1 Kings 18 26

1 Kings 18:26 kjv

And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

1 Kings 18:26 nkjv

So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, "O Baal, hear us!" But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made.

1 Kings 18:26 niv

So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. "Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.

1 Kings 18:26 esv

And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, "O Baal, answer us!" But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made.

1 Kings 18:26 nlt

So they prepared one of the bulls and placed it on the altar. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning until noontime, shouting, "O Baal, answer us!" But there was no reply of any kind. Then they danced, hobbling around the altar they had made.

1 Kings 18 verses

1 Kings 18 26 Meaning

This verse details the initial, futile efforts of the 450 prophets of Baal during the dramatic confrontation on Mount Carmel. They meticulously prepared a sacrifice and tirelessly invoked their god, "Baal," for half the day, engaging in frantic ritualistic actions. Despite their prolonged and fervent cries, the passage emphatically states that there was no sound or reply from Baal, highlighting the complete absence of power or existence in the deity they worshipped. This profound silence powerfully sets the stage for the demonstration of the one true God's undeniable sovereignty.

1 Kings 18 26 Context

This verse is a crucial part of the epic confrontation on Mount Carmel during a severe three-and-a-half-year drought that gripped Israel (1 Ki 17:1; 18:1). Under the reign of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, Baal worship had become the dominant religious practice, eclipsing the worship of Yahweh. The prophet Elijah challenged the 450 prophets of Baal to a public contest to determine who was the true God: Yahweh or Baal. The conditions were clear: two altars, two sacrifices, and no fire. The deity who responded by sending fire to consume the offering would be acknowledged as supreme. Verse 26 describes the first segment of this contest, illustrating the intense, prolonged, but ultimately fruitless rituals performed by the Baal prophets. This portrayal sharply contrasts with the swift and powerful divine intervention by Yahweh later in the chapter, setting the foundation for His triumph and the vindication of His unique identity. Baal, as the Canaanite god of storms and fertility, was specifically believed to control rain and agricultural prosperity, making the setting of the contest amidst a drought especially potent.

1 Kings 18 26 Word analysis

• "So they took the bull": The bull was a common and significant animal for sacrifices in various ancient Near Eastern cultures, including those of the Baal cult, symbolizing power and fertility.
• "and they prepared it" (וַיַּעֲשׂוּ - vayya'asu): This phrase indicates that the bull was butchered, its parts arranged on the altar in readiness for a sacred offering. This detail suggests their adherence to established sacrificial procedures, validating the authenticity of their ritual efforts within their own cultic framework.
• "and called on the name of Baal" (וַיִּקְרְאוּ בְּשֵׁם הַבַּעַל - vayyiqr'u b'shem ha-ba'al): This denotes invoking the deity's identity and power through verbal prayer and chant. "Baal" (בַּעַל - Ba'al) translates to "lord" or "master," a title given to the supreme male deity of the Canaanite pantheon, believed to bring storms, rain, and fertility.
• "from morning even until noon" (מֵהַבֹּקֶר וְעַד הַצָּהֳרָיִם - meha-boqer ve'ad ha-tsohorayim): This specification of time highlights the lengthy duration—roughly half a day—of their concerted, strenuous efforts. It underscores their unwavering commitment and the persistence of their supplications, serving to amplify the eventual silence of Baal.
• "saying, 'O Baal, hear us!'" (בַּעַל עֲנֵנוּ - Ba'al 'anenu): A direct, desperate plea for a divine response, particularly to "answer" (עֲנֵנוּ - 'anenu), signifying a specific call for Baal to intervene by fire. This invocation represents the core demand of the contest.
• "But there was no voice, nor any to answer" (וְאֵין קוֹל וְאֵין עֹנֶה - ve'ein qol ve'ein 'oneh): This is a potent declaration of absence, conveying absolute silence and inaction. "No voice" signifies Baal's inability to speak or command, while "nor any to answer" implies his complete inability to act upon their plea. This twofold negation starkly demonstrates Baal's utter impotence or non-existence.
• "And they leaped about the altar which they had made" (וַיְפַסְּחוּ עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ - vayfas'sekhu 'al ha-mizbeach): The Hebrew verb pasakh can signify "to limp," "to hop," or "to perform a ritualistic dance." Here, it describes a frenzied, ecstatic dance around the altar, often characterized by wild movements, common in ancient Near Eastern pagan cults. Such strenuous physical displays were intended to either coerce or persuade the deity to respond. The "leaping" conveys their escalating desperation and fervent devotion in the face of their god's silence. The altar itself was one newly built for the occasion.

1 Kings 18 26 Bonus section

The intensity and prolonged nature of the Baal prophets' efforts—"from morning even until noon," followed by later acts of self-laceration (1 Ki 18:28)—speak to the earnestness of their devotion and the profound, almost desperate, human need to connect with the divine, even if that divine is ultimately an empty construct. This level of religious fervor in seeking a god who cannot hear accentuates the stark mockery by Elijah that follows in verse 27, where he suggests Baal might be busy, pursuing a matter, or perhaps asleep. This serves to emphasize that a living God is always accessible, awake, and attentive to His people. The verse highlights the illusion of power in false worship, revealing that such systems leave their adherents drained and ultimately disappointed. It powerfully illustrates that YHWH alone possesses inherent power and requires no human prompting beyond genuine faith and obedience to reveal His sovereignty.

1 Kings 18 26 Commentary

1 Kings 18:26 vividly captures the fundamental difference between pagan worship and devotion to the living God of Israel. Despite the Baal prophets' dedicated preparation, sustained invocation for half a day, and intense ritualistic dancing, their god remained profoundly silent. This silence exposes Baal not merely as inactive but as fundamentally non-existent or devoid of any power to intervene. The verse underscores a theological truth: idols are deaf, dumb, and powerless, fabricated by human hands, and unable to fulfill the grand claims made for them. In contrast, the subsequent narrative reveals a God who hears, speaks, and acts decisively. The elaborate, yet vain, efforts of Baal's prophets set the ultimate stage for Yahweh's instantaneous, overwhelming response, affirming His sole deity and challenging Israel's widespread apostasy with undeniable proof. This demonstrates that true divine interaction is a free act of God's power and not dependent on human attempts to compel Him through rituals.