1 Kings 18:26
New International Version
So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.

New Living Translation
So they prepared one of the bulls and placed it on the altar. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning until noontime, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no reply of any kind. Then they danced, hobbling around the altar they had made.

English Standard Version
And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made.

Berean Standard Bible
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.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, “O Baal, hear us!” But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made.

New American Standard Bible
Then they took the ox which was given them and they prepared it, and they called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice and no one answered. And they limped about the altar which they had made.

NASB 1995
Then they took the ox which was given them and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon saying, “O Baal, answer us.” But there was no voice and no one answered. And they leaped about the altar which they made.

NASB 1977
Then they took the ox which was given them and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon saying, “O Baal, answer us.” But there was no voice and no one answered. And they leaped about the altar which they made.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then they took the ox which was given them and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon saying, “O Baal, answer us.” But there was no voice and no one answered. And they limped about the altar which they had made.

Amplified Bible
So they took the bull that was given to them and prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, hear and answer us.” But there was no voice and no one answered. And they leaped about the altar which they had made.

Christian Standard Bible
So they took the bull that he gave them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us! ” But there was no sound; no one answered. Then they danced around the altar they had made.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So they took the bull that he gave them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound; no one answered. Then they danced, hobbling around the altar they had made.

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
They chose their bull, then they got it ready and prayed to Baal all morning, asking him to start the fire. They danced around the altar and shouted, "Answer us, Baal!" But there was no answer.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They took the bull he gave them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon. They said, "Baal, answer us!" But there wasn't a sound or an answer. So they danced around the altar they had made.

Good News Translation
They took the bull that was brought to them, prepared it, and prayed to Baal until noon. They shouted, "Answer us, Baal!" and kept dancing around the altar they had built. But no answer came.

International Standard Version
So they took the ox that was given to them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from early morning until noon. "Baal! Answer us!" they cried. But there was no response. Nobody answered. So they kept on dancing around the altar that they had made.

Majority Standard Bible
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.

NET Bible
So they took a bull, as he had suggested, and prepared it. They invoked the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, "Baal, answer us." But there was no sound and no answer. They jumped around on the altar they had made.

New Heart English Bible
And they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, "Baal, answer us." But there was no voice, nor any who answered. And they limped about the altar they had made.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
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.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And they take the bullock that [one] gave to them, and prepare [it], and call in the name of Ba‘al from the morning even until the noon, saying, “O Ba‘al, answer us!” And there is no voice, and there is none answering; and they leap on the altar that one had made.

Young's Literal Translation
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.

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will take the bullock which was given to them, and do, and they will call upon the name of Baal, from morning even to noon, saying, O Baal, answer us. And no voice, and none answered. And they will leap upon the altar which was made.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they took the bullock which he gave them, and dressed it: and they called on the name of Baal from morning even till 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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And when they had taken an ox, which he had given to them, they prepared it. And they called on the name of Baal, from morning even until midday, saying, “O Baal, heed us.” And there was no voice, nor did anyone respond. And so they leaped upon the altar that they had made.

New American Bible
Taking the young bull that was turned over to them, they prepared it and called upon Baal from morning to noon, saying, “Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound, and no one answering. And they hopped around the altar they had prepared.

New Revised Standard Version
So they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, crying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no answer. They limped about the altar that they had made.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they took the bullock which was given them and prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, answer us. But there was no voice nor any that answered. And they cut themselves upon the altar which they had made.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they took the bull that was given to them, and they prepared it, and they were calling on the name of Baal from morning and until noon: “Baala, answer us!” And there was no voice, also no one who answered, and they were fighting on the altar that they had made.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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, answer us.' But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they danced in halting wise about the altar which was made.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they took the calf and drest it, and called on the name of Baal from morning till noon, and said, hear us, O Baal, hear us. And there was no voice, neither was there hearing, and they ran up and down on the alter which they had made.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Elijah on Mount Carmel
25Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Since you are so numerous, choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first. Then call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.” 26And 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. 27At noon Elijah began to taunt them, saying, “Shout louder, for he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or on a journey. Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened!”…

Cross References
Exodus 32:6
So the next day they arose, offered burnt offerings, and presented peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.

Judges 16:23-24
Now the lords of the Philistines gathered together to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon. They rejoiced and said, “Our god has delivered Samson our enemy into our hands.” / And when the people saw him, they praised their god, saying: “Our god has delivered into our hands our enemy who destroyed our land and multiplied our dead.”

