The Meaning of 1 Kings 18:19 Explained

1 Kings 18:19

KJV: Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table.

YLT: and now, send, gather unto me all Israel, unto the mount of Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the shrine, four hundred -- eating at the table of Jezebel.'

Darby: And now send, gather to me all Israel to mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the Asherah four hundred, who eat at Jezebel's table.

ASV: Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the Asherah four hundred, that eat at Jezebel's table.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now therefore send,  [and] gather  to me all Israel  unto mount  Carmel,  and the prophets  of Baal  four  hundred  and fifty,  and the prophets  of the groves  four  hundred,  which eat  at Jezebel's  table. 

What does 1 Kings 18:19 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 18:16-29 - The God That Answereth Not
"The God that answereth by fire, let Him be God." We are thrilled as we read these words. Our altars stand unkindled, our sacrifices are unconsumed, our churches do not witness the descending of the holy flame, and our sermons are damp tinder. It ought not so to be. The Baptist said that our Lord would baptize with the Holy Spirit as by fire, Matthew 3:11, and Jesus Himself taught that he came to kindle fire on the earth, Luke 12:49. The seven lamps burn evermore before the throne, Revelation 4:5. It was as fire that the Holy Spirit fell on the sitting group in the upper room-sitting because they had reached an end of praying, and were now only waiting for the fulfillment of the promise, Acts 2:2-3.
Nothing is needed more absolutely than the answer by fire. There are many who, like the prophets of Baal, endeavor to kindle it. But when prevented from putting their own false fire into the stack of wood, they are paralyzed. The frantic entreaties, the self-inflicted wounds, the monotonous chant, are insufficient. They are carnal and arouse only the worst emotions. Spiritual conditions have to be fulfilled, as Elijah showed; then God bears witness "by signs and wonders" and by gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will. [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 18:19 mean?

Now therefore send [and] gather to me - all Israel on Mount Carmel and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty and the prophets of Asherah hundred who eat at table of Jezebel
וְעַתָּ֗ה שְׁלַ֨ח קְבֹ֥ץ אֵלַ֛י אֶת־ כָּל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶל־ הַ֣ר הַכַּרְמֶ֑ל וְאֶת־ נְבִיאֵ֨י הַבַּ֜עַל אַרְבַּ֧ע מֵא֣וֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁ֗ים וּנְבִיאֵ֤י הָֽאֲשֵׁרָה֙ מֵא֔וֹת אֹכְלֵ֖י שֻׁלְחַ֥ן אִיזָֽבֶל

וְעַתָּ֗ה  Now  therefore 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
שְׁלַ֨ח  send 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
קְבֹ֥ץ  [and]  gather 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: קָבַץ  
Sense: to gather, assemble.
אֵלַ֛י  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
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.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
הַ֣ר  Mount 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
הַכַּרְמֶ֑ל  Carmel 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: כַּרְמֶל 
Sense: a mountain on the Mediterranean coast of northern Israel, just below Haifa.
נְבִיאֵ֨י  the  prophets 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
הַבַּ֜עַל  of  Baal 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּעַל  
Sense: supreme male divinity of the Phoenicians or Canaanites.
אַרְבַּ֧ע  four 
Parse: Number, feminine singular
Root: אַרְבַּע  
Sense: four.
מֵא֣וֹת  hundred 
Parse: Number, feminine plural
Root: מֵאָה 
Sense: hundred.
וַחֲמִשִּׁ֗ים  and  fifty 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Number, common plural
Root: חֲמִשִּׁים 
Sense: fifty.
וּנְבִיאֵ֤י  and  the  prophets 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
הָֽאֲשֵׁרָה֙  of  Asherah 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲשֵׁרָה  
Sense: a Babylonian (Astarte)-Canaanite goddess (of fortune and happiness), the supposed consort of Baal, her images.
מֵא֔וֹת  hundred 
Parse: Number, feminine plural
Root: מֵאָה 
Sense: hundred.
אֹכְלֵ֖י  who  eat  at 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
שֻׁלְחַ֥ן  table 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֻׁלְחָן  
Sense: table.
אִיזָֽבֶל  of  Jezebel 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אִיזֶבֶל  
Sense: queen of Israel, wife of Ahab, daughter of Ethbaal.