1 Kings 18:30-39

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me." And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been 1thrown down.
31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, 2"Israel shall be your name,"
32 and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs[a] of seed.
33 3And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, "Fill four jars with water and 4pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood."
34 And he said, "Do it a second time." And they did it a second time. And he said, "Do it a third time." And they did it a third time.
35 And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water.
36 And at the time of 5the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, "O LORD, 6God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that 7you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that 8I have done all these things at your word.
37 Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back."
38 9Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
39 And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, 10"The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God."

1 Kings 18:30-39 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 18

In this chapter Elijah has an order from the Lord to show himself to Ahab, who, going first, and meeting with a servant of his, Obadiah, charges him to tell his master where he was, that he might meet him, 1Ki 18:1-16, and, upon meeting him, desires that all Israel, and the prophets of Baal, might be convened, which was accordingly done, 1Ki 18:17-20, when he expostulated with the people of Israel for their idolatry, mocked and confounded the prophets of Baal, and gave the strongest proofs, to the conviction of the people, that Jehovah is the true God, 1Ki 18:21-39, on which all the prophets of Baal were slain, 1Ki 18:40, and rain in great abundance was given at the prayer of the prophet, 1Ki 18:41-46.

Cross References 10

  • 1. 1 Kings 19:10, 14
  • 2. Genesis 32:28; Genesis 35:10; 2 Kings 17:34
  • 3. Genesis 22:9; Leviticus 1:7
  • 4. [Judges 6:20]
  • 5. ver. 29
  • 6. See Exodus 3:6
  • 7. Joshua 4:24; 1 Samuel 17:46
  • 8. [Numbers 16:28]
  • 9. ver. 24; See Leviticus 9:24
  • 10. ver. 24

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. A seah was about 7 quarts or 7.3 liters
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.