1 Kings 18:30-40
Context18:30 Elijah then told all the people, “Approach me.” So all the people approached him. He repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down. 1 18:31 Then Elijah took twelve stones, corresponding to the number of tribes that descended from Jacob, to whom the Lord had said, “Israel will be your new 2 name.” 3 18:32 With the stones he constructed an altar for the Lord. 4 Around the altar he made a trench large enough to contain two seahs 5 of seed. 18:33 He arranged the wood, cut up the bull, and placed it on the wood. 18:34 Then he said, “Fill four water jars and pour the water on the offering and the wood.” When they had done so, 6 he said, “Do it again.” So they did it again. Then he said, “Do it a third time.” So they did it a third time. 18:35 The water flowed down all sides of the altar and filled the trench. 18:36 When it was time for the evening offering, 7 Elijah the prophet approached the altar 8 and prayed: “O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, prove 9 today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 18:37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are the true God 10 and that you are winning back their allegiance.” 11 18:38 Then fire from the Lord fell from the sky. 12 It consumed the offering, the wood, the stones, and the dirt, and licked up the water in the trench. 18:39 When all the people saw this, they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and said, “The Lord is the true God! 13 The Lord is the true God!” 18:40 Elijah told them, “Seize the prophets of Baal! Don’t let even one of them escape!” So they seized them, and Elijah led them down to the Kishon Valley and executed 14 them there.
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[18:30] 1 sn Torn down. The condition of the altar symbolizes the spiritual state of the people.
[18:31] 2 tn The word “new” is implied but not actually present in the Hebrew text.
[18:31] 3 sn Israel will be your new name. See Gen 32:28; 35:10.
[18:32] 4 tn Heb “and he built the stones into an altar in the name of the
[18:32] 5 tn A seah was a dry measure equivalent to about seven quarts.
[18:34] 6 tn The words “when they had done so” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[18:36] 7 tn Heb “at the offering up of the offering.”
[18:36] 8 tn The words “the altar” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
[18:36] 9 tn Heb “let it be known.”
[18:37] 11 tn Heb “that you are turning their heart[s] back.”
[18:38] 12 tn The words “from the sky” are added for stylistic reasons.
[18:39] 13 tn Heb “the God” (the phrase occurs twice in this verse).