1 Kings 18:36

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

at the time: 1 Kings 18:29, Exodus 29:39-41, Ezra 9:4, Ezra 9:5, Psalms 141:2, Daniel 8:13, Daniel 9:21, Daniel 12:11, Acts 3:1, Acts 10:30

Lord God: 1 Kings 18:21, Genesis 26:24, Genesis 31:53, Genesis 32:9, Genesis 46:3, Exodus 3:6, Exodus 3:15, Exodus 3:16, 1 Chronicles 29:18, 2 Chronicles 20:6, 2 Chronicles 20:7, Ephesians 1:17, Ephesians 3:14

let it: 1 Kings 8:43, 1 Samuel 17:46, 1 Samuel 17:47, 2 Kings 1:3, 2 Kings 1:6, 2 Kings 5:15, 2 Kings 19:19, Psalms 67:1, Psalms 67:2, Psalms 83:18, Ezekiel 36:23, Ezekiel 39:7

and that I have: 1 Kings 22:28, Numbers 16:28-30, John 11:42

Reciprocal: Genesis 24:12 - O Lord Exodus 29:41 - offer Numbers 28:4 - and the other Deuteronomy 4:35 - know Joshua 3:10 - Hereby ye 1 Kings 17:20 - he cried 1 Kings 18:37 - Hear me 2 Kings 1:10 - If I be a man 2 Kings 2:14 - Where is 2 Kings 3:17 - Ye shall not 2 Kings 3:20 - when the meat 2 Kings 5:8 - let him come 2 Kings 20:11 - cried unto 2 Chronicles 6:14 - O Lord God Psalms 46:10 - know Psalms 50:1 - even Psalms 59:13 - and let Psalms 100:3 - Know Psalms 108:6 - and answer me Psalms 109:27 - General Isaiah 37:20 - that all Isaiah 43:9 - that they may Isaiah 44:26 - confirmeth Daniel 2:23 - O thou Hosea 9:8 - with Matthew 17:3 - Elias John 9:31 - him John 16:24 - in

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice,.... Which the people of God at Jerusalem were now attending to:

that Elijah the prophet came near; to the altar he had built, and on which he had laid the sacrifice:

and said; in prayer to God:

Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the covenant God of the ancestors of his people, though they had now so fully departed from him:

let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel; and that there is no other:

and that I am thy servant; a true worshipper of him, and his faithful prophet and minister:

and that I have done all these things at thy word; restrained rain from the earth for some years past, and now had convened Israel, and the false prophets, together, that by a visible sign from heaven it might be known who was the true God; all which he did not of himself, but by the impulse, direction, and, commandment of the Lord.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice - i. e., probably “the ninth hour,” or three o’clock. Thus there might still remain about five hours of light, during which the other events of the day were accomplished.

Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel - This solemn address would carry back the thoughts of the pious to the burning bush of Horeb, and the words there spoken (marginal references), for there only had this mysterious formula been used before. Its use now was calculated to stir their faith and prepare them in some degree for God’s answering “by fire.”

That I have done all these things at thy word - i. e., “That I have been divinely directed in all that I have done publicly as a prophet, in proclaiming the drought, in gathering this assembly, and in proposing this trial; that I have not done them of my own mind” (marginal reference).

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 36. Lord God of Abraham — He thus addressed the Supreme Being, that they might know when the answer was given, that it was the same God whom the patriarchs and their fathers worshipped, and thus have their hearts turned back again to the true religion of their ancestors.