57 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he answered,.... That is, Elijah, with great boldness and undaunted courage, not fearing the face of the king, being sent to show himself to him in the name of the King of kings: I have not troubled Israel, but thou and thy father's house; they, by their sins, were the cause of all the troubles, those sore evil and sad calamities that were...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto Mount Carmel..... No doubt but more discourse passed between Ahab and Elijah, though not recorded, before he made this motion to him; it is very probable, that after some dispute between them, who was the true God, and about idolatry, as the cause of want of rain, Elijah proposed to the king...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table. He knew how many there were of them. The man’s heart was so engaged in this battle for God against idols, that he had counted all his adversaries.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
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...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto Mount Carmel. And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. So undecided were they — perhaps so cowed by the presence of...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Elijah came unto all the people,.... Assembled at Mount Carmel: and said, how long halt ye between two opinions? sometimes inclining to the one, and sometimes to the other: as a lame man in walking, his body moves sometimes to one side, and sometimes to another; or "leap ye upon two branches" (r), like a bird that leaps or hops from one branch...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only remain a prophet of the Lord,.... At least as he thought, all the rest being slain, as he supposed; however there were none present but himself: but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men; which were very great odds he had to contend with.
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Then said Elijah unto the people, I even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves. and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under. And I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Let them therefore give us two bullocks,.... Who, being so many, were better able to be at the expense of them, and having the king on their party too; though perhaps no more is meant than that two bullocks should be brought thither, and presented before them: and let them choose one bullock for themselves; which of the two they would, if they...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And call ye on the name of your gods,.... The Baalim, the many lords and gods they served: and I will call on the name of the Lord; the one true Jehovah and God of Israel, whom I serve: and the God that answereth by fire; by causing fire to come down upon the sacrifice, and consume it: let him be God; accounted, owned, and acknowledged as the true...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal,.... Who agreed to this proposal, though not expressed; or they signified it by their silence. Ben Gersom thinks they agreed to it, because that, according to their belief, Baal was Mars, and in the sign of Aries, one of the fiery planets, and therefore fancied he could send down fire on their sacrifice;...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon. Which was Baal’s own high time, for then...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they took the bullock which was given them,.... By such of them as made the choice: and they dressed it; slew it, and cut it in pieces, and laid it on the wood, but put no fire under it: and called on the name of Baal, from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us; and send fire down on the sacrifice; and if the sun was their Baal,...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
Saying, O Baal, hear us. Repeating their cry again and again. For this is the way of all false worship — to use vain repetitions, as the heathens do, which is forbidden to us. 1Ki_18:26. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. Which was their superstition. They were going through the whole...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass at noon,.... When they had been from the time of the morning sacrifice until now invoking their deity to no purpose: that Elijah mocked them; he jeered and bantered them: and said, cry aloud; your god does not hear you; perhaps, if you raise your voice higher, he may; for he is a god; according to your esteem of him, and, if...
Spurgeon - Verse Expositions - Charles H. Spurgeon
; 1Ki_18:31. And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. And it...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they cried aloud,.... Trying to make him hear, if possible: and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them; so the priests of Heathen deities used to slash themselves on their shoulders, arms, and thighs, in their devotions to them, as many writers observe (z), fancying their gods were...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And it came to pass when midday was past,.... And nothing done, no fire descended: and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice; continued praying to Baal, and singing his praises, but all to no purpose; or they behaved like madmen, as the Targum; thus they went on until it was time to offer the evening sacrifice; so...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Elijah said unto all the people, come near unto me,.... And observe what I do, and what will be done at my request: and all the people came near unto him; left the prophets of Baal to themselves, and took no more notice of them, but attended to what the prophet should say and do: and he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob,.... Which he might very easily come at from the mountain: unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name, which signifies one that has power with God, as Jacob had, when the word came to him to make a change in his name at Penuel,...