1 Kings 18:20-41

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 18:17-20

We have here the meeting between Ahab and Elijah, as bad a king as ever the world was plagued with and as good a prophet as ever the church was blessed with. 1. Ahab, like himself, basely accused Elijah. He durst not strike him, remembering that Jeroboam's hand withered when it was stretched out against a prophet, but gave him bad language, which was no less an affront to him that sent him. It was a very coarse compliment with which he accosted him at the first word: Art thou he that troubleth... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 18:21-40

Ahab and the people expected that Elijah would, in this solemn assembly, bless the land, and pray for rain; but he had other work to do first. The people must be brought to repent and reform, and then they may look for the removal of the judgment, but not till then. This is the right method. God will first prepare our heart, and then cause his ear to hear, will first turn us to him, and then turn to us, Ps. 10:17; 80:3. Deserters must not look for God's favour till they return to their... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 18:41-46

Israel being thus far reformed that they had acknowledged the Lord to be God, and had consented to the execution of Baal's prophets, that they might not seduce them any more, though this was far short of a thorough reformation, yet it was so far accepted that God thereupon opened the bottles of heaven, and poured out blessings upon his land, that very evening (as it should seem) on which they did this good work, which should have confirmed them in their reformation; see Hag. 2:18, 19. I.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 18:21

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" F18 פסחים על שתי הסעפים "transilietis super duos ramoe, Malvenda; vos transilientes super ambos ramos", Piscator. , like a bird that leaps or hops from one branch to another, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 18:22

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. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 18:23

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 thought one was any ways preferable to the other, it was at their option to take it: and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood ; as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 18:24

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 God, and so afterwards worshipped as such: and all the people answered and said, it is well spoken ; they thought it a very... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 18:25

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; but Abarbinel is of opinion that it was the sun they worshipped, under the name of Baal, the great luminary which presides over the element of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 18:26

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, they might hope, as the heat he gradually diffused was at its height at noon, that some flashes of fire would proceed from it to consume... read more

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