1 Kings 18:16-26

16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

17 When Ahab saw Elijah, ¹Ahab said to him, "Is this you, you troubler of Israel?"

18 He said, "I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house have, because ²you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and ³you have followed * the Baals.

19 "Now then send and gather to me all Israel at ⁴Mount Carmel, ⁵together with 450 * * prophets of Baal and 400 * prophets of ⁶the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table."

God or Baal on Mount Carmel

20 So Ahab sent a message among all the sons of Israel and brought the prophets together at Mount Carmel.

21 Elijah came near to all the people and said, "⁷How long * will you hesitate between two opinions? ⁸If the LORD is God, follow * Him; but if Baal, follow * him." But the people did not answer him a word.

22 Then Elijah said to the people, "I ⁹alone am left a prophet of the LORD, but Baal's prophets are 450 * * men.

23 "Now let them give us two oxen; and let them choose one ox for themselves and cut it up, and place it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other ox and lay it on the wood, and I will not put a fire under it.

24 "Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD, and ¹⁰the God who answers by fire, He is God." And all the people said, "That is a good idea."

25 So Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one ox for yourselves and prepare it first for you are many, and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it."

26 Then they took the ox which was given them and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon saying, "O Baal, answer us." But there was ¹¹no voice and no one answered. And they leaped about the altar which they made.

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1 Kings 18:16-26 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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 12

1. Joshua 7:25; 1 Kings 21:20
2. 1 Kings 9:9; 2 Chronicles 15:2
3. 1 Kings 16:31; 1 Kings 21:25, 26
4. Joshua 19:26; 2 Kings 2:25
5. 1 Kings 18:22
6. 1 Kings 16:33
7. 2 Kings 17:41; Matthew 6:24
8. Joshua 24:15
9. 1 Kings 19:10, 14
10. 1 Kings 18:19
11. 1 Kings 18:38
12. Psalms 115:4, 5; Jeremiah 10:5

Footnotes 5

[a]. Lit "limp on the two divided opinions"
[b]. Lit "The matter is good"
[c]. Lit "he gave"
[d]. Lit "limped;" i.e. a type of ceremonial dance
[e]. So some mss and the ancient versions; M.T. "he"