Bible Chapter Summary
1 Kings 18 Summary
Contest on Carmel; Elijah Vanquishes Baal's Prophets
After three years of drought, Elijah meets Ahab and confronts the people's wavering between the Lord and Baal, challenging the prophets of Baal and the groves to a test: each side prepares a bullock on wood with no fire, and the God who answers by fire is God. The prophets of Baal cry all day but there is no answer; Elijah repairs the Lord's altar, drenches the sacrifice with water, and prays, and the Lord's fire consumes the offering, the wood, the stones, and even the water. The people declare the Lord is God, and Elijah has the prophets of Baal slain at the brook Kishon, then prays and a great rain comes after the long drought.
Key themes
Key verses
1 Kings 18:21
“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.”
1 Kings 18:38-39
“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.”
1 Kings 18:40
“And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.”
1 Kings 18:45
“And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel.”
Read 1 Kings 18 in full
Study the complete chapter with interlinear Hebrew & Greek, verse-by-verse, in the Gospel Daily reader.
Open the full chapter