# 1 Kings 18 📖: Elijah on Mount Carmel [[📚 Explore the Bible Books]] [[-1 Kings Overview]] | [[1 Kings 17]] | [[1 Kings 19]] > [!info] Table of Contents > [[#📜 Scripture Text (NET)]] > [[#📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary]] > [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]] > [[#🧠 Chapter Summary]] > [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]] > [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]] > [[#💬 Discussion Questions]] > [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]] > [[#🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference]] > [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]] > [[#📂 Internal Notes]] ## 📜 Scripture Text (NET) (The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005) ## Elijah Meets the King’s Servant [[#Verse 01.]] Some time later, in the third year of the famine, the Lord’s message came to Elijah, “Go, make an appearance before Ahab, so I may send rain on the surface of the ground.”  [[#Verse 02.]] So Elijah went to make an appearance before Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria. [[#Verse 03.]] So Ahab summoned Obadiah, who supervised the palace. (Now Obadiah was a very loyal follower of the Lord. [[#Verse 04.]] When Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah took 100 prophets and hid them in two caves in two groups of fifty. He also brought them food and water.)  [[#Verse 05.]] Ahab told Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs and valleys. Maybe we can find some grazing areas so we can keep the horses and mules alive and not have to kill some of the animals.”  [[#Verse 06.]] They divided up the land between them to search it; Ahab went one way by himself and Obadiah went the other way by himself. [[#Verse 07.]] As Obadiah was traveling along, Elijah met him. When he recognized him, he fell facedown to the ground and said, “Is it really you, my master, Elijah?”  [[#Verse 08.]] He replied, “Yes, go and say to your master, ‘Elijah is back.’”  [[#Verse 09.]] Obadiah said, “What sin have I committed that you are ready to hand your servant over to Ahab for execution?  [[#Verse 10.]] As certainly as the Lord your God lives, my master has sent to every nation and kingdom in an effort to find you. When they say, ‘He’s not here,’ he makes them swear an oath that they could not find you.  [[#Verse 11.]] Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back.”’  [[#Verse 12.]] But when I leave you, the Lord’s Spirit will carry you away so I can’t find you. If I go tell Ahab I’ve seen you, he won’t be able to find you and he will kill me. That would not be fair, because your servant has been a loyal follower of the Lord from my youth.  [[#Verse 13.]] Certainly my master is aware of what I did when Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets. I hid 100 of the Lord’s prophets in two caves in two groups of fifty and I brought them food and water.  [[#Verse 14.]] Now you say, ‘Go and say to your master, “Elijah is back,”’ but he will kill me.”  [[#Verse 15.]] But Elijah said, “As certainly as the Lord of Heaven’s Armies lives (whom I serve), I will make an appearance before him today.” ## Elijah Confronts Baal’s Prophets [[#Verse 16.]] When Obadiah went and informed Ahab, the king went to meet Elijah.  [[#Verse 17.]] When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is it really you, the one who brings disaster on Israel?”  [[#Verse 18.]] Elijah replied, “I have not brought disaster on Israel. But you and your father’s dynasty have, by abandoning the Lord’s commandments and following the Baals.  [[#Verse 19.]] Now send out messengers and assemble all Israel before me at Mount Carmel, as well as the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah whom Jezebel supports.” [[#Verse 20.]] Ahab sent messengers to all the Israelites and had the prophets assemble at Mount Carmel.  [[#Verse 21.]] Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision? If the Lord is the true God, then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!” But the people did not say a word.  [[#Verse 22.]] Elijah said to them: “I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but there are 450 prophets of Baal.  [[#Verse 23.]] Let them bring us two bulls. Let them choose one of the bulls for themselves, cut it up into pieces, and place it on the wood. But they must not set it on fire. I will do the same to the other bull and place it on the wood. But I will not set it on fire.  [[#Verse 24.]] Then you will invoke the name of your god, and I will invoke the name of the Lord. The god who responds with fire will demonstrate that he is the true God.” All the people responded, “This will be a fair test.” [[#Verse 25.]] Elijah told the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls for yourselves and go first, for you are the majority. Invoke the name of your god, but do not light a fire.”  [[#Verse 26.]] So they took a bull, as he had suggested, and prepared it. They invoked the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us.” But there was no sound and no answer. They jumped around on the altar they had made.  [[#Verse 27.]] At noon Elijah mocked them, “Yell louder! After all, he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or perhaps he stepped out for a moment or has taken a trip. Perhaps he is sleeping and needs to be awakened.”  [[#Verse 28.]] So they yelled louder and, in accordance with their prescribed ritual, mutilated themselves with swords and spears until their bodies were covered with blood.  [[#Verse 29.]] Throughout the afternoon they were in an ecstatic frenzy, but there was no sound, no answer, and no response. [[#Verse 30.]] Elijah then told all the people, “Approach me.” So all the people approached him. He repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down.  [[#Verse 31.]] Then Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of tribes that descended from Jacob, to whom the Lord’s message had come, “Israel will be your name.”  [[#Verse 32.]] With the stones he constructed an altar for the Lord. Around the altar he made a trench large enough to contain two seahs of seed.  [[#Verse 33.]] He arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. Then he said, “Fill four water jars and pour the water on the offering and the wood.”  [[#Verse 34.]] When they had done so, he said, “Do it again.” So they did it again. Then he said, “Do it a third time.” So they did it a third time. [[#Verse 35.]] The water flowed down all sides of the altar and filled the trench.  [[#Verse 36.]] When it was time for the evening offering, Elijah the prophet approached the altar and prayed: “O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command.  [[#Verse 37.]] Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are the true God and that you are winning back their allegiance.”  [[#Verse 38.]] Then fire from the Lord fell from the sky. It consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dirt, and licked up the water in the trench.  [[#Verse 39.]] When all the people saw this, they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and said, “The Lord is the true God! The Lord is the true God!”  [[#Verse 40.]] Elijah told them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let even one of them escape!” So they seized them, and Elijah led them down to the Kishon Valley and executed them there. [[#Verse 41.]] Then Elijah told Ahab, “Go on up and eat and drink, for the sound of a heavy rainstorm can be heard.”  [[#Verse 42.]] So Ahab went on up to eat and drink, while Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel. He bent down toward the ground and put his face between his knees.  [[#Verse 43.]] He told his servant, “Go on up and look in the direction of the sea.” So he went on up, looked, and reported, “There is nothing.” Seven times Elijah sent him to look.  [[#Verse 44.]] The seventh time the servant said, “Look, a small cloud, the size of the palm of a man’s hand, is rising up from the sea.” Elijah then said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up the chariots and go down, so that the rain won’t overtake you.’”  [[#Verse 45.]] Meanwhile the sky was covered with dark clouds, the wind blew, and there was a heavy rainstorm. Ahab rode toward Jezreel.  [[#Verse 46.]] Now the Lord energized Elijah with power; he tucked his robe into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel. ## 📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary ###### Overall. ###### Verse 01. ###### Verse 02. ###### Verse 03. ###### Verse 04. ###### Verse 05. ###### Verse 06. ###### Verse 07. ###### Verse 08. ###### Verse 09. ###### Verse 10. ###### Verse 11. ###### Verse 12. ###### Verse 13. ###### Verse 14. ###### Verse 15. ###### Verse 16. ###### Verse 17. ###### Verse 18. ###### Verse 19. ###### Verse 20. ###### Verse 21. ###### Verse 22. ###### Verse 23. ###### Verse 24. ###### Verse 25. ###### Verse 26. ###### Verse 27. ###### Verse 28. ###### Verse 29. ###### Verse 30. ###### Verse 31. ###### Verse 32. ###### Verse 33. ###### Verse 34. ###### Verse 35. ###### Verse 36. ###### Verse 37. ###### Verse 38. ###### Verse 39. ###### Verse 40. ###### Verse 41. ###### Verse 42. ###### Verse 43. ###### Verse 44. ###### Verse 45. ###### Verse 46. ## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights 1. The drought broke in the third year of Elijah's stay (18:1). 2. Obadiah hid a hundred of the Lord's prophets in two caves, fifty in each (18:4). 3. Jezebel supported 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah at her table (18:19). 4. Mount Carmel is a ridge near the Mediterranean coast by the modern city of Haifa. 5. The word for "waver" (18:21) is the same verb used of the prophets of Baal limping or hopping around the altar (18:26). 6. Elijah mocked Baal as perhaps thinking, busy, traveling, or asleep (18:27). 7. The prophets of Baal cut themselves (18:28), a practice God forbade for Israel (Leviticus 19:28). 8. Elijah rebuilt the altar with twelve stones for the twelve tribes (18:31). 9. Elijah had water poured on the sacrifice three times (18:33-34), making the miracle unmistakable. 10. Elijah ran ahead of Ahab's chariot all the way to Jezreel (18:46), a distance of many miles. ## 🧠 Chapter Summary > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter Christ is the true sacrifice who bore the fire of God's judgment for us. The fire fell on Elijah's offering instead of on the people (18:38), and Christ suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18). ## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application > [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way. ## 💬 Discussion Questions 1. Obadiah feared the Lord quietly while serving in Ahab's palace (18:3-4). What does faithfulness look like in a hostile workplace? 2. Elijah asked how long the people would waver in indecision (18:21). Where are people today trying to keep one foot in each world? 3. After the fire fell, Elijah kept praying until the rain came (18:42-44). Why does persistent prayer matter even after God has moved? ## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember - 📖 verse 21: Elijah calls the people to stop wavering: if the Lord is God, follow Him. - 📖 verse 37: Answer me, Lord, so this people will know that You are God. - 📖 verse 39: The people fall on their faces and say, The Lord is God! ## 🔗 Related Passages/Cross Reference - 🔗 [[Joshua 24#Verse 15.|Joshua 24:15]] - Choose today whom you will serve. - 🔗 [[Matthew 06#Verse 24.|Matthew 6:24]] - No one can serve two masters. - 🔗 [[James 05#Verse 17.|James 5:17-18]] - Elijah prayed, and the sky gave rain. - 🔗 [[1 Peter 03#Verse 18.|1 Peter 3:18]] - Christ suffered once for sins to bring us to God. - 🔗 [[Romans 12#Verse 01.|Romans 12:1]] - Offer yourselves as living sacrifices. ## 🙏 Devotional Reflection 📝 SOAP: [[1 Kings 18 - SOAP|Have You Seen What God Can Do?]] ## 📂 Internal Notes