1 Kings 18:20

THE GRAND ASSEMBLY ON MOUNT CARMEL FOR THE CONFRONTATION

"So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the peoples together unto mount Carmel. And Elijah came near unto all the people, and said, How long go ye limping between the two sides? if Jehovah be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, am left a prophet of Jehovah; 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 the wood, and put no fire under; and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under. And call ye on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of Jehovah: and the God that answers by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken."

"And Ahab ... gathered the peoples ... unto mount Carmel" (1 Kings 18:20). The traditional site where this occurred, "Is El Muhraka, `the place of burning,' just below the summit on the southern edge, some 1,600 feet above sea level, with the brook Kishon below; and nearby is Tel el-Qassis (`priest's mound') the traditional site of the slaughter of the priests of Baal."[9]

"I, even I only, am left a prophet of Jehovah" (1 Kings 18:22). What music lover is there who has not thrilled to the glorious aria in the oratorio Elijah, in which these words are featured? What about all those prophets hidden in a cave by Obadiah? "Elijah did not count them, because he only was the one acting as a prophet,"[10] and standing in the forefront of the battle for Jehovah, challenging the prophets of Baal. Martin also expressed the opinion that there may be evidence in Elijah's words here, "Of the tainted nature of other professed followers of Jehovah in that era."[11]

"But Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men" (1 Kings 18:22). What about those 400 prophets of the Asherah who were also invited? Jamieson pointed out that they evidently did not come, "Anticipating some evil, they avoided the king's commandment."[12]

"All the people answered and said, It is well spoken" (1 Kings 18:24). These verses (1 Kings 18:20-24) record Elijah's address delivered to the whole people, who at first refused to answer a word (1 Kings 18:21), but when they heard the details of the contest proposed by Elijah, which was so fair and impartial, even giving the advantage of choice and precedence in the contest to the representatives of Baal, that the people unanimously approved of it; and, after that, there was no honorable way out of the contest for the prophets of Baal. They attempted to "save face" by going through with it.