The Meaning of 1 Kings 18:33 Explained

1 Kings 18:33

KJV: And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

YLT: And he arrangeth the wood, and cutteth in pieces the bullock, and placeth it on the wood, and saith, 'Fill ye four pitchers of water, and pour on the burnt-offering, and on the wood;

Darby: and he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid it on the wood. And he said, Fill four pitchers with water, and pour it on the burnt-offering, and on the wood.

ASV: And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid it on the wood. And he said, Fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt-offering, and on the wood.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he put  the wood  in order,  and cut  the bullock  in pieces, and laid  [him] on the wood,  and said,  Fill  four  barrels  with water,  and pour  [it] on the burnt sacrifice,  and on the wood. 

What does 1 Kings 18:33 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 18:30-40 - The God That Answereth By Fire
Too many halt, or limp, between two opinions. The altar of consecration to Christ has been thrown down, 1 Kings 18:30. The worship of Baal, which stands for creature-energy, has secretly stolen away our allegiance from Him, who is very jealous of any strange affinities; and as the necessary result, our heart is drought-smitten and our sphere of service is like a parched land. The idolatrous priests had everything in their favor, for at noon the sun-god was on his throne; but there was no voice. It is an awful thing when a man listens for his god to speak, and there is no reply!
Elijah built again the ruined altar which for long years had stood on Carmel's height, 1 Kings 19:10-11. Let us build again the altars of personal consecration, of family piety, and of national religion. Elijah prayed; as the Apostle expressed it, James 5:17, he put all the passion of his mighty nature into prayer. As a result, because they had been shown to be deceivers, he destroyed the prophets of Baal with a ruthless hand. These are the conditions of revival and refreshing. Let any church give itself to consecration, fervent prayer, and the excision of wrong, and there need be no anxiety as to the result-there will be an abundance of rain. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 18

1  In the extremity of famine Elijah, sent to Ahab, meets good Obadiah
9  Obadiah brings Ahab to Elijah
17  Elijah, reproving Ahab, by fire from heaven convinces Baal's prophets
41  Elijah, by prayer obtaining rain, follows Ahab to Jezreel

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 18:33 mean?

and he put in order - the wood and cut in pieces the bull and laid [it] on the wood
וַֽיַּעֲרֹ֖ךְ אֶת־ הָֽעֵצִ֑ים וַיְנַתַּח֙ הַפָּ֔ר וַיָּ֖שֶׂם עַל־ הָעֵצִֽים

וַֽיַּעֲרֹ֖ךְ  and  he  put  in  order 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָרַךְ  
Sense: to arrange, set or put or lay in order, set in array, prepare, order, ordain, handle, furnish, esteem, equal, direct, compare.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָֽעֵצִ֑ים  the  wood 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: עֵץ  
Sense: tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows.
וַיְנַתַּח֙  and  cut  in  pieces 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָתַח  
Sense: to cut, cut up, cut in pieces, divide.
הַפָּ֔ר  the  bull 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּר  
Sense: .
וַיָּ֖שֶׂם  and  laid  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
הָעֵצִֽים  the  wood 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: עֵץ  
Sense: tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows.