Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.” New Living Translation Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “You go first, for there are many of you. Choose one of the bulls, and prepare it and call on the name of your god. But do not set fire to the wood.” English Standard Version Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” Berean Standard Bible Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Since you are so numerous, choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.” King James Bible And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. New King James Version Now Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.” New American Standard Bible So Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose the one ox for yourselves and prepare it first, since there are many of you, and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under the ox.” NASB 1995 So Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one ox for yourselves and prepare it first for you are many, and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.” NASB 1977 So Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one ox for yourselves and prepare it first for you are many, and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.” Legacy Standard Bible So Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one ox for yourselves and prepare it first for you are many, and call on the name of your god, but place no fire under it.” Amplified Bible Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, since there are many of you; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.” Christian Standard Bible Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Since you are so numerous, choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god but don’t light the fire.” Holman Christian Standard Bible Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Since you are so numerous, choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god but don’t light the fire.” American Standard Version And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under. Contemporary English Version Elijah said to Baal's prophets, "There are more of you, so you go first. Pick out a bull and get it ready, but don't light the fire. Then pray to your god." English Revised Version And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under. GOD'S WORD® Translation Elijah told the prophets of Baal, "Choose one bull for yourselves. Prepare yours first, because there are more of you. Call on the name of your god, but don't set the wood on fire." Good News Translation Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Since there are so many of you, you take a bull and prepare it first. Pray to your god, but don't set fire to the wood." International Standard Version So Elijah told the prophets of Baal, "Choose an ox for yourselves and you prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but don't set fire to the offering." Majority Standard Bible Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, ?Since you are so numerous, choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.? NET Bible 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." New Heart English Bible Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one bull for yourselves, and prepare it first, for you are the majority, and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it." Webster's Bible Translation And Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. World English Bible Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves, and dress it first, for you are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd Elijah says to the prophets of Ba‘al, “Choose one bullock for yourselves, and prepare [it] first, for you [are] the multitude, and call in the name of your god, and place no fire.” Young's Literal Translation And Elijah saith to the prophets of Baal, 'Choose for you the one bullock, and prepare first, for ye are the multitude, and call ye in the name of your god, and place no fire.' Smith's Literal Translation And Elijah will say to the prophets of Baal, Choose for yourselves the one bullock, and do first, for ye are many; and call upon the name of your god, and ye shall not put fire. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleThen Elias said to the prophets of Baal: Choose you one bullock and dress it first, because you are many: and call on the names of your gods, but put no fire under. Catholic Public Domain Version Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal: “Choose for yourselves one ox, and prepare it first. For you are many. And call on the names of your gods, but do not place fire under it.” New American Bible Elijah then said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one young bull and prepare it first, for there are more of you. Call upon your gods, but do not start the fire.” New Revised Standard Version Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many; then call on the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThen Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, Choose for yourselves one bullock, and prepare it first; for you are many; Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And Elyah said to the sons of Baala: “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, because you are many.” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal: 'Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under.' Brenton Septuagint Translation And Eliu said to the prophets of shame, Choose to yourselves one calf, and dress it first, for ye are many; and call ye on the name of your god; but apply no fire. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Elijah on Mount Carmel…24Then you may call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The God who answers by fire, He is God.” And all the people answered, “What you say is good.” 25Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Since you are so numerous, choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.” 26And they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound, and no one answered as they leaped around the altar they had made.… Cross References Exodus 7:11-12 But Pharaoh called the wise men and sorcerers and magicians of Egypt, and they also did the same things by their magic arts. / Each one threw down his staff, and it became a serpent. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up the other staffs. Deuteronomy 13:1-3 If a prophet or dreamer of dreams arises among you and proclaims a sign or wonder to you, / and if the sign or wonder he has spoken to you comes about, but he says, “Let us follow other gods (which you have not known) and let us worship them,” / you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. For the LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul. 2 Kings 1:9-12 Then King Ahaziah sent to Elijah a captain with his company of fifty men. So the captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on top of a hill, and said to him, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down!’” / Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed the captain and his fifty men. / So the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men. And the captain said to Elijah, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down at once!’” ... Jeremiah 23:13 “Among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray. Matthew 7:15-20 Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. / By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? / Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ... 2 Peter 2:1 Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Revelation 13:13-14 And the second beast performed great signs, even causing fire from heaven to come down to earth in the presence of the people. / Because of the signs it was given to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived those who dwell on the earth, telling them to make an image to the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet had lived. 