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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

1 Kings 18:24

call ye on the name of your gods R.V. god. And so in 1 Kings 18:25. Baal was meant, and though the plural -Elohim" came to be specially used of Jehovah, as embracing all that other nations conceived as attributes of all their gods, yet the plural is also applied to single heathen divinities. Thus 1 Samuel 5:7, -Dagon our god"; 2 Kings 1:2, -Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron."

Elijah by saying -call ye" identifies the people, to whom he is speaking, with the Baal-prophets to whom he uses the same words in the next verse.

on the name of the Lord The LXX. adds -my God."

that answereth by fire As Baal was specially the Sun-god, the trial by sending down fire was one to which the prophets of Baal could make no objection.

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See also 1 Kings 18:24 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 24. _THE GOD THAT ANSWERETH BY FIRE_] Elijah gave them every advantage when he granted that the God who answered by _fire_ should be acknowledged as the true God; for as the Baal who was worship...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    THE GOD THAT ANSWERETH BY FIRE - God had frequently before consumed offerings with supernatural fire Leviticus 9:24; Judges 6:21. The Baal-worshippers were no doubt in the habit of attributing thunder...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    2. ELIJAH ON CARMEL: THE ANSWERED PRAYER CHAPTER 18 _ 1. The command to see Ahab (1 Kings 18:1)_ 2. Elijah's response (1 Kings 18:2) 3. Ahab and Obadiah (1 Kings 18:3) 4. Elijah and Obadiah ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    ELIJAH'S MEETING WITH AHAB AND HIS CONTEST WITH THE PRIESTS OF BAAL. The history of Ahab's reign must have been something like the following: On his marriage with Jezebel he must have allowed the wors...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    GODS. god, as in 1 Kings 18:25. So Revised Version. BY FIRE. This was Jehovah's way of showing His acceptance of the offering. See note on Genesis 4:4....

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 346 ELIJAH’S CHALLENGE TO THE PROPHETS OF BAAL 1 Kings 18:24. _Call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THE GOD THAT ANSWERETH BY FIRE, LET HIM BE GOD— This was not the first time that God had declared his approbation of his worshippers, by sending down fire to consume their sacrifices (see Leviticus 9:...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    B. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE CONTEST 18:21-40 The story of the contest on Carmel is one that has excited the imagination of believers through the centuries. The narrative is somewhat lengthy and may for...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _AND CALL YE ON THE NAME OF YOUR GODS, AND I WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD: AND THE GOD THAT ANSWERETH BY FIRE, LET HIM BE GOD. AND ALL THE PEOPLE ANSWERED AND SAID, IT IS WELL SPOKEN._ All the p...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    JEHOVAH OR BAAL? 1. In the third year] in Luke 4:2; James 5:17 the duration of the famine is given as 3 years and 6 months....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    YOUR GODS] RV 'your god': and so in 1 Kings 18:25. THE LORD] better, 'Jehovah,' and so in v....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S LESSONS FROM HISTORY 1 KINGS _PHILIP SMITH_ CHAPTER 18 GOD SENDS ELIJAH TO KING AHAB V1 After there had been no rain for three years, the *Lord spoke to Elijah. ‘Go and meet King Ahab. Then...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    AND CALL YE ON THE NAME OF YOUR GODS. — This gift of a “sign from heaven” — not unfamiliar to Israelite experience (see Leviticus 9:24; 1 Chronicles 21:26; 2 Chronicles 7:1) — which may not, as our Lo...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וּ קְרָאתֶ֞ם בְּ שֵׁ֣ם אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֗ם וַֽ אֲנִי

