1 Kings 18:24

Contextual Overview

²¹Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him. But if Baal, follow him.” But the people didn’t answer him a word. ²¹ Eliyah came near to all the people, and said, How long go you limping between the two sides? if the LORD is God, follow him; but if Ba`al, then follow him. The people answered him not a word. ²¹ And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. ²¹ And Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." And the people did not answer him a word. ²¹ Elijah approached the people and said, "How long will you not decide between two choices? If the Lord is the true God, follow him, but if Baal is the true God, follow him!" But the people said nothing. 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. ²¹Elijah approached all the people and said, "How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people [of Israel] did not answer him [so much as] a word. ²¹ Then Elijah approached all the people and said, "How long are you going to struggle with the two choices? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people did not answer him so much as a word. ²¹ And Eliiah came vnto all the people, and said, How long halt ye betweene two opinions? If the Lord be God, followe him: but if Baal be he, then goe after him. And the people answered him not a worde. ²¹And Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you be limping between two opinions? If Yahweh is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people did not answer him a word.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

answereth by fire: 1 Kings 18:38, Leviticus 9:24, Judges 6:21, 1 Chronicles 21:26, 2 Chronicles 7:1, 2 Chronicles 7:3

and said: 2 Samuel 14:19

It is well spoken: Heb. the word is good, Isaiah 39:8

Reciprocal: Genesis 4:4 - had Genesis 4:26 - Enos 1 Kings 18:26 - no voice 1 Kings 18:37 - Hear me 1 Kings 18:39 - The Lord Psalms 108:6 - and answer me Jeremiah 27:18 - they

Cross-References

Genesis 18:13
The LORD said to Avraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Will I really bear a child, yet I am old?'

Genesis 18:13
And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

Genesis 18:13
Then Yahweh said to Abraham, "What is this that Sarah laughed, saying, ‘Is it indeed true that I will bear a child, now that I have grown old?'

Genesis 18:13
Then the Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh? Why did she say, ‘I am too old to have a baby'?

Genesis 18:13
The Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child when I am old?'

Genesis 18:13
And the LORD asked Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh [to herself], saying, 'Shall I really give birth [to a child] when I am so old?'

Genesis 18:13
But the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, 'Shall I actually give birth to a child, when I am so old?'

Genesis 18:13
And ye Lord saide vnto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah thus laugh, saying, Shall I certainely beare a childe, which am olde?

Genesis 18:13
And Yahweh said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I indeed bear a son, when I am so old?'

Genesis 18:13
The Lord asked Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh? Does she doubt that she can have a child in her old age?

Gill's Notes on the 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 that answereth by fire; by causing fire to come down upon the sacrifice, and consume it:

let him be God; accounted, owned, and acknowledged as the true God, and so afterwards worshipped as such:

and all the people answered and said, it is well spoken; they thought it a very reasonable proposal, a very good method to determine the controversy, and come at the truth, and know who was the true God, and who not.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

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 and lightning to their gods - the great Nature-power - and thus had no excuse for declining Elijah’s challenge.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

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 worshipped here was incontestably Apollo, or the sun, he was therefore the god of fire, and had only to work in his own element.