1 Kings 18:20-40
Expanded Bible
20 So Ahab ·called [summoned; assembled] all the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] and those prophets to Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah approached the people and said, “How long will you ·not decide between two choices [L limp/hobble/waver between two opinions]? If the Lord is ·the true God [L God], follow him, but if ·Baal is the true God [L Baal], follow him!” But the people ·said nothing [L did not answer a word].
22 Elijah said, “I am the only prophet of the Lord ·here [left], but there are four hundred fifty prophets of Baal. 23 Bring two ·bulls [oxen]. Let the prophets of Baal choose one bull and kill it and cut it into pieces. Then let them put the meat on the wood, but they are not to set fire to it. I will prepare the other ·bull [ox], putting the meat on the wood but not setting fire to it. 24 You prophets of Baal, ·pray to [L call on the name of] your god, and I will ·pray to [L call on the name of] the Lord. The god who answers by ·setting fire to his wood is the true [fire—he is] God [C Baal, the storm god, threw lightening from the sky].”
All the people agreed that this was a good idea.
25 Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “There are many of you, so you go first. Choose a ·bull [ox] and prepare it. ·Pray to [L Call on the name of] your god, but don’t start the fire.”
26 So they took the ·bull [ox] that was given to them and prepared it. They ·prayed to [L called on the name of] Baal from morning until noon, shouting “Baal, answer us!” But there was no ·sound [voice; response], and no one answered. They ·danced [leaped; or limped; C “limped” may suggest that Israel had hobbled itself by worshiping both God and Baal] around the altar they had built.
27 At noon Elijah began to ·make fun of [mock; taunt] them. “·Pray [Call; Shout] louder!” he said. “·If Baal really is [Since he is surely] a god, maybe he is ·thinking [preoccupied; daydreaming], or ·busy [has wandered away], or ·traveling [is on a trip/journey]! Maybe he is sleeping so you will have to wake him!” 28 The prophets ·prayed [called; shouted] louder, cutting themselves with swords and ·spears [lances] until their blood flowed, ·which was the way they worshiped [as was their custom; C a ritual performed when they thought Baal had temporarily gone to the underworld]. 29 The afternoon passed, and the prophets ·continued to act like this [raved; ranted] until it was time for the evening sacrifice. But no voice was heard; Baal did not answer, and no one paid attention.
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Now come ·to [near/closer to] me.” So they gathered around him, and Elijah ·rebuilt [repaired] the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down [C the remains of a previous altar to God]. 31 He took twelve stones, one stone for each of the twelve tribes [C symbolizing a previously unified Israel; cf Josh. 4:2–20], the number of Jacob’s sons. (·The Lord changed Jacob’s name to Israel […to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying “Israel will be your name”; Gen. 32:22–32].) 32 Elijah used these stones to ·rebuild the [build an] altar in ·honor [L the name] of the Lord. Then he dug a ·ditch [trench] around the altar that was big enough to hold ·about thirteen quarts [L two measures/seahs] of seed. 33 Elijah ·put [piled; arranged] the wood on the altar, cut the ·bull [ox] into pieces, and laid the pieces on the wood. 34 Then he said, “Fill four ·jars [pitchers] with water, and pour it on the ·meat [L burnt offering; Lev. 1:1–17] and on the wood.” Then Elijah said, “Do it ·again [a second time],” and they did it ·again [a second time]. Then he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it the third time. 35 So the water ran ·off [all around] the altar and filled the ·ditch [trench].
36 At the time for the evening sacrifice, the prophet Elijah went near the altar. “Lord, you are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,” he ·prayed [said]. “·Prove [L Let it be known this day] that you are the God ·of [in] Israel and that I am your servant. Show these people that ·you commanded me to do all these things [L I have done all these things at your word]. 37 Answer me, Lord, answer ·my prayer [L me,] so these people will know that you, Lord, are God and that you ·will change their minds [L have turned their hearts back again].”
38 Then fire from the Lord came down and ·burned the sacrifice [consumed the burnt offering; Lev. 1:1–17], the wood, the stones, and the ·ground [dust] around the altar. It also ·dried [L licked] up the water in the ·ditch [trench]. 39 When all the people saw this, they fell ·down to the ground [on their faces], crying, “·The Lord is God [L The Lord—he is God]! ·The Lord is God [L The Lord—he is God]!”
40 Then Elijah said, “·Capture [Seize] the prophets of Baal! Don’t let ·any [a single one] of them ·run away [escape]!” The people ·captured [seized] all the prophets. Then Elijah led them down to the Kishon ·Valley [Brook], where he ·killed [slaughtered] them.
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