The Meaning of 1 Kings 18:26 Explained

1 Kings 18:26

KJV: And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

YLT: And they take the bullock that one gave to them, and prepare, and call in the name of Baal from the morning even till the noon, saying, 'O Baal, answer us!' and there is no voice, and there is none answering; and they leap on the altar that one had made.

Darby: And they took the bullock which had been given them, and sacrificed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, O Baal, answer us! But there was no voice, and none answered. And they leaped about the altar that had been made.

ASV: And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped about the altar which was made.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And they took  the bullock  which was given  them, and they dressed  [it], and called  on the name  of Baal  from morning  even until noon,  saying,  O Baal,  hear  us. But [there was] no  voice,  nor any that answered.  And they leaped  upon the altar  which was made. 

What does 1 Kings 18:26 Mean?

Context Summary

1Ki 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: 1Ki 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 18:26 mean?

So they took - the bull which was given them and they prepared [it] and called on the name of Baal from morning and even till noon saying Baal hear us but [there was] no voice and no one answered And they leaped about the altar which they had made
וַ֠יִּקְחוּ אֶת־ הַפָּ֨ר אֲשֶׁר־ נָתַ֣ן לָהֶם֮ וַֽיַּעֲשׂוּ֒ וַיִּקְרְא֣וּ בְשֵׁם־ הַ֠בַּעַל מֵהַבֹּ֨קֶר וְעַד־ הַצָּהֳרַ֤יִם לֵאמֹר֙ הַבַּ֣עַל עֲנֵ֔נוּ וְאֵ֥ין ק֖וֹל וְאֵ֣ין עֹנֶ֑ה וַֽיְפַסְּח֔וּ עַל־ הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה

וַ֠יִּקְחוּ  So  they  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
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.
הַפָּ֨ר  the  bull 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּר  
Sense: .
נָתַ֣ן  was  given 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
וַֽיַּעֲשׂוּ֒  and  they  prepared  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וַיִּקְרְא֣וּ  and  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
בְשֵׁם־  on  the  name 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
הַ֠בַּעַל  of  Baal 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּעַל  
Sense: supreme male divinity of the Phoenicians or Canaanites.
מֵהַבֹּ֨קֶר  from  morning 
Parse: Preposition-m, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּקֶר 
Sense: morning, break of day.
וְעַד־  and  even  till 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
הַצָּהֳרַ֤יִם  noon 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: צֹהַר 
Sense: noon, midday.
לֵאמֹר֙  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הַבַּ֣עַל  Baal 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּעַל  
Sense: supreme male divinity of the Phoenicians or Canaanites.
עֲנֵ֔נוּ  hear  us 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular, first person common plural
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
וְאֵ֥ין  but  [there  was]  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
ק֖וֹל  voice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
וְאֵ֣ין  and  no  one 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
עֹנֶ֑ה  answered 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: לְעַנּׄות 
Sense: to answer, respond, testify, speak, shout.
וַֽיְפַסְּח֔וּ  And  they  leaped 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: פָּסַח 
Sense: to pass over, spring over.
עַל־  about 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ  the  altar 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
עָשָֽׂה  they  had  made 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.