1 Kings 18:33

33 He put the wood in order, butchered the bull, and placed the bull on the wood. "Fill four jars with water and pour it on the sacrifice and on the wood," he commanded.

1 Kings 18:33 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 18:33

And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces,
and laid him on the wood
Just in such manner as sacrifices usually were:

and said, fill four barrels with water;
either from the brook Kishon, or, if that was dried up, from the sea; for both were near this mountain, and so to be had, though a time of drought:

and pour it on the burnt sacrifice;
that which was intended to be one:

and upon the wood:
wherewith it was to be burnt, and so made unfit for it; and which would make the miracle appear the greater, when fire came down and consumed it.

1 Kings 18:33 In-Context

31 Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob—to whom the LORD's word came: "Your name will be Israel."

32 He built the stones into an altar in the LORD's name, and he dug a trench around the altar big enough to hold two seahs of dry grain.

33 He put the wood in order, butchered the bull, and placed the bull on the wood. "Fill four jars with water and pour it on the sacrifice and on the wood," he commanded.

34 "Do it a second time!" he said. So they did it a second time. "Do it a third time!" And so they did it a third time.

35 The water flowed around the altar, and even the trench filled with water.