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    ELIJAH ON MOUNT CARMEL 1 Kings 18:20 "O for a sculptor's hand, That thou might'st take thy stand, Thy wild hair floating in the eastern breeze!" - KEBLE IT never occurred to Ahab to refuse the chal...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE GOD THAT ANSWERETH NOT 1 Kings 18:16 “The God that answereth by fire, let Him be God.” We are thrilled as we read these words. Our altars stand unkindled, our sacrifices are unconsumed, our churc...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    In this chapter we have perhaps one of the most familiar stories of the Old Testament. There are, however, certain points of interest especially to be noted. The first is Ahab's connection with Obadia...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth (h) by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. (h) By...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    CHAPTER XVIII. _ Call ye. He does not order them to invoke idols; but challenges them to prove their divinity, if they can. --- By fire. On such trying occasions, it is not tempting God to ask for a...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (22) 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. (23) Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choo...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The days were very dark in Israel. Not only rebellion. And rebellion, always serious, was peculiarly so in Israel, for there it was insubordination in a direct manner against not only God's providence...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 17 AND 18. Elijah and Elisha, on the contrary (witnesses for God in the midst of a people that according to grace God still recognised as His own, but who had...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    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...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken. Ver. 24. _A...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _The God that answereth by fire_ That sendeth down fire to consume the sacrifice presented to him: this the people knew the true God used to do. It was a great condescension in God, that he would perm...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 In the extremitie of famine Eliiah sent to Ahab, meeteth good Obadiah. 9 Obadiah bringeth Ahab to Eliiah. 17 Eliiah reprouing Ahab, by fire from heauen conuinceth Baals prophets. 41 Eliiah by pra...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    ELIJAH SLAYS THE PROPHETS OF BAAL...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    and call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the god that answereth by fire, let him be God. Since sacrifice was the chief expression of worship at that time, thi...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    ELIJAH'S RETURN TO FACE AHAB (vs.1-20) The famine lasted three and a half years (James 5:17), the same length of time the Great Tribulation will last. But the rain would not be sent until Elijah gave...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    IT IS WELL SPOKEN: _ Heb._ the word is good...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    21-40 Many of the people wavered in their judgment, and varied in their practice. Elijah called upon them to determine whether Jehovah or Baal was the self-existent, supreme God, the Creator, Governo...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THAT ANSWERETH BY FIRE, i.e. that shall consume the sacrifice by fire sent from heaven; which the people knew the true God used to do, as GENESIS 4:4 JUDGES 6:21, JUDGES 13:20. ALL THE PEOPLE; even th...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 Kings 18:24 call H7121 (H8804) name H8034 gods H430 call H7121 (H8799) name H8034 LORD H3068 God...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE CONTEST ON MOUNT CARMEL: YHWH VERSUS BAAL (1 KINGS 18:21). In this vivid description of the contest on Mount Carmel Ahab is deliberately not mentioned. This was because it was not a contest betwee...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Elijah goes to meet Ahab and gives challenge. Contests with the priests of Baal. CHARACTERS: God, Elijah, Jezebel, Obadiah, Baal, priests. CONCLUSION: The man of faith need not be afraid to...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 Kings 18:1. _After many days._ About the end of the third year, leaving six months more for the crops to be sown and ripened, which harmonizes the new testament with the old. Luke 4:25; James 5:17....

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _The God that answereth by fire, let him be God._ “THE GOD THAT ANSWERETH BY FIRE” Here are some lessons suited to all times, certainly not least to our time. The God that answereth by fire. I. The...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto Mount Carmel._ THE PRIESTS OF BAAL Mendelssohn has wrought the harmonies and discords of this scene into a grand oratorio, and the painter or poe...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 18:1 In ch. 1 Kings 17:1 Elijah has lived privately, first in the Transjordanian wilderness and then in Zarephath. Now he reappears in public. The drought will end, but not bef

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 18:24 THE GOD WHO ANSWERS BY FIRE, HE IS GOD. The Lord is often associated with fire in the OT (e.g., Leviticus 9:24;...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.— 1 Kings 18:19. PROPHETS OF BAAL, &c.—Soothsayers and oracle príests. GROVES—Asherah. Baal and Astarte were the male and female divinities. Jezebel was the patroness o...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION ELIJAH'S RETURN AND THE ORDEAL OF MOUNT CARMEL.—The preceding chapter having been exclusively occupied with the fortunes of Elijah during his enforced absence of three and a half years from...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    So our introduction to Elijah. Now it came to pass after many days, that the word of the LORD came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain upon the eaRuth...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Chronicles 21:26; 1 Kings 18:38; 2 Chronicles 7:1; 2 Chronicles 7:3;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    ELIJAH AT MOUNT CARMEL 1 Kings 18:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS There are three things which we wish to consider: 1. JUDGMENT AND JUSTICE. The opening verse of chapter 18 says, "And it came to pass after ma...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    By Fire — That shall consume the sacrifice by fire sent from heaven; which the people knew the true God used to do. It was a great condescension in God, that he would permit Baal to be a competitor wi...

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