.
And, behold, there was a great earthquake, for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it.
For people shall rise against people and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be earthquakes in each place, and there shall be famines and troubles: these shall be the beginnings of sorrows.
and there shall be great earthquakes in different places and famines and pestilences, and there shall be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.
then suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
Morish
The first earthquake mentioned is when Elijah was told to stand before the Lord. There passed by a strong wind that rent the rocks, then an earthquake, and fire; but the Lord was not in the earthquake, nor in the fire; but in a still small voice: a lesson for Elijah when he was thinking much of himself. 1Ki 19:11-12. In the days of Uzziah there was a great earthquake, from which the people fled. Am 1:1; Zec 14:5. Josephus (Ant. ix. 10, 4) states that this happened when the king went into the temple and was struck with leprosy. 2Ch 26:16-21.
There was an earthquake at the death of the Lord, and the rocks were rent, which drew from the centurion the saying, "Truly this was the Son of God." Mt 27:51,54. There was also a great earthquake at the resurrection of the Lord. Mt 28:2. When Paul and Barnabas were in the prison at Philippi there was a great earthquake that shook the prison, which led to the conversion of the jailer. Ac 16:26. Josephus (Ant. xv. 5, 2) relates the particulars of a dreadful earthquake in Palestine about B.C. 31, when as many as 10,000 of the inhabitants lost their lives.
In the future judgements on the earth, earthquakes are often mentioned. Isa 29:6; Mt 24:7; Mr 13:8; Lu 21:11; Re 6:12; 8:5; 11:13,19; 16:18. Symbolically they point to the upheaval of the lower masses of society, overthrowing the social system either partially or entirely.
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And he said, Go forth and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire, a still small voice,
But when he was strengthened, his heart lifted itself up unto corruption, for he rebelled against the LORD his God, entering into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense. And Azariah, the priest, went in after him, and with him eighty priests of the LORD, that were valiant men. read more. And they withstood Uzziah, the king, and said unto him, It does not pertain unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests, the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense; go out of the sanctuary, for thou hast rebelled; neither shall it be for thy glory before the LORD God. Then Uzziah was angry and had a censer in his hand to burn incense; and in this his anger with the priests, the leprosy rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, next to the altar of incense. And Azariah, the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from there, and he also hastened to go out because the LORD had smitten him. And Uzziah, the king, was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a separate house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD; and Jotham, his son, was over the king's house, judging the people of the land.
Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of the hosts with thunders, with earthquakes, and with great noise, with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.
The words of Amos, who was among the pastors of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal; and ye shall flee like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah; and the LORD my God shall come, and all his saints with him.
For nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in different places.
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
Now when the centurion and those that were with him, guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was God's Son.
And, behold, there was a great earthquake, for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it.
For people shall rise against people and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be earthquakes in each place, and there shall be famines and troubles: these shall be the beginnings of sorrows.
and there shall be great earthquakes in different places and famines and pestilences, and there shall be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.
then suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
And I saw when he had opened the sixth seal, and, behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
And the angel took the censer and filled it with fire of the altar and cast it into the earth; and there were voices and thunderings and lightnings and an earthquake.
And in the same hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain the names of seven thousand men; and the others were frightened and gave glory to the God of heaven.
And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of his testament was seen in his temple: and there were lightnings and voices and thunderings and earthquakes and great hail.
Then there were voices and thunders and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as has never been since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
Smith
Earthquake.
Earthquakes, more or less violent, are of frequent occurrence in Palestine. The most remarkable occurred in the reign of Uzziah.
From
we are led to infer that a great convulsion took place at this time in the Mount of Olives, the mountain being split so as to leave a valley between its summit. An earthquake occurred at the time of our Saviour's crucifixion.
Earthquakes are not unfrequently accompanied by fissures of the earth's surface; instances of this are recorded in connection with the destruction of Korah and his company,
and at the time of our Lord's death,
the former may be paralleled by a similar occurrence at Oppido in Calabria A.D. 1783, where the earth opened to the extent of five hundred and a depth of more than two hundred feet.
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the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, and their houses and all the men of Korah and all their goods.
And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, making a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north and half of it toward the south. And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal; and ye shall flee like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah; and the LORD my God shall come, and all his saints with him.
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who slept arose read more. and came out of the graves after his resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion and those that were with him, guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was God's Son.
Watsons
EARTHQUAKE. The Scripture speaks of several earthquakes. One happened in the twenty-seventh year of Uzziah, king of Judah, in the year of the world 3221. This is mentioned in Am 1:1, and in Zec 14:5. Josephus says that its violence divided a mountain, which lay west of Jerusalem, and drove one part of it four furlongs. A very memorable earthquake is that which happened at our Saviour's death, Mt 27:51. Many have thought that this was perceived throughout the world. Others are of opinion that it was felt only in Judea, or even in the temple at Jerusalem. St. Cyril of Jerusalem says, that the rocks upon mount Calvary were shown in his time, which had been rent asunder by this earthquake. Maundrell and Sandys testify the same, and say that they examined the breaches in the rock, and were convinced that they were the effects of an earthquake. It must have been terrible, since the centurion and those with him were so affected by it, as to acknowledge the innocence of our Saviour, Lu 23:47. Phlegon, Adrian's freedman, relates that, together with the eclipse, which happened at noon day, in the fourth year of the two hundred and second Olympiad, or A.D. 33, a very great earthquake was also felt, principally in Bithynia. The effects of God's power, wrath, and vengeance are compared to earthquakes, Ps 18:7; 46:2; 114:4. An earthquake signifies also, in prophetic language, the dissolution of governments and the overthrow of states.
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Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of the mountains collapsed and were removed because he was wroth.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea,
The mountains skipped like rams and the little hills like lambs.
The words of Amos, who was among the pastors of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.
And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains, for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal; and ye shall flee like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah; and the LORD my God shall come, and all his saints with him.
And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.