I Kings 18:26 · Bible study
1 Kings 18:26 Commentary: Baal's Silence
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
The prophets of Baal cried from morning to noon with no answer. This study examines the meaning of their futile worship and the silence of a false god.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Baal's prophets cried and leaped for hours, but there was no voice, no answer, showing Baal's powerlessness and the folly of idolatry.
- Key words: “Leaped” (Hb. pāsach) means to limp or hop; same root used in verse 21 for “halt” between opinions. The word suggests erratic, frantic dance, not dignified ritual.
- Main debate: None major. Commentators agree on the meaning. The only variation is whether “leaped upon” refers to dancing around the altar or physically jumping onto it.
- Theological theme: The silence of false gods contrasts with the speaking, answering God who alone deserves worship.
- Best use: To illustrate the emptiness of any worship that is not directed to the living God through His revealed means.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound, and no one answered as they leaped around the altar they had made.
WEB World English Bible 2000
They took the bull which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, “Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice, and nobody answered. They leaped about the altar which was made.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
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 Darby Bible 1890
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.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And they took the bullock, which he gave them, and dressed it: and they 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 over the altar that they had made.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y ellos tomaron el buey que les fué dado, y aprestáronlo, é invocaron en el nombre de Baal desde la mañana hasta el medio día, diciendo: ¡ Baal, respóndenos! Mas no había voz, ni quien respondiese; entre tanto, ellos andaban saltando cerca del altar que habían hecho.
E eles tomaram o boi que lhes foi dado, e prepararam-no, e invocaram no nome de Baal desde a manhã até o meio dia, dizendo: Baal, responde-nos! Mas não havia voz, nem quem respondesse; entretanto, eles andavam saltando próximo do altar que haviam feito.
Ils prirent le taureau qu’ on leur donna, et le préparèrent; et ils invoquèrent le nom de Baal, depuis le matin jusqu’ à midi, en disant: Baal réponds nous! Mais il n’ y eut ni voix ni réponse. Et ils sautaient devant l’ autel qu’ ils avaient fait.
Und sie nahmen den Farren, den man ihnen gab, und richteten zu und riefen an den Namen Baals vom Morgen bis an den Mittag und sprachen: Baal, erhöre uns! Aber es war da keine Stimme noch Antwort. Und sie hinkten um den Altar, den sie gemacht hatten.
En zij namen de var, dien hij hun gegeven had, en bereidden hem, en riepen den naam van Baal aan, van den morgen tot op den middag, zeggende: O Baal, antwoord ons! Maar er was geen stem en geen antwoorder. En zij sprongen tegen het altaar, dat men gemaakt had.
E quelli presero il giovenco che fu dato loro, e lo prepararono; poi invocarono il nome di Baal dalla mattina fino al mezzodì, dicendo: “O Baal, rispondici!” Ma non s’udì né voce né risposta; e saltavano intorno all’altare che aveano fatto.
A tak wzięli cielca, którego im dał, a zgotowawszy wzywali imienia Baalowego od poranku aż do południa, mówiąc: O Baalu, wysłuchaj nas! Ale nie było głosu, ani ktoby odpowiedział. I skakali koło ołtarza, który byli uczynili.
И взяли они тельца, который дан был им, и приготовили, и призывали имя Ваала от утра до полудня, говоря: Ваале, услышь нас! Но не было ни голоса, ни ответа. И скакали они у жертвенника, который сделали.
他們 將 所 得 的牛犢 預備好了，從早晨 到 午間，求告 巴力 的名 說：「巴力啊，求你應允我們！」卻沒有 聲音，沒有 應允的。他們在 所 築 的壇 四圍踊跳。
So they took the ox which was given them, and made it ready, crying out to Baal from morning till the middle of the day, and saying, O Baal, give ear to us. But there was no voice and no answer. And they were jumping up and down before the altar they had made.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Kings 18:26
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions read this verse as a deliberate demonstration of Baal's impotence. Adam Clarke divides the day: from morning until noon the priests prepared and pleaded; at noon Elijah mocked and they renewed their efforts until evening. The repeated phrase “no voice, nor any that answered” drives the point home, Baal is not there. Barnes draws a parallel to the Greeks of Ephesus (Acts 19:34), noting that the refrain “O Baal, hear us” probably floated as a hymn. The Cambridge Bible and Gill both highlight the leaping as a common Eastern devotional practice, akin to dancing dervishes or the Roman Salii. Gill adds that the prophets may have hoped noon, when the sun is strongest, would bring fire from Baal if he were a sun god. All agree: the silence is intentional, revealing that Baal is no god at all.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Baal did not answer his prophets because he is not the living God; the silence is deliberate and the outcome of the contest is not in doubt.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The meaning of Baal's silence | All traditions read the silence as proof that Baal is not a real god and cannot answer prayer. The repeated 'no voice, no answer' is a decisive judgment on idolatry. | Some commentators (e.g., Clarke) describe Baal worship as demonic deception; others (e.g., Barnes) focus on the psychological fervour of the worshippers without specifying the spiritual nature behind Baal. |
| The nature of the leaping | The leaping was a physical expression of devotion, common in ancient Near Eastern and even later Eastern religious dance. | Whether it was a choreographed ritual dance (Cambridge Bible, comparing the Salii) or a more spontaneous, frantic movement akin to possession (Gill, noting the Targum calls it 'madness'). Clarke details a structured system of contortions in Hindu practice, suggesting it was learned, not random. |
| Elijah's motive for letting them go first | All see it as part of the contest to demonstrate Yahweh's superiority. | Poole suggests it prevented excuses; Ellicott notes it prepared the people to be more attentive to Elijah's subsequent action. There is no disagreement on the basic purpose. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The contest on Mount Carmel takes us to the heart of Ahab and Jezebel's reign (1 Kings 16:31-33). The king had sanctioned Baal worship alongside Yahweh, with 450 prophets of Baal fed at Jezebel's table. The people were torn between two loyalties. Elijah's proposal, let the God who answers by fire be God, was a direct challenge to Baal's supposed dominion over rain, storm and crops.
Baal's prophets began their work at daybreak. The Hebrew verbs carry the weight of ritual intensity: they “dressed” (prepared) the bull, then “called on the name of Baal,” a phrase used elsewhere for invoking Yahweh (Genesis 4:26). The calling lasted from morning until noon, six hours of chanting, crying, perhaps antiphonally as Barnes suggests. No answer came. The word for “voice” (qôl) echoes the thunder they wanted, but only silence. “Leaped” (from the root pāsach) is translated “limped around” in some versions; the same root appears in 1 Kings 18:21 for “halting between two opinions.” Clarke records an eyewitness account of a Hindu priest who danced and contorted while beating a drum, crying “O loving brother devil, hear me!” Such frantic, choreographed movements were part of ancient Near Eastern worship, designed to work the priests into a frenzy. Gill mentions the Roman Salii, “jumpers” by name, who danced around altars. The altar here had been made by the prophets themselves, possibly a long-standing shrine to Baal on Carmel.
By staging the contest here, Elijah exposed the emptiness of a religion that depended on human exertion rather than divine revelation. The prophets gave everything, time, effort, blood later in verse 28, and received nothing.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note one minor textual variant. The Cambridge Bible mentions that the Septuagint (LXX) omits the phrase “which was given them” and repeats “hear us” twice in the latter part of the verse. The Hebrew manuscripts consistently support the Masoretic Text as reflected in the main translations. No other significant variants are discussed.
Reception History
This verse has been a staple in Christian teaching on idolatry across the centuries. Early church writers like Tertullian and Augustine cited it as evidence that pagan gods are powerless and that their worship is a form of human self-deception. During the Reformation, preachers such as Calvin used the text to warn against placing trust in religious observances that lack divine warrant. In missionary contexts, the contrast between the futile leaping of Baal's prophets and the quiet faith of Elijah has been a powerful illustration of the difference between false and true religion. Hymns such as “The God of Abraham Praise” echo the theme: the living God answers, idols do not. The scene remains a vivid warning against any worship that depends on human excitement rather than on the revealed character of God.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The desperate intensity of false worship. These men did not treat Baal casually. They prepared, called, and leaped for hours. Human effort cannot produce divine response. True worship begins with God's initiative, not our exertion.
- The deaf silence of false gods. Baal had a name, a history, even a liturgy, but he had no voice. As Psalm 115:5 says of idols, “They have mouths, but they do not speak.” No matter how loud we call, no God but the living Lord can answer.