2 Kings 1:2-3
Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers and instructed them: “Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this injury.” / But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are on your way to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?’

2 Kings 10:18-19
Then Jehu brought all the people together and said, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him a lot. / Now, therefore, summon to me all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests. See that no one is missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is missing will not live.” But Jehu was acting deceptively in order to destroy the servants of Baal.

Jeremiah 2:28
But where are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them rise up in your time of trouble and save you if they can; for your gods are as numerous as your cities, O Judah.

Jeremiah 10:5
Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, and neither can they do any good.”

Hosea 13:2
Now they sin more and more and make for themselves cast images, idols skillfully made from their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. People say of them, “They offer human sacrifice and kiss the calves!”

Deuteronomy 12:30-31
be careful not to be ensnared by their ways after they have been destroyed before you. Do not inquire about their gods, asking, “How do these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise.” / You must not worship the LORD your God in this way, because they practice for their gods every abomination which the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.

Psalm 115:4-8
Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. / They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; / they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell; ...

Psalm 135:15-18
The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. / They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; / they have ears, but cannot hear; nor is there breath in their mouths. ...

Isaiah 44:17-20
From the rest he makes a god, his graven image. He bows down to it and worships; he prays to it and says, “Save me, for you are my god.” / They do not comprehend or discern, for He has shut their eyes so they cannot see and closed their minds so they cannot understand. / And no one considers in his heart, no one has the knowledge or insight to say, “I burned half of it in the fire, and I baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make something detestable with the rest of it? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?” ...

Isaiah 46:6-7
They pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales; they hire a goldsmith to fashion it into a god, so they can bow down and worship. / They lift it to their shoulder and carry it along; they set it in its place, and there it stands, not budging from that spot. They cry out to it, but it does not answer; it saves no one from his troubles.

Matthew 6:7
And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard.

Acts 17:23-25
For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you. / The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands. / Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.

Romans 1:21-23
For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. / Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, / and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.


Treasury of Scripture

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 on the altar which was made.

from morning

Matthew 6:7
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

hear.

1 Kings 18:24
And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

Psalm 115:4-8
Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands…

Psalm 135:15-20
The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands…

answered.

Zephaniah 1:9
In the same day also will I punish all those that leap on the threshold, which fill their masters' houses with violence and deceit.

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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














And they took the bull that was given them
This phrase highlights the preparation of the sacrifice by the prophets of Baal. The bull, a common sacrificial animal in ancient Near Eastern cultures, symbolizes strength and fertility, which were attributes associated with Baal. The act of taking the bull "given them" indicates that the prophets were operating under the authority and provision of King Ahab, who supported Baal worship. This sets the stage for the confrontation between the false god Baal and the true God of Israel.

prepared it
The preparation of the bull signifies the meticulous religious rituals performed by the prophets of Baal. In ancient times, sacrifices were not only acts of worship but also attempts to appease or invoke the favor of deities. The preparation would have involved specific rites and ceremonies, reflecting the deep-seated belief in Baal's power. However, this preparation contrasts with the futility of their efforts, as the subsequent events reveal.

called on the name of Baal
To "call on the name" of a deity was to invoke their presence and power. In the Hebrew context, names were more than mere labels; they represented the character and authority of the person or deity. The prophets of Baal were invoking what they believed to be the powerful presence of their god. This act of calling upon Baal underscores the spiritual blindness and desperation of the people who had turned away from Yahweh.

from morning until noon
This time frame indicates the persistence and dedication of the prophets of Baal. Their prolonged effort reflects their earnest belief in Baal's ability to respond. However, it also highlights the futility of their worship, as the passage of time without any response serves to emphasize the impotence of Baal compared to the living God of Israel.

saying, 'O Baal, answer us!'
The plea "O Baal, answer us!" is a cry of desperation and expectation. The repetition of this plea throughout the morning signifies the intensity of their belief and the urgency of their need for a response. This cry is a poignant reminder of the emptiness of idolatry, as it is directed toward a god who cannot hear or respond.

But there was no sound, and no one answered
This phrase starkly contrasts the fervent cries of the prophets. The silence of Baal is deafening and serves as a powerful testament to his nonexistence. In the Hebrew text, the absence of sound and response underscores the futility of worshiping false gods. This silence is a prelude to the demonstration of Yahweh's power through Elijah.

Then they danced, hobbling around the altar they had made
The word "danced" can also be translated as "limped" or "hobbled," suggesting a frenzied, chaotic movement. This behavior reflects the extreme measures the prophets resorted to in their attempt to elicit a response from Baal. The altar they had made represents human efforts to construct a means of divine interaction, yet it stands as a monument to their misguided faith. This scene vividly illustrates the contrast between the empty rituals of Baal worship and the forthcoming powerful intervention of the true God.

(26) O Baal, hear us.--This repeated cry--the ever-recurring burden of the prayer, uttered probably first in measured chant, afterwards in a wild excited cry--stands in an instructive contrast (which has been splendidly emphasised in Mendelssohn's music) with the simple, earnest solemnity of the prayer of Elijah. It has been obvious to see m it an illustration of our Lord's condemnation of the worship of the heathen, who "think that they shall be heard for their much speaking" (Matthew 6:7). There is a grave irony in the notice of the blank silence which followed this frenzied cry. "There was no voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded."

They leaped upon--properly, leaped up and down at the altar, in one of those wild dances, at once expressing and stimulating frenzy, in which Oriental religions delight, even to this day.

Verse 26. - And they took the bullock which was given them [Heb. which he (or one) gave; i.e., they declined to choose], and they dressed it, and called on the name of from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us [Heb. answer us. Same word as below. They thought they would be heard for their much speaking]. But there was no voice [Heb. and not a voice], nor any that answered. And they leaped [or limped. Same word as that translated "halt" in ver. 21. Gesenius thinks the word is "used scornfully of the awkward dancing of the priests of Baal." But it seems more natural to understand it as descriptive of what actually occurred, i.e., of the reeling, swaying, bacchantie dance of the priests, which was probably not unlike that of the dancing dervishes or the Indian devil worshippers of our own time] upon [or near, i.e., around] the altar which was made, [Heb. he, that is, one made, עָשָׂה impersonal. But some MSS. and most versions read עָשׁוּ].

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And they took
וַ֠יִּקְחוּ (way·yiq·ḥū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 3947: To take

the bull
הַפָּ֨ר (hap·pār)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6499: Young bull, steer

that
אֲשֶׁר־ (’ă·šer-)
Pronoun - relative
Strong's 834: Who, which, what, that, when, where, how, because, in order that

was given
נָתַ֣ן (nā·ṯan)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

them,
לָהֶם֮ (lā·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

prepared [it],
וַֽיַּעֲשׂוּ֒ (way·ya·‘ă·śū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6213: To do, make

and called
וַיִּקְרְא֣וּ (way·yiq·rə·’ū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read

on the name
בְשֵׁם־ (ḇə·šêm-)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 8034: A name

of Baal
הַ֠בַּעַל (hab·ba·‘al)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1168: Baal -- a heathen god

from morning
מֵהַבֹּ֨קֶר (mê·hab·bō·qer)
Preposition-m, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1242: Dawn, morning

until
וְעַד־ (wə·‘aḏ-)
Conjunctive waw | Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

noon,
הַצָּהֳרַ֤יִם (haṣ·ṣā·ho·ra·yim)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6672: A light, double light, noon

shouting,
לֵאמֹר֙ (lê·mōr)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“O Baal,
הַבַּ֣עַל (hab·ba·‘al)
Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1168: Baal -- a heathen god

answer us!”
עֲנֵ֔נוּ (‘ă·nê·nū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common plural
Strong's 6030: To answer, respond

But there was no
וְאֵ֥ין (wə·’ên)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

sound,
ק֖וֹל (qō·wl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

and no one
וְאֵ֣ין (wə·’ên)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

answered
עֹנֶ֑ה (‘ō·neh)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 6030: To answer, respond

as they leaped
וַֽיְפַסְּח֔וּ (way·p̄as·sə·ḥū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 6452: To hop, skip over, to hesitate, to limp, to dance

around
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the altar
הַמִּזְבֵּ֖חַ (ham·miz·bê·aḥ)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4196: An altar

they had made.
עָשָֽׂה׃ (‘ā·śāh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make


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OT History: 1 Kings 18:26 They took the bull which was given (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
1 Kings 18:25
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