The Meaning of 1 Kings 18:25 Explained

1 Kings 18:25

KJV: And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.

YLT: And Elijah saith to the prophets of Baal, 'Choose for you the one bullock, and prepare first, for ye are the multitude, and call ye in the name of your god, and place no fire.'

Darby: And Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, Choose one bullock for yourselves, and sacrifice it first; for ye are the many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire.

ASV: And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Elijah  said  unto the prophets  of Baal,  Choose  you one  bullock  for yourselves, and dress  [it] first;  for ye [are] many;  and call  on the name  of your gods,  but put  no fire  [under]. 

What does 1 Kings 18:25 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 18:25 mean?

And said Elijah to the prophets of Baal Choose for yourselves bull one and prepare [it] first for you [are] many and call on the name of your god but fire no put [under it]
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֵלִיָּ֜הוּ לִנְבִיאֵ֣י הַבַּ֗עַל בַּחֲר֨וּ לָכֶ֜ם הַפָּ֤ר הָֽאֶחָד֙ וַעֲשׂ֣וּ רִאשֹׁנָ֔ה כִּ֥י אַתֶּ֖ם הָרַבִּ֑ים וְקִרְאוּ֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם וְאֵ֖שׁ לֹ֥א תָשִֽׂימוּ

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלִיָּ֜הוּ  Elijah 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵלִיָּה 
Sense: the great prophet of the reign of Ahab.
לִנְבִיאֵ֣י  to  the  prophets 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: נָבִיא  
Sense: spokesman, speaker, prophet.
הַבַּ֗עַל  of  Baal 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּעַל  
Sense: supreme male divinity of the Phoenicians or Canaanites.
בַּחֲר֨וּ  Choose 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: בָּחוּר 
Sense: to choose, elect, decide for.
לָכֶ֜ם  for  yourselves 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
הַפָּ֤ר  bull 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּר  
Sense: .
הָֽאֶחָד֙  one 
Parse: Article, Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
וַעֲשׂ֣וּ  and  prepare  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
רִאשֹׁנָ֔ה  first 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רִאשֹׁון  
Sense: first, primary, former.
אַתֶּ֖ם  you  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine plural
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
הָרַבִּ֑ים  many 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
וְקִרְאוּ֙  and  call 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
בְּשֵׁ֣ם  on  the  name 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֔ם  of  your  god 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וְאֵ֖שׁ  but  fire 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, common singular
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
לֹ֥א  no 
Parse: Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
תָשִֽׂימוּ  put  [under  it] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.

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