1 Kings 18:37

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

Hear me: 1 Kings 18:24, 1 Kings 18:29, 1 Kings 18:36, Genesis 32:24, Genesis 32:26, Genesis 32:28, 2 Chronicles 14:11, 2 Chronicles 32:19, 2 Chronicles 32:20, Isaiah 37:17-20, Daniel 9:17-19, Luke 11:8, James 5:16, James 5:17

thou hast turned: Jeremiah 31:18, Jeremiah 31:19, Ezekiel 36:25-27, Malachi 4:5, Malachi 4:6, Luke 1:16, Luke 1:17

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 4:35 - know Joshua 3:10 - Hereby ye 1 Samuel 17:46 - all the earth 1 Kings 17:20 - he cried 1 Kings 20:13 - and thou shalt 1 Kings 22:28 - Hearken 2 Kings 5:8 - let him come 2 Kings 19:19 - O Lord Psalms 50:1 - even Psalms 59:13 - and let Psalms 65:2 - thou Psalms 80:3 - Turn us Psalms 83:18 - That men Psalms 108:6 - and answer me Psalms 109:27 - General Isaiah 37:20 - that all Lamentations 5:21 - Turn

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Hear me, O Lord, hear me;.... Which repetition is made to express his importunity, and the vehement earnest desire of his soul to be heard in such a case, which so much concerned the glory of God; the Targum is,

"receive my prayer, O Lord, concerning the fire, receive my prayer concerning the rain;''

as if the one respected the sending down the fire on the sacrifice, and the other sending rain on the earth; and which sense is followed by other Jewish writers:

that this people may know that thou art the Lord God; and not Baal, or any other idol:

and that thou hast turned their heart back again; from idolatry, to the worship of the true God; though some understand this of God's giving them up to a spirit of error, and suffering them to fall into idolatry, and hardening their hearts, as he did Pharaoh's; but the former sense is best.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

That thou hast turned their heart - The hearts of the people were turning. Elijah speaks of them as already turned, anticipating the coming change, and helping it on.