1 Kings 18:20

20 Ahab sent to all the sons of Israel, and gathered together the prophets in the hill of Carmel. (And so Ahab sent for all the Israelites, and gathered together the prophets on Mount Carmel.)

1 Kings 18:20 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 18:20

So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel
By messengers, requiring their attendance at Mount Carmel at such a time, at least their chief and principal men:

and gathered the prophets together unto Mount Carmel;
the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, but not the four hundred prophets of the groves; for of them we have no account afterwards, only of the former; it may be they were not at the command of Ahab, only of Jezebel, at whose table they ate, who would not suffer them to go.

1 Kings 18:20 In-Context

18 And he said, Not I trouble Israel, but thou, and the house of thy father, which have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and followed Baalim. (And Elijah said, It is not I who trouble Israel, but thou, and the house of thy father, who have deserted the commandments of the Lord, and followed Baalim.)

19 Nevertheless now send thou, and gather to me all Israel, into the hill of Carmel, and the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and [the] four hundred prophets of (the) maumet woods, that eat of the table of Jezebel. (But now send thou, and gather together for me all Israel on Mount Carmel, and the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table.)

20 Ahab sent to all the sons of Israel, and gathered together the prophets in the hill of Carmel. (And so Ahab sent for all the Israelites, and gathered together the prophets on Mount Carmel.)

21 Forsooth Elijah nighed to all the people of Israel, and said, How long halt ye into two parts? (How long shall ye waver between two paths?) If the Lord is God, follow ye him; and if Baal is God, follow ye him. And the people answered not one word to him.

22 And Elijah said again to the people, I dwelled alone a prophet of the Lord; soothly the prophets of Baal be four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the maumet woods be four hundred men. (And Elijah said to the people, I am the only prophet of the Lord still left; but there be four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and four hundred prophets of Asherah.)