The Meaning of 1 Kings 18:38 Explained

1 Kings 18:38

KJV: Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

YLT: And there falleth a fire of Jehovah, and consumeth the burnt-offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and the water that is in the trench it hath licked up.

Darby: And the fire of Jehovah fell, and consumed the burnt-offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

ASV: Then the fire of Jehovah fell, and consumed the burnt-offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then the fire  of the LORD  fell,  and consumed  the burnt sacrifice,  and the wood,  and the stones,  and the dust,  and licked up  the water  that [was] in the trench. 

What does 1 Kings 18:38 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 18:38 mean?

And fell the fire of Yahweh and consumed - the burnt sacrifice and the wood the stones the dust the water that [was] in the trench it licked up
וַתִּפֹּ֣ל אֵשׁ־ יְהוָ֗ה וַתֹּ֤אכַל אֶת־ הָֽעֹלָה֙ וְאֶת־ הָ֣עֵצִ֔ים הָאֲבָנִ֖ים הֶעָפָ֑ר הַמַּ֥יִם אֲשֶׁר־ בַּתְּעָלָ֖ה לִחֵֽכָה

וַתִּפֹּ֣ל  And  fell 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: נָפַל  
Sense: to fall, lie, be cast down, fail.
אֵשׁ־  the  fire 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: אֵשׁ  
Sense: fire.
יְהוָ֗ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַתֹּ֤אכַל  and  consumed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
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.
הָֽעֹלָה֙  the  burnt  sacrifice 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עֹלָה  
Sense: whole burnt offering.
הָ֣עֵצִ֔ים  the  wood 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: עֵץ  
Sense: tree, wood, timber, stock, plank, stalk, stick, gallows.
הָאֲבָנִ֖ים  the  stones 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֶבֶן  
Sense: stone (large or small).
הֶעָפָ֑ר  the  dust 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עָפָר  
Sense: dry earth, dust, powder, ashes, earth, ground, mortar, rubbish.
הַמַּ֥יִם  the  water 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
אֲשֶׁר־  that  [was] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בַּתְּעָלָ֖ה  in  the  trench 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: תְּעָלָה 
Sense: conduit, water course, trench.
לִחֵֽכָה  it  licked  up 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: לָחַךְ  
Sense: to lick, lick up.