1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. / And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. / It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions. Acts 8:9-11 Prior to that time, a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and astounded the people of Samaria. He claimed to be someone great, / and all the people, from the least to the greatest, heeded his words and said, “This man is the divine power called the Great Power.” / They paid close attention to him because he had astounded them for a long time with his sorcery. Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that were possible. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder, / and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them. Isaiah 44:25 who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who confounds the wise and turns their knowledge into nonsense, Ezekiel 13:6-9 They see false visions and speak lying divinations. They claim, ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ when the LORD did not send them; yet they wait for the fulfillment of their message. / Haven’t you seen a false vision and spoken a lying divination when you proclaim, ‘Thus declares the LORD,’ even though I have not spoken? / Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: Because you have uttered vain words and seen false visions, I am against you, declares the Lord GOD. ... Jeremiah 14:14 “The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their own minds. Treasury of Scripture And Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for you are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. Jump to Previous Baal Ba'al Bull Bullock Bulls Choose Dress Elijah Eli'jah Fire First Gods Light Multitude Ox Prayers Prepare Prophets Ready YourselvesJump to Next Baal Ba'al Bull Bullock Bulls Choose Dress Elijah Eli'jah Fire First Gods Light Multitude Ox Prayers Prepare Prophets Ready Yourselves1 Kings 18 1. In the extremity of famine Elijah, sent to Ahab, meets good Obadiah9. Obadiah brings Ahab to Elijah 17. Elijah, reproving Ahab, by fire from heaven convinces Baal's prophets 41. Elijah, by prayer obtaining rain, follows Ahab to Jezreel Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal Elijah, whose name means "My God is Yahweh," stands as a prophet of the Lord during a time of rampant idolatry in Israel. The prophets of Baal were numerous, reflecting the widespread worship of Baal, a Canaanite deity associated with fertility and storms. This confrontation occurs on Mount Carmel, a significant location for both Baal worship and Israelite history, symbolizing a spiritual battleground. Since you are so numerous choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first Then call on the name of your god but do not light the fire Persons / Places / Events 1. ElijahA prophet of the Lord, Elijah is a central figure in this account, challenging the prophets of Baal to demonstrate the power of their god versus the power of Yahweh. 2. Prophets of Baal These are the false prophets serving Baal, a Canaanite deity. They are numerous, highlighting the widespread idolatry in Israel at the time. 3. Mount Carmel The location of this dramatic confrontation between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. It serves as a significant site for demonstrating God's power. 4. Baal A Canaanite god worshiped by many in Israel, representing a major spiritual adversary to the worship of Yahweh. 5. The Bull The sacrificial animal used in the contest, symbolizing the challenge to prove divine power through supernatural means. Teaching Points The Power of God vs. IdolatryThis event underscores the futility of idolatry and the supreme power of the one true God. Believers are reminded to examine their lives for modern forms of idolatry. Faith in Action Elijah's boldness in confronting the prophets of Baal is a testament to his faith. Christians are encouraged to stand firm in their faith, even when outnumbered or facing opposition. The Importance of Obedience Elijah's actions are in direct obedience to God's instructions. This highlights the importance of following God's commands, even when they seem daunting. Prayer and Dependence on God Elijah's challenge to the prophets of Baal demonstrates a deep reliance on God to reveal His power. Believers are encouraged to cultivate a prayerful dependence on God in all circumstances.Verse 25. - And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress [or offer, as in ver. 23] it first; for ye are many [Heb. the many. Every pre-eminence and advantage which he gives to them will make his triumph, when it comes, all the greater. It is quite possible that he meant again to hint at their immense superiority in point of numbers. But no doubt he was only too glad to find a reason for their taking the lead. "He is anxious that their inability shall be fully manifested before he shows his own power" (Rawlinson). Whether the idea was also present in his mind that they "could prepare their victim in a much shorter time than he could prepare his" (ib.) is by no means so certain]; and call on the name of your gods [or god, i.e., Baal], but put no fire under. [The repetition (cf. ver. 24) shows that the ordeal was proposed separately to the people and the prophets.] Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Then Elijahאֵלִיָּ֜הוּ (’ê·lî·yā·hū) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 452: Elijah -- 'Yah is God', a well-known prophet of Israel, also three other Israelites said וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say to the prophets לִנְבִיאֵ֣י (lin·ḇî·’ê) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 5030: A spokesman, speaker, prophet of Baal, הַבַּ֗עַל (hab·ba·‘al) Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 1168: Baal -- a heathen god “Since כִּ֥י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction you אַתֶּ֖ם (’at·tem) Pronoun - second person masculine plural Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you are so numerous, הָרַבִּ֑ים (hā·rab·bîm) Article | Adjective - masculine plural Strong's 7227: Much, many, great choose בַּחֲר֨וּ (ba·ḥă·rū) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 977: To try, select for yourselves לָכֶ֜ם (lā·ḵem) Preposition | second person masculine plural Strong's Hebrew one הָֽאֶחָד֙ (hā·’e·ḥāḏ) Article | Number - masculine singular Strong's 259: United, one, first bull הַפָּ֤ר (hap·pār) Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 6499: Young bull, steer and prepare וַעֲשׂ֣וּ (wa·‘ă·śū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 6213: To do, make it first. רִאשֹׁנָ֔ה (ri·šō·nāh) Adjective - feminine singular Strong's 7223: First, in place, time, rank Then call וְקִרְאוּ֙ (wə·qir·’ū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read on the name בְּשֵׁ֣ם (bə·šêm) Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 8034: A name of your god, אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם (’ĕ·lō·hê·ḵem) Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine plural Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative but do not לֹ֥א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no light תָשִֽׂימוּ׃ (ṯā·śî·mū) Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set the fire.” וְאֵ֖שׁ (wə·’êš) Conjunctive waw | Noun - common singular Strong's 784: A fire Links 1 Kings 18:25 NIV1 Kings 18:25 NLT 1 Kings 18:25 ESV 1 Kings 18:25 NASB 1 Kings 18:25 KJV 1 Kings 18:25 BibleApps.com 1 Kings 18:25 Biblia Paralela 1 Kings 18:25 Chinese Bible 1 Kings 18:25 French Bible 1 Kings 18:25 Catholic Bible OT History: 1 Kings 18:25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg) |
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