1 Kings 18:31

31 Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of God came, saying, "Israel shall be your name."

1 Kings 18:31 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 18:31

And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the
tribes of the sons of Jacob
Which he might very easily come at from the mountain:

unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name,
which signifies one that has power with God, as Jacob had, when the word came to him to make a change in his name at Penuel, ( Genesis 32:28 ) , and as Elijah hoped and believed he should have at this time, being a prophet, and a worshipper of Israel's God.

1 Kings 18:31 In-Context

29 It happened as noon passed, they raged until the [time of] the evening offering, but there was no voice, there was no answer, and no [one] paid attention.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come near to me," so all the people came closer to him. He repaired the altar of Yahweh [that had been] destroyed.

31 Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of God came, saying, "Israel shall be your name."

32 With them, he built an altar in the name of Yahweh, and he made a trench {which would have held} about two seahs of seed, all around the altar.

33 And he arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces, and placed [it] on the wood. Then he said, "Fill four jars [with] water, and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood."