וַיְהִ֣י ׀ כִּשְׁמֹ֣עַ אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ וַיָּ֤לֶט פָּנָיו֙ בְּאַדַּרְתּ֔וֹ וַיֵּצֵ֕א וַֽיַּעֲמֹ֖ד פֶּ֣תַח הַמְּעָרָ֑ה וְהִנֵּ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ ק֔וֹל וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מַה־לְּךָ֥ פֹ֖ה אֵלִיָּֽהוּ׃
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?’
Rashi
Covered. As [we find]: "He wrapped his face with his coat",3Melochim I, 19:13. "It is wrapped up in a cloth".4Shmuel I, 21:10.
From David to Destruction
However, the fact that Hashem twice asks Eliyahu HaNavi “Mah Lecha Poh,” “why are you here,” (Melachim I 19:9 and 19:13) seems to suggest that Hashem does not direct him to Har Choreiv. Moreover, Radak does not explain why Hashem wants Eliyahu HaNavi to travel specifically to Choreiv.
Rashi
the covering The covering that covers all the people. Heb. הלוט, similar to “he wrapped his face” (I Kings 19:13), and to “behold, it is wrapped in a garment” (I Samuel 21:10).
Rashi
and hide them in the mortar Heb. במלט. This ‘mem’ is a defective radical in the word, like מקום, a place, מעמד, a stand, מעשה, a deed, and its root is לט, cf. “he wrapped (וילט) his face” (I Kings 19:13). Envelop them in the mortar in the framework. in the mortar (Envolopemant in O.F)
Rashi
Wrapped. It was wrapped, and similarly, 'and he wrapped [וַיָלֶט] his face in his mantle.'8I Melachim 19:13.