1 Kings 18:31

31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes of Jacob, the same Jacob to whom God had said, "From now on your name is Israel."

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 This went on until well past noon. They used every religious trick and strategy they knew to make something happen on the altar, but nothing happened - not so much as a whisper, not a flicker of response.

30 Then Elijah told the people, "Enough of that - it's my turn. Gather around." And they gathered. He then put the altar back together for by now it was in ruins.

31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes of Jacob, the same Jacob to whom God had said, "From now on your name is Israel."

32 He built the stones into the altar in honor of God. Then Elijah dug a fairly wide trench around the altar.

33 He laid firewood on the altar, cut up the ox, put it on the wood, and said, "Fill four buckets with water and drench both the ox and the firewood."