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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And he will say, Go forth and stand upon the mountain before Jehovah And behold, Jehovah passed by, and a great and strong wind weakening the mountains, and breaking the rocks before Jehovah; Jehovah not in the wind: and after the wind, a shaking; Jehovah not in the shaking: And after the shaking, a fire; Jehovah not in the fire: and after the fire, a voice of light stillness.
And it will be moved and the earth will tremble, and the foundations of the mountains will be moved and they will shake, for it was kindled to him.
For this we will not fear in the changing of the earth, and in the moving of the mountains into the heart of the seas.
Looking upon the earth and it will tremble: he will touch up the mountains and they will smoke.
The words of Amos who was among the shepherds of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the shaking.
And ye fled to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach to the side, and ye fled as ye fled from the face of the shaking in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah: and Jehovah my God came, all the holy ones with thee.
For nation shall be raised up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines, and plagues, and shakings in places.
For nation shall be raised up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines, and plagues, and shakings in places.
And quickly after the pressure of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from the heavens, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken;
And, behold, the covering of the temple was cleft in two, from above to below; and the earth was shaken; and the rocks were cleft:
And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great shaking, such as was not since the time men were upon earth, such a great shaking. And the great city was in three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the wrath of his anger.
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).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Jehovah, in thy going forth from Seir, In thy ascending from the field of Edom, The earth trembled, the heavens also dropped, Also the clouds dropped water.
And he will say, Go forth and stand upon the mountain before Jehovah And behold, Jehovah passed by, and a great and strong wind weakening the mountains, and breaking the rocks before Jehovah; Jehovah not in the wind: and after the wind, a shaking; Jehovah not in the shaking: And after the shaking, a fire; Jehovah not in the fire: and after the fire, a voice of light stillness.
And it will be moved and the earth will tremble, and the foundations of the mountains will be moved and they will shake, for it was kindled to him.
The voice of thy thunder in the wheel: the lightnings lightened the habitable globe: the earth moved and it will shake.
His lightnings lightened the habitable globe; the earth saw and it Will tremble.
Looking upon the earth and it will tremble: he will touch up the mountains and they will smoke.
For this the anger of Jehovah was kindled against his people, and he will stretch forth his hand against them and strike them: and the mountains will be moved and their carcasses shall be as dung in the midst of the streets. In all this his anger was not turned back, and his hand was yet stretched out.
The mountains shook from him, and the hills melted, and the earth will lift up from his face, and the habitable globe and all dwelling in it
He stood, and he will measure the earth: he saw, and he will cause the nations to tremble, and the mountains of eternity will be dispersed, the perpetual hills bowed down: the goings everlasting to him.
And ye fled to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach to the side, and ye fled as ye fled from the face of the shaking in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah: and Jehovah my God came, all the holy ones with thee.
And the centurion, and they with him, observing Jesus, having seen the shaking, and the things having been, were greatly afraid, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
And suddenly was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and the bonds of all were let loose.
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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Made war with Bera, king of Sodom, and with Birsha, king of Gomorrah, Shinab, king of Admah, and Shemeber, king of Zeboim, and the king of Bela, this is Zoar.
And if Jehovah shall create a creation, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them and all which is to them, and they went down living to hades; and ye know that these men rejected Jehovah, And it shall be as he finished to speak all these words, the earth shall cleave asunder which is under them: read more. And the earth shall open her mouth and shall swallow them and their houses, and all the men which to Korah, and all the possessions.
Jehovah, in thy going forth from Seir, In thy ascending from the field of Edom, The earth trembled, the heavens also dropped, Also the clouds dropped water.
And he will say, Go forth and stand upon the mountain before Jehovah And behold, Jehovah passed by, and a great and strong wind weakening the mountains, and breaking the rocks before Jehovah; Jehovah not in the wind: and after the wind, a shaking; Jehovah not in the shaking:
The voice of thy thunder in the wheel: the lightnings lightened the habitable globe: the earth moved and it will shake.
Looking upon the earth and it will tremble: he will touch up the mountains and they will smoke.
The earth moving to and fro, shall move to and fro as the intoxicated, and it was removed as a lodge; and its transgression was heavy upon it and it fell, and it shall not add to rise.
The words of Amos who was among the shepherds of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the shaking.
For this shall not the land be moved, and all dwelling in it, mourn? And it came up all of it as a river; and it was driven out and watered as the river of Egypt
They saw thee, the mountains shall tremble: the pouring of the waters passed by: the deep gave his voice, he lifted up his hands on high.
And his feet stood in that day upon the mount of Olives which is upon the face of Jerusalem from the east; and the mount of Olives was cleft asunder from its half from the sunrising and the sea, and a very great valley; and half of the mountain removed to the north, and its half to the south. And ye fled to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach to the side, and ye fled as ye fled from the face of the shaking in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah: and Jehovah my God came, all the holy ones with thee.
For nation shall be raised up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines, and plagues, and shakings in places.
And, behold, the covering of the temple was cleft in two, from above to below; and the earth was shaken; and the rocks were cleft: And the tombs were opened: and many bodies of the holy ones, having been set to sleep, were raised, read more. And having come forth from the tombs, after his arising, went into the holy city, and were exhibited to many. And the centurion, and they with him, observing Jesus, having seen the shaking, and the things having been, were greatly afraid, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
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
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And mount Sinai smoked all of it, because that Jehovah came down upon it in fire: and its smoke will go up as the smoke of the furnace, and all the mountain will tremble exceedingly.
And it shall be as he finished to speak all these words, the earth shall cleave asunder which is under them:
And it will be moved and the earth will tremble, and the foundations of the mountains will be moved and they will shake, for it was kindled to him.
The earth shook, also the heavens dropped from the face of God, this Sinai from the face of God, the God of Israel.
The voice of thy thunder in the wheel: the lightnings lightened the habitable globe: the earth moved and it will shake.
Making his messengers spirits; his servants a fire of flame:
From Jehovah of armies shalt thou be reviewed, with thunder and with shaking, and a great voice, whirlwind and storm, and the flames of consuming fire.
The words of Amos who was among the shepherds of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the shaking.
And ye fled to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach to the side, and ye fled as ye fled from the face of the shaking in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah: and Jehovah my God came, all the holy ones with thee.
For nation shall be raised up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines, and plagues, and shakings in places.
And, behold, the covering of the temple was cleft in two, from above to below; and the earth was shaken; and the rocks were cleft:
And the centurion, and they with him, observing Jesus, having seen the shaking, and the things having been, were greatly afraid, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
And, behold, there was a great shaking; for a messenger of the Lord, having come down out of heaven, having come near, rolled away the stone from the door, and sat above it.
For nation shall be raised against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be earthquakes in places, and there shall be famines, and commotions: these the beginnings of anguish.
And great earthquakes in places, and famines, and scourges shall be; and terrific objects and great signs shall be from heaven.
And suddenly was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and the bonds of all were let loose.
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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And he will say, Go forth and stand upon the mountain before Jehovah And behold, Jehovah passed by, and a great and strong wind weakening the mountains, and breaking the rocks before Jehovah; Jehovah not in the wind: and after the wind, a shaking; Jehovah not in the shaking: And after the shaking, a fire; Jehovah not in the fire: and after the fire, a voice of light stillness.
And in his being strong his heart was lifted up even to destruction: for he will transgress against Jehovah his God, and come in to the temple of Jehovah to burn incense upon the altar of incense. And Azariah the priest will go in after him, and with him eighty priests to Jehovah, sons of strength. read more. And they will stand against Uzziah the king, and say to him, Not to thee, Uzziah, to burn incense to Jehovah, but to the priests, the sons of Aaron, being consecrated to burn incense: go forth from the holy place, for thou didst trespass; and not to thee for honor from Jehovah God. And Uzziah will he angry, and in his hand a censer to burn incense: and in his being angry with the priests, the leprosy rose in his forehead before the priests in the house of Jehovah, from above to the altar of incense. And Azariah the head priest will turn to him, and all the priests, and behold, he was smitten in his forehead, and they will drive him out from thence; and he also hastened to go forth, for Jehovah struck him. And Uzziah the king will be smitten even to the day of his death; and he dwelt in a house of infirmity, leprous; for he was cut off from the house of Jehovah: and Jotham his son over the king's house, judging the people of the land.
From Jehovah of armies shalt thou be reviewed, with thunder and with shaking, and a great voice, whirlwind and storm, and the flames of consuming fire.
The words of Amos who was among the shepherds of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the shaking.
And ye fled to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach to the side, and ye fled as ye fled from the face of the shaking in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah: and Jehovah my God came, all the holy ones with thee.
For nation shall be raised up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines, and plagues, and shakings in places.
And, behold, the covering of the temple was cleft in two, from above to below; and the earth was shaken; and the rocks were cleft:
And the centurion, and they with him, observing Jesus, having seen the shaking, and the things having been, were greatly afraid, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
And, behold, there was a great shaking; for a messenger of the Lord, having come down out of heaven, having come near, rolled away the stone from the door, and sat above it.
For nation shall be raised against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be earthquakes in places, and there shall be famines, and commotions: these the beginnings of anguish.
And great earthquakes in places, and famines, and scourges shall be; and terrific objects and great signs shall be from heaven.
And suddenly was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and the bonds of all were let loose.
And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and, behold, there was a great shaking; and the sun was black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon was as blood;
And the angel took the censer, and filled it from the fire of the altar, and cast into the earth: and there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
And in that hour was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell, and there were slain in the shaking seven thousand names of men: and the rest were terrified, and they gave glory to the God of heaven.
And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of his covenant was seen in his temple: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunders, and shakings, and great hail.
And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great shaking, such as was not since the time men were upon earth, such a great shaking.
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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And the earth shall open her mouth and shall swallow them and their houses, and all the men which to Korah, and all the possessions.
And his feet stood in that day upon the mount of Olives which is upon the face of Jerusalem from the east; and the mount of Olives was cleft asunder from its half from the sunrising and the sea, and a very great valley; and half of the mountain removed to the north, and its half to the south. And ye fled to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach to the side, and ye fled as ye fled from the face of the shaking in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah: and Jehovah my God came, all the holy ones with thee.
And, behold, the covering of the temple was cleft in two, from above to below; and the earth was shaken; and the rocks were cleft:
And, behold, the covering of the temple was cleft in two, from above to below; and the earth was shaken; and the rocks were cleft: And the tombs were opened: and many bodies of the holy ones, having been set to sleep, were raised, read more. And having come forth from the tombs, after his arising, went into the holy city, and were exhibited to many. And the centurion, and they with him, observing Jesus, having seen the shaking, and the things having been, were greatly afraid, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
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.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And it will be moved and the earth will tremble, and the foundations of the mountains will be moved and they will shake, for it was kindled to him.
For this we will not fear in the changing of the earth, and in the moving of the mountains into the heart of the seas.
The mountains leaped as rains, the hills as the sons of the flock.
The words of Amos who was among the shepherds of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah, in the days of Jeroboam son of Joash king of Israel, two years before the shaking.
And ye fled to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach to the side, and ye fled as ye fled from the face of the shaking in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah: and Jehovah my God came, all the holy ones with thee.
And, behold, the covering of the temple was cleft in two, from above to below; and the earth was shaken; and the rocks were cleft:
And the centurion having seen that having been done, honoured God, saying, Surely this man was just.