1 Kings 18:18

18 He answered, I have not troubled Yisra'el; but you, and your father's house, in that you have forsaken the mitzvot of the LORD, and you have followed the Ba`alim.

1 Kings 18:18 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 18:18

And he answered
That is, Elijah, with great boldness and undaunted courage, not fearing the face of the king, being sent to show himself to him in the name of the King of kings:

I have not troubled Israel, but thou and thy father's house;
they, by their sins, were the cause of all the troubles, those sore evil and sad calamities that were upon them:

in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord:
to have no other gods before him, and not to make images, and worship them, which they had done:

and thou hast followed Baalim;
the several Baals, the Sun, moon, and stars, the whole host of heaven, worshipped under this name; or, not content with the Phoenician Baal, or Baal of the Zidonians, followed others, see ( Judges 2:11 ) .

1 Kings 18:18 In-Context

16 So `Ovadyah went to meet Ach'av, and told him; and Ach'av went to meet Eliyah.

17 It happened, when Ach'av saw Eliyah, that Ach'av said to him, Is it you, you troubler of Yisra'el?

18 He answered, I have not troubled Yisra'el; but you, and your father's house, in that you have forsaken the mitzvot of the LORD, and you have followed the Ba`alim.

19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Yisra'el to Mount Karmel, and the prophets of Ba`al four hundred fifty, and the prophets of the Asherah four hundred, who eat at Izevel's table.

20 So Ach'av sent to all the children of Yisra'el, and gathered the prophets together to Mount Karmel.