1 Kings 18:38

1 Kings 18:38 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
• New International Version (NIV)Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench.

Context of 1 Kings 18:38

36At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet approached [the altar] and said, “O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Jacob), let it be known today that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and that I have done all these things at Your word. 37Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so that this people may know that You, O Lord, are God, and that You have turned their hearts back [to You].” Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood, and even the stones and the dust; it also licked up the water in the trench. 39When all the people saw it, they fell face downward; and they said, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!” 40Then Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.” They seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and [as God’s law required] killed them there.

1 Kings 18:38 word by word

וַתִּפֹּ֣ל אֵשׁ־יְהוָ֗ה וַתֹּ֤אכַל אֶת־הָֽעֹלָה֙ וְאֶת־הָ֣עֵצִ֔ים וְאֶת־הָאֲבָנִ֖ים וְאֶת־הֶעָפָ֑ר וְאֶת־הַמַּ֥יִם אֲשֶׁר־בַּתְּעָלָ֖ה לִחֵֽכָה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then the fireאֵשׁ'êsh · fireH784
• of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• fellנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
• and consumedאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• the burnt sacrificeעֹלָה‛ôlâh ‛ôlâh · burnt offeringH5930
• and the woodעֵץ‛êts · tree: woodH6086
• and the stonesאֶ֫בֶן'eben · stoneH68
• and the dustעָפָר‛âphâr · dustH6083
• and licked upלָחַךְlâchak · to lickH3897
• the waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
• in the trenchתְּעָלָהte‛âlâh · conduitH8585

Cross-references for 1 Kings 18:38

• Genesis 15:17When the sun had gone down and a [deep] darkness had come, there appeared a smoking brazier and a flaming torch which passed between the [divided] pieces [of the animals].
• Leviticus 9:24Then fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the portions of fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell face downward [in awe and worship].
• Judges 6:21Then the Angel of the Lord put out the end of the staff that was in His hand and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire flared up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. Then the Angel of the Lord vanished from his sight.
• 1 Chronicles 21:26Then David built an altar to the Lord there and presented burnt offerings and peace offerings. And he called on the Lord, and He answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt offering.
• 2 Chronicles 7:1When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the [Shekinah] glory and brilliance of the Lord filled the house.
• 1 Kings 18:24Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord; and the god who answers by fire, He is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.”
• Leviticus 10:2And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.
• 2 Kings 1:12Elijah answered them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty [fighting men].” And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
• Job 1:16While he was still speaking, another [messenger] also came and said, “The fire of God (lightning) has fallen from the heavens and has burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
• Isaiah 31:9“His rock [his stronghold] will pass away because of panic, And his princes will be terrified at the [sight of the battle] standard,” Declares the Lord, whose fire is in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.

Commentaries on 1 Kings 18:38

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 38Then the fire of the Lord fell - It did not burst out from the altar; this might still, notwithstanding the water, have afforded some ground for suspicion that fire had been concealed, after the manner of the heathens, under the altar. Pindar's account of the Rhodians' settling is the isle of Rhodes, and their first sacrifice there, bears a near affinity to the account here given: the shower of gold descending on the sacrifice offered up without fire, to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 38The fire of the Lord fell - This cannot have been a flash of lightning. It was altogether, in its nature as well as in its opportuneness, miraculous. Compare the marginal references for the conduct of the people.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-40Verses 21-40 Many of the people wavered in their judgment, and varied in their practice. Elijah called upon them to determine whether Jehovah or Baal was the self-existent, supreme God, the Creator, Governor, and Judge of the world, and to follow him alone. It is dangerous to halt between the service of God and the service of sin, the dominion of Christ and the dominion of our lusts. If Jesus be the only Saviour, let us cleave to him alone for every…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 38-39The Lord sent fire that burned everything, even the water in the trench. This showed clearly that the Lord is truly God. The story that follows makes it certain that the Lord, not Baal, rules over fire, water, and the weather.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-4021-40. Elijah said unto all the people, How long halt ye?--They had long been attempting to conjoin the service of God with that of Baal. It was an impracticable union and the people were so struck with a sense of their own folly, or dread of the king's displeasure, that they "answered not a word." Elijah proposed to decide for them the controversy between God and Baal by an appeal, not to the authority of the law, for that would have no weight, but by a…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 18:38

• Ahab
• Carmel
• Elijah
• Faith
• Fire
• High Places
• Miracles
• Prayer
• Revivals

In the dictionaries

• Burnt Sacrifice
• Ahab
• Answer
• Carmel
• Cut
• Either
• Fire
• Follow
• Halt
• Lord

Commentaries on 1 Kings 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings