1 Kings 18:23

1Ki 18:23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay [it] on wood, and put no fire [under]: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay [it] on wood, and put no fire [under]:

Ver. 23. And cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood.] After the manner of sacrifices. And thus should Abraham have done by Isaac, if he had not been hindered from heaven: a very great trial.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ki 18:23. Let them therefore give us two bullocks — He proposes to decide the controversy, not by God’s word, because that was either despised and rejected, or grossly neglected, and therefore unknown and of no authority with the king or people; but by a miracle, to the evidence of which all that had common sense must needs submit.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18:23-24 The Lord’s presence was attested by fire (Exod 9:23; 19:18; 40:38; Deut 4:24; 2 Chr 7:1; Isa 66:15; Amos 7:4), which could have been lightning (cp. Ps 18:12-13; Ezek 1:13-14; Zech 9:14). The contest would demonstrate whether the Canaanite storm-god Baal or the God of Israel was the true God; only the true God could set fire to the wood (cp. Lev 9:24).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

23. Let them therefore give us] i.e. Let there be given unto us. Let there be provided, for the trial which I am about to propose.

and let them choose one] Elijah yields place to them because of their greater number. So 1Ki_18:25 ‘for ye are many.’

cut it in pieces] This was a part of the duty of the offerer of a burnt-offering. See Lev_1:6; ‘he shall flay the burnt offering and cut it into his pieces.’

and I will dress the other bullock] The Hebrew uses for ‘dress’ the verb עשׂה = to make, which, in connexions like this, = ‘to make ready’ a victim for sacrifice. The same word is used Psa_66:15 ‘I will offer bullocks with goats,’ also Exo_29:36; Exo_29:38-39; Exo_29:41. The LXX. translates by καὶ ἐγὼ ποιήσω τὸν βοῦν τὸν ἄλλον, a sentence from which we may see in what way ποιεῖν came to be used of sacrifice. But by itself ποιεῖν can no more mean ‘to sacrifice’ than could the English verb ‘make.’ The object, the victim, must always be expressed. The same word is employed again in 1Ki_18:25-26.

and lay it on wood] The LXX. omits these words.

no fire under] Deceit was largely practised in the heathen temples and sacrifices represented as miraculously consumed, for the accomplishment of which preparation was made in the ground beneath the altar.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal,.... Who agreed to this proposal, though not expressed; or they signified it by their silence. Ben Gersom thinks they agreed to it, because that, according to their belief, Baal was Mars, and in the sign of Aries, one of the fiery planets, and therefore fancied he could send down fire on their sacrifice; but Abarbinel is of opinion that it was the sun they worshipped, under the name of Baal, the great luminary which presides over the element of fire, and therefore had power to cause it to descend; and if not, they agreed to it, he thinks, for three reasons; one was necessity, they could not refuse, after the people had approved of it, lest they should rise upon them, and stone them; and another was, that Elijah proposed to offer without the temple, contrary to the law of his God, and therefore concluded he would not answer him by fire, and so they should be upon a par with him; and the third was, that they thought they should offer their bullocks together, so that, if fire descended, it would come upon them both, and then the dispute would be, whether his God, or their god, sent it; and so no proof could be made who was God, nor the matter in controversy decided:

choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; therefore in civility to them gave the choice of the bullock and the altar first, he being one and they many:

and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under; under the wood on which was the sacrifice cut in pieces; and when they had so done, then they were to call on their gods to cause fire to descend upon it.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

He attempts the decision of this controversy, not by God’s word, which was either rejected, or despised, or grossly neglected by the generality of that people; but by a miracle, to which all that had common sense must needs submit.

Let them choose one bullock for themselves, which they judge best and fittest for their purpose.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces same word (Exo_29:17; Lev_1:6, Lev_1:12; Jud_1:20:6) and lay it on wood Heb. the woods , and put no fire under Heb. and fire they shall not set to: and I win dress Heb. make, hc; ; like poiein in the LXX, is constantly used in a sacrificial sense = offer. Cf. Exo_29:36, Exo_29:38, Exo_29:41; Lev_9:7 Lev_15:15; Jud_1:6:19, etc. This is to be remembered ininterpreting our Lord"s touto poieite k.t.l. (Luk_22:19) the other bullock, and lay it on wood the wood, and put no fire under and fire I will not set to:

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Let then, &c. - To put this controversy to a short issue.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.