1 Kings 18:20

20 So Ahab sent [word] among the {Israelites}, and he assembled the prophets to 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 He said, "I did not throw Israel into confusion; rather you and the house of your father [have] by forsaking the commands of Yahweh when you went after the Baals!

19 So then, send [word] and assemble all of Israel to me on Mount Carmel, with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at the table of Jezebel."

20 So Ahab sent [word] among the {Israelites}, and he assembled the prophets to Mount Carmel.

21 Elijah approached to all the people and said, "How long [will] you [go] limping over two opinions? If Yahweh [is] God, go after him; but if Baal, go after him." But the people did not answer him a word.

22 Then Elijah said to the people, "I alone [am] left a prophet of Yahweh, but the prophets of Baal [are] four hundred and fifty men.

Footnotes

• [a]. Literally "sons/children of Israel"