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1 Kings 18:19
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17 Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, a“Is that you, O btroubler of Israel?”  
18 And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, ain that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals.  
19 Now therefore, send and gather all Israel to me on aMount Carmel, the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, band the four hundred prophets of1 Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”  

Elijah’s Mount Carmel Victory

20 So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and agathered the prophets together on Mount Carmel.  
21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, a“How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, bfollow him.” But the people answered him not a word.  
22 Then Elijah said to the people, a“I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; bbut Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.  
23 Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it.
24 Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the God who aanswers by fire, He is God.” So all the people answered and said,1 “It is well spoken.”  
25 Now Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull 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 So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was ano voice; no one answered. Then they2 leaped about the altar which they had made.  
27 And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Cry1 aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.”  
28 So they cried aloud, and acut themselves, as was their custom, with1 knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.  
29 And when midday was past, athey prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was bno voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.  
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. aAnd he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.  
31 And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, a“Israel shall be your name.”  
Commentaries:
Barnes' Notes
<< 1 Kings 18:18   1 Kings 18:20 >>


1 Kings 18:19

Carmel (Joshua 12:22 note) was chosen by the prophet as the scene of the gathering to which he invited, or rather summoned, Ahab. Its thick jungles of copse and numerous dwarf-oaks and olives, would furnish abundant wood for his intended sacrifice. Here was a perennial fountain; and here again an ancient "altar of the Lord" I Kings 18:30, belonging probably to the old times of non-idolatrous high-place worship - perhaps an erection of one of the patriarchs. On the one hand, there would be a view of the Mediterranean, from where the first sign of rain was likely to come, and on the other of Jezreel, the residence of the court at the time, with its royal palace and its idol-temples, so that the intended trial would take place in the sight (so to speak) of the proud queen and her minions.

The prophets of Baal - The priests of Baal are so called not so much because they claimed a power of foretelling the future, as because they were "teachers" of the false religion, and more especially because they stand here in antagonism to the "prophet of the Lord," with whom they are about to contend.

The prophets of the groves, four hundred - Rather, "of the grove" - the prophets, or priests, attached to the "grove" - ׁ 'ăshêrāh - which Ahab had made, probably at Jezreel (marginal reference). The number 400 seems to have been one especially affected by Ahab. We again find 400 prophets at the close of his reign I Kings 22:6. The number 40 entered largely into the religious system of the Jews I Kings 6:17; Exodus 26:19; Deuteronomy 25:3; Ezekiel 41:2.

Which eat at Jezebel' s table - Rather, "which eat from Jezebel' s table." Oriental etiquette would not have allowed them to eat "at" the table of the queen, which was spread in the seraglio. They were fed from the superfluity of her daily provision, which was no doubt on a sumptuous scale. Compare I Kings 4:22-23.




Other Barnes' Notes entries containing 1 Kings 18:19:

1 Kings 18:33
Isaiah 1:29
Isaiah 17:8
Isaiah 29:17
Jeremiah 2:7
Hosea 9:8
Amos 9:3

 

<< 1 Kings 18:18   1 Kings 18:20 >>

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