1 Kings 18 38

1 Kings 18:38 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.

1 Kings 18:38 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.

1 Kings 18:38 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.

1 Kings 18:38 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.

1 Kings 18:38 nlt

Immediately the fire of the LORD flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench!

1 Kings 18 verses

1 Kings 18 38 Meaning

1 Kings 18:38 describes the immediate and overwhelming divine response to Elijah's prayer on Mount Carmel. It records how the "fire of the LORD" supernaturally fell from heaven, completely consuming not only the burnt offering but also the wood, the altar stones, the dust surrounding it, and even "licking up" the abundant water in the trench. This powerful demonstration confirmed Yahweh's supremacy over Baal and affirmed Elijah as His true prophet.

1 Kings 18 38 Context

1 Kings chapter 18 details the dramatic confrontation between the prophet Elijah and the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah on Mount Carmel. This showdown occurred during a severe drought that Elijah had prophesied (1 Kgs 17:1), intended as a judgment from Yahweh against Israel's pervasive idolatry under King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. Elijah challenged the Baal prophets to call upon their god to send fire upon a sacrifice, an attempt that spectacularly failed throughout the day (1 Kgs 18:26-29).

In direct contrast, Elijah repaired the broken altar of Yahweh, laid out the sacrifice, and, to make the miracle undeniable, commanded that four large jars of water be poured over the sacrifice and surrounding trench three times, saturating everything (1 Kgs 18:33-35). He then prayed a concise yet powerful prayer, calling on "the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel," to show that He alone was God and to turn the hearts of His people back to Him (1 Kgs 18:36-37). Verse 38 is the immediate and complete divine answer to this prayer, culminating the demonstration of Yahweh's absolute power and exposing the impotence of Baal. This event aimed to force a decision from the apostate Israelites regarding whom they would serve.

1 Kings 18 38 Word analysis

• Then (וַתִּפֹּל - wat-tipol): An immediate consequence and a dramatic shift in action, indicating swift divine response without delay.
• the fire of the LORD (אֵשׁ יְהוָה - 'ēsh Yahweh):
  • fire (אֵשׁ - 'ēsh): Not an ordinary fire. In biblical context, "fire" from heaven often signifies divine presence, acceptance of sacrifice, judgment, and holiness (Lev 9:24, Judg 6:21).
  • of the LORD (יְהוָה - Yahweh): The sacred, personal, covenant name of God. This specifies the origin: it is God Himself who sends the fire, unequivocally proving His active intervention and divine identity. It emphasizes His sovereignty and absolute power over natural elements, which Baal purportedly controlled.
• fell (וַתִּפֹּל - wat-tipol): Implies a sudden, direct, and overwhelming descent from above, removing any possibility of human intervention or trickery.
• from heaven (מִן־הַשָּׁמַיִם - min-hashshamayim): Directly states the supernatural origin. God resides in heaven, and His acts often originate from there, demonstrating His transcendence and control over all things. This clearly distinguishes Yahweh's power from any earthly or pagan rituals.
• and consumed (וַתֹּאכַל - wat-tō’kal): A strong verb indicating total consumption, absorption, and complete destruction. It signifies the absolute power and intensity of God's fire, which goes beyond normal burning.
• the burnt offering (הָעֹלָה - hā‘ōlāh): The animal sacrifice, completely given to God. The fire consuming it indicated divine acceptance of the offering and approval of Elijah's action.
• the wood (וְאֶת־הָעֵצִים - wĕ'et-hā‘ēṣîm): The fuel for the sacrifice. While normal fire consumes wood, the inclusion here in a list of increasingly unlikely materials underscores the extraordinary nature of this fire.
• the stones (וְאֶת־הָאֲבָנִים - wĕ'et-hā'ăvānim): The very altar stones. Normal fire does not consume stone. This demonstrates God's supernatural power to melt or disintegrate solid rock, a clear indication of a divine, not natural, event. It shows absolute mastery over creation.
• and the dust (וְאֶת־הֶעָפָר - wĕ'et-he‘āfār): The ground around and beneath the altar. The fire consumed even the most seemingly insignificant elements, indicating thoroughness and completeness of the divine act.
• and licked up (וְאֶת־הַמַּיִם ... לִקְקָה - wĕ'et-hammâyim... liqqaqah): The Hebrew verb means "to lap up," like a dog drinking. It conveys rapid and complete absorption.
• the water that was in the trench (אֲשֶׁר בַּתְּעָלָה - 'ăsher bat-tə‘ālāh): This detail is critical. Elijah had poured twelve jars of water, making it humanly impossible to light the fire, and even overflowing into a surrounding trench. The consumption of this vast quantity of water provided the ultimate proof that the fire was supernatural and directly from Yahweh, leaving no room for doubt or rational explanation. It served as a powerful polemic against Baal, who was associated with rain and fertility.

Words-group analysis

• "the fire of the LORD fell from heaven": Emphasizes divine causation. This was not spontaneous combustion, magic, or trickery; it was an act directly from God's celestial dwelling, demonstrating His immediate response and ultimate authority.
• "consumed the burnt offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust": Describes a progressive, escalating level of destruction, from expected (burnt offering, wood) to impossible by natural means (stones, dust). This detail dramatically underscores the miraculous intensity and divine nature of the fire, demonstrating God's power to manipulate matter.
• "and licked up the water that was in the trench": This phrase serves as the conclusive and irrefutable proof of divine intervention. The pre-existing water deliberately defied any human attempt at igniting the sacrifice, yet it too was utterly consumed, sealing Yahweh's victory over Baal.

1 Kings 18 38 Bonus section

• The dramatic consumption of even the water highlighted the irony and impotence of Baal, who was worshiped as the god of rain and storms. Yahweh, not Baal, demonstrated control over both fire and water.
• This event serves as a microcosm of divine judgment against idolatry. The consuming fire is a visual metaphor for God's holiness and His intolerance for spiritual adultery.
• The careful listing of what was consumed (offering, wood, stones, dust, water) is a rhetorical device emphasizing the extreme nature of the miracle, removing all human doubt and possible natural explanation.
• The immediate public impact led to the execution of Baal's prophets (1 Kgs 18:40), demonstrating the decisive shift in allegiances and the reassertion of divine law in Israel, paving the way for the end of the drought (1 Kgs 18:41-45).

1 Kings 18 38 Commentary

1 Kings 18:38 marks the climax of the Mount Carmel confrontation, powerfully demonstrating God's sovereign authority. It reveals Yahweh as the one true God who hears and responds, unlike the false idol Baal who could not answer his prophets' fervent pleas. This supernatural event had several profound implications:

Firstly, it was a vindication of Yahweh over Baal. By controlling the very elements—fire and water—that Baal supposedly governed, God completely debunked the idolatrous beliefs of the Israelites and their king. The consuming fire manifested God's unique power, proving His sole divinity.

Secondly, it served as a validation of Elijah's prophetic ministry. God's immediate and overwhelming answer to Elijah's prayer affirmed him as God's faithful messenger (Deut 18:22), strengthening his authority in the eyes of the people and undermining the influence of the pagan prophets.

Thirdly, it was a call to repentance and decision for Israel. The miracle was public and undeniable, compelling the Israelites to confront their apostasy. The consuming fire left no room for fence-sitting; it demanded a clear choice to "choose this day whom you will serve" (1 Kgs 18:21). The immediate consequence, the people's cry, "The LORD, he is God! The LORD, he is God!" (1 Kgs 18:39), demonstrated the transformative power of this divine display. This momentous event established that Yahweh is an active, living, and sovereign God who hears His people and stands ready to assert His truth against all rival claims.