1 Kings 18:33

33 Then he placed the wood on the altar, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. He said, "Fill four jars with water and pour it on the offering and the wood." They did so,

1 Kings 18:33 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 18:33

And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces,
and laid him on the wood
Just in such manner as sacrifices usually were:

and said, fill four barrels with water;
either from the brook Kishon, or, if that was dried up, from the sea; for both were near this mountain, and so to be had, though a time of drought:

and pour it on the burnt sacrifice;
that which was intended to be one:

and upon the wood:
wherewith it was to be burnt, and so made unfit for it; and which would make the miracle appear the greater, when fire came down and consumed it.

1 Kings 18:33 In-Context

31 He took twelve stones, one for each of the twelve tribes named for the sons of Jacob, the man to whom the Lord had given the name Israel.

32 With these stones he rebuilt the altar for the worship of the Lord. He dug a trench around it, large enough to hold about four gallons of water.

33 Then he placed the wood on the altar, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. He said, "Fill four jars with water and pour it on the offering and the wood." They did so,

34 and he said, "Do it again" - and they did. "Do it once more," he said - and they did.

35 The water ran down around the altar and filled the trench.