1 Kings 18 40

1 Kings 18:40 kjv

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 18:40 nkjv

And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape!" So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon and executed them there.

1 Kings 18:40 niv

Then Elijah commanded them, "Seize the prophets of Baal. Don't let anyone get away!" They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.

1 Kings 18:40 esv

And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape." And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.

1 Kings 18:40 nlt

Then Elijah commanded, "Seize all the prophets of Baal. Don't let a single one escape!" So the people seized them all, and Elijah took them down to the Kishon Valley and killed them there.

1 Kings 18 verses

1 Kings 18 40 Meaning

1 Kings 18:40 depicts the climactic aftermath of Elijah's victory over the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Following the Lord's clear demonstration of supremacy, Elijah commands the people to seize and then leads the slaughter of the 450 prophets of Baal at the Brook Kishon. This act represents the immediate execution of divine justice against overt idolatry, fulfilling covenant laws and demonstrating God's sovereign authority in Israel. It marks a decisive purging of the religious opposition to Yahweh in a profound moment of spiritual revival for the people.

1 Kings 18 40 Context

This verse is the culmination of the dramatic encounter on Mount Carmel, initiated by Elijah to resolve the spiritual apostasy plaguing Israel under King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. For three and a half years, a divinely sent drought had gripped the land, a direct judgment for the widespread worship of Baal, the Canaanite storm and fertility god. Elijah challenged the 450 prophets of Baal to a contest, where both sides would call upon their god to send fire. After the Baal prophets' fervent but futile efforts, Elijah prayed to the Lord, and fire immediately consumed his sacrifice, stones, water, and dust, profoundly shocking the Israelite onlookers. This visible display of Yahweh's power led the people to repent and confess, "The Lord, He is God!" (1 Kgs 18:39). The immediate consequence of this national turning was the commanded judgment on the false prophets, consistent with the Mosaic law's directives regarding idolatry and false prophecy. This purging was essential for the spiritual renewal and the lifting of the drought that followed.

1 Kings 18 40 Word analysis

• Then Elijah said to them, (וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלִיָּהוּ אֲלֵהֶם – vayyōʾmer ʾēliyyāhū ʾălēhem)

  • Elijah (אֵלִיָּהוּ - Eliyahu): "My God is Yahweh." His very name embodies the central message of his ministry and the Mount Carmel event, emphasizing Yahweh's identity as the one true God against Baal. He acts as God's instrument and prophetic agent, not in personal vengeance but in carrying out divine judgment.
  • said to them: Addressing the people of Israel who had just witnessed God's power and declared Him as Lord, now ready to act in obedience.

• "Seize (תִּפְשׂוּ - tifśu) the prophets of Baal (נְבִיאֵי הַבַּעַל - nevi'ei haBa'al)!

  • Seize: An imperative verb meaning to grasp, apprehend, lay hold of. It indicates an immediate, decisive, and forceful action required from the people, implying collective participation in enforcing God's will. This wasn't merely observing; it was an active commitment.
  • Prophets of Baal: These were not merely individuals holding different beliefs but official religious functionaries of the idolatrous state religion that led Israel astray. As proponents of Baal worship, they challenged the exclusive covenant with Yahweh and were subject to the legal penalties outlined in the Mosaic Law for false prophets and promoters of idolatry (Deut 13; Deut 17). There were 450 of them, suggesting a widespread organized false priesthood.

• Let not one of them escape." (אִישׁ אַל־יִמָּלֵט – ish al-yimmaleṭ)

  • Let not one... escape: Emphasizes the totality and thoroughness of the command. The elimination was to be absolute, leaving no remnant of the spiritual opposition. This reflected the severity of idolatry in God's eyes and the need for a complete spiritual cleansing of the land.

• So they seized them; (וַיִּתְפְּשֻׂום – vayyitpeśûm)

  • they seized them: Confirms the people's obedience and participation. This communal act of justice served to reaffirm their commitment to Yahweh, marking a definitive break with Baal worship.

• and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon (נַחַל קִישׁוֹן - Naḥal Qīšōn) and slaughtered them there. (וַיִּשְׁחָטֵם שָׁם – vayyišḥāṭem šām)

  • Kishon: A seasonal stream flowing through the plain of Jezreel to the Mediterranean Sea. Historically significant as a place where God granted Israel victory over their enemies (Judg 4-5). Its choice for this execution signifies that divine justice, similar to the historical defeat of Israel's physical enemies, was being meted out against its spiritual enemies at a divinely designated site of judgment. The flow of water (which soon returns due to rain) would carry away the remnants.
  • slaughtered (וַיִּשְׁחָטֵם - vayyišḥāṭem): A verb primarily used for sacrificing animals or for violent slaying. Here, it denotes a decisive and complete execution, a ceremonial and legal act of purging evil from the community, according to covenant law. This was not a frenzied massacre but a measured execution commanded by God's prophet under covenant authority, necessary to restore the spiritual integrity of the nation and reconcile with God.

1 Kings 18 40 Bonus section

The violent nature of this verse often sparks debate among readers. It is essential to understand that under the Old Covenant, the nation of Israel operated as a theocracy. Idolatry was not merely a personal spiritual choice but an act of treason against their divine King, Yahweh, and thus punishable by death, as specified in laws such as Deuteronomy 13 and 17. These prophets were actively leading the nation into rebellion against God. The immediate execution, after the public and irrefutable proof of Baal's impotence and Yahweh's sole deity, served as a restoration of covenant law and a powerful deterrent against future apostasy. This divine command and its swift execution purified the land and affirmed God's uncompromised holiness and justice within that historical and theological framework. It also sets the stage for God to send rain, demonstrating His control over the elements and His blessing upon an obedient people.

1 Kings 18 40 Commentary

1 Kings 18:40 captures a moment of intense, divinely mandated justice, crucial for Israel's spiritual redemption. It is not an act of personal revenge but a judicial execution by a prophet of God, performed in obedience to explicit Mosaic laws concerning false prophets and idolaters. The people's participation underscores their re-affirmation of Yahweh as their God and their collective commitment to His covenant, demonstrating a clear break from their idolatrous past. This decisive action eradicated a core source of apostasy, preparing the nation for renewed relationship with the Lord and for the subsequent return of rain, symbolizing divine blessing after national repentance and cleansing. While challenging in modern contexts, it reflects God's zeal for His covenant and the severity of idolatry under the Old Covenant, emphasizing the necessity of removing spiritual impurity for restoration.