Elijah on Carmel

The words

1. Ahab

   Ahab blames Elijah for Israel’s trouble; Elijah replies that the king’s household has forsaken the LORD’s commands and followed Baalim.

   1 Kings 18:17–18 (opens a new tab)

2. Baal

   Baal’s prophets call from morning until noon without receiving an answer; Elijah has proposed a contest decided by fire.

   1 Kings 18:24–26 (opens a new tab) · 1 Kings 18:25–29 (opens a new tab)

3. Barrels

   Water jars, in the NET Bible.

   Elijah orders four containers of water poured over the sacrifice and wood, then repeats the instruction twice.

   1 Kings 18:33–35 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: 1 Kings 18:33-35 (opens a new tab)

4. Brook

   Elijah orders Baal’s prophets seized, takes them down to the brook Kishon and kills them there after the contest.

   1 Kings 18:40 (opens a new tab)

5. Bullocks

   Bulls, in the NET Bible.

   Each side prepares one of two bullocks as a sacrifice on wood, with no fire set beneath either offering.

   1 Kings 18:23–25 (opens a new tab) · 1 Kings 18:25–29 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: 1 Kings 18:23 (opens a new tab)

6. Carmel

   Ahab gathers Israel and the prophets on mount Carmel, where Elijah asks the people to choose whom they will follow.

   1 Kings 18:20–21 (opens a new tab)

7. Chariot

   Elijah sends word for Ahab to prepare his chariot before the rain stops him; Ahab rides to Jezreel as heavy rain arrives.

   Did you know?

   The chapter ends with Elijah running before Ahab to Jezreel’s entrance, with the LORD’s hand upon him, as the narrator puts it.

   1 Kings 18:44–46 (opens a new tab)

8. Elijah

   Elijah prays, and the narrator says fire consumes the offering. He later takes Baal’s prophets to Kishon and kills them.

   1 Kings 18:36–40 (opens a new tab)

9. Jezebel

   Obadiah recalls Jezebel killing the LORD’s prophets while explaining why he fears reporting Elijah’s return to Ahab.

   1 Kings 18:9–14 (opens a new tab)

10. Little Cloud

    On his seventh look toward the sea, Elijah’s servant reports a cloud like a man’s hand; clouds, wind and heavy rain follow.

    1 Kings 18:43–45 (opens a new tab)

11. Mocked

    At noon Elijah taunts Baal’s prophets, suggesting their god may be on a journey or asleep and needing to be awakened.

    1 Kings 18:27 (opens a new tab)

12. Obadiah

    Obadiah, Ahab’s household official, hides a hundred prophets during Jezebel’s killings, feeding them bread and water.

    1 Kings 18:3–4 (opens a new tab) · 1 Kings 18:13 (opens a new tab)

13. Opinions

    Elijah challenges Israel to follow the LORD or Baal, asking why they “halt” between two opinions; the NET note explains the expression as indecision.

    1 Kings 18:21 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: 1 Kings 18:21 (opens a new tab)

14. Prophets

    Elijah counts 450 prophets of Baal; they call without an answer and cut themselves. He later has them seized and kills them at Kishon.

    1 Kings 18:22 (opens a new tab) · 1 Kings 18:26–28 (opens a new tab) · 1 Kings 18:40 (opens a new tab)

15. Trench

    Elijah digs a trench around his rebuilt altar; water fills it, and the narrator says the fire consumes the water with the offering.

    Did you know?

    Before making the trench, Elijah rebuilds the altar with twelve stones, matching the number of the tribes of Jacob’s sons.

    1 Kings 18:30–35 (opens a new tab) · 1 Kings 18:38 (opens a new tab)