- The stark contrast with the living God. In verses 36-38, Elijah prays briefly and fire falls. The difference is not in the ritual but in the God addressed. Yahweh answers because He is real.
Five-point outline
- They took the bull and prepared it.
- They called on Baal from morning to noon.
- They leaped around the altar.
- There was no voice.
- There was no answer.
Illustration hooks
- A child repeatedly pressing a doorbell that does not work. The more they push, the more frustrated they become, but the bell stays silent. That is the futility of the Baal prophets.
- Watching a fan cheer desperately for a team that is losing badly, hoping their voice will change the outcome, but the scoreboard does not move. Worship of false gods is like that: all energy, no result.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I tell whether my prayers are directed to the true God or just to a version of God I have invented?
- Why does God sometimes seem silent even when I cry out to Him for a long time?
- Is there any value in emotional or physical expression in worship, or is that just “leaping around the altar”?
Leading a Discussion
This verse shows us the limits of religious fervour when it is directed toward the wrong object. The prophets of Baal did everything right by their own rules, yet they got nothing. As we read, pay attention to what they did and what God did not do. Let the contrast challenge how we approach worship and prayer.
Discussion questions
- What do the prophets of Baal do from morning until noon? List their actions.
- What is the repeated phrase in this verse? Why do you think the author states it twice (“no voice, nor any that answered”)?
- How does the leaping (or limping) contribute to the scene? What does it tell us about the nature of Baal worship?
- Why does Elijah let them go first? What does that reveal about his confidence in God?
- In what ways might we be tempted to rely on our own intensity and effort in spiritual matters, rather than trusting in God's character?
- How does this passage challenge the assumption that sincerity or effort guarantees a divine response?
- What is the single difference between the prophets of Baal and Elijah? How does that difference shape your own prayer life this week?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| I Kings 18:24 | You call on the name of your god, and I will call on Yahweh’s name. The God who answers by fire, let him be God.” All the people answered, “What you say is good.” |
| Psalms 115:4 | Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. |
| Psalms 115:8 | Those who make them will be like them; yes, everyone who trusts in them. |
| Psalms 135:15 | The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. |
| Psalms 135:20 | House of Levi, praise Yahweh! You who fear Yahweh, praise Yahweh! |
| Isaiah 37:38 | As he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons struck him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. Esar Haddon his son reigned in his place. |
| Isaiah 44:17 | The rest of it he makes into a god, even his engraved image. He bows down to it and worships, and prays to it, and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!” |
| Isaiah 45:20 | “Assemble yourselves and come. Draw near together, you who have escaped from the nations. Those have no knowledge who carry the wood of their engraved image, and pray to a god that can’t save. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke draws on his personal observation of a Buddhist priest's frenzied dancing to illustrate the Baal worshipers' frantic rituals. He notes they spent the entire day in two phases, first pleading for fire and then, after Elijah's mockery, leaping and cutting themselves in desperate contortions typical of idolatry worldwide.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes draws a parallel between the Baal prophets' repeated cry, O Baal hear us, and the Ephesians' prolonged shout in Acts. He notes that their leaping on the altar was a form of ritual dancing, common in ancient Eastern worship of nature deities and still seen in practices like the dancing dervishes.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary highlights that the leaping around the altar was a deliberate pagan ritual dance, not random movement. It compares this to the Roman Salii, whose name means Jumpers, and to similar frenzied dances among Australian Aboriginal peoples, showing the prophets of Baal were following a known pattern of ecstatic worship.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight the complete silence of Baal despite the prophets' prolonged shouting and frantic dancing around the altar. Their desperate cries from morning until noon met with no voice and no answer, exposing the powerlessness of a false god.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill observes that if Baal was the sun, the prophets likely hoped for fire at noon when the sun's heat peaked. When no answer came, their hopeful calling turned into frantic, maddened leaping on the altar, a desperate act Gill interprets as either ritual custom or sheer frenzy.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange treats the day on Carmel as the central moment of Elijah’s public ministry—
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry presses the point that the people's silence when confronted was their own quiet admission of guilt. Their inability to answer showed they knew in their hearts they had been wavering between God and Baal, a sin that called for a clear and final choice.