The Meaning of 1 Kings 18:18 Explained

1 Kings 18:18

KJV: And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.

YLT: And he saith, 'I have not troubled Israel, but thou and the house of thy father, in your forsaking the commands of Jehovah, and thou goest after the Baalim;

Darby: And he said, I have not troubled Israel, but thou and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of Jehovah, and thou hast followed the Baals.

ASV: And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of Jehovah, and thou hast followed the Baalim.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he answered,  I have not troubled  Israel;  but thou, and thy father's  house,  in that ye have forsaken  the commandments  of the LORD,  and thou hast followed  Baalim. 

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

and he answered not I have troubled - Israel for but you and house [have] of your father in that you have forsaken the commandments of Yahweh and have followed - the Baals
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֹ֤א עָכַ֙רְתִּי֙ אֶת־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּ֥י אִם־ אַתָּ֖ה וּבֵ֣ית אָבִ֑יךָ בַּֽעֲזָבְכֶם֙ מִצְוֺ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה וַתֵּ֖לֶךְ אַחֲרֵ֥י הַבְּעָלִֽים

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר  and  he  answered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
עָכַ֙רְתִּי֙  I  have  troubled 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: עָכַר  
Sense: to trouble, stir up, disturb, make (someone) taboo.
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.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  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.
וּבֵ֣ית  and  house  [have] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
אָבִ֑יךָ  of  your  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
בַּֽעֲזָבְכֶם֙  in  that  you  have  forsaken 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person masculine plural
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.
מִצְוֺ֣ת  the  commandments 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural construct
Root: מִצְוָה  
Sense: commandment.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַתֵּ֖לֶךְ  and  have  followed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
אַחֲרֵ֥י  - 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
הַבְּעָלִֽים  the  Baals 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: בַּעַל  
Sense: supreme male divinity of the Phoenicians or Canaanites.