Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Kings 18:38
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.
38. Then the fire of the Lord fell ] In the LXX. we have ‘and there fell fire from the Lord out of heaven.’
burnt sacrifice ] R.V. burnt-offering as in 1Ki 18:33. To mark the might of Him who sent the fire, it not only consumes the victims and licks up the water, but devoured wood, stones and dust alike.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The fire of the Lord fell – This cannot have been a flash of lightning. It was altogether, in its nature as well as in its opportuneness, miraculous. Compare the marginal references for the conduct of the people.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 38. Then the fire of the Lord fell] It did not burst out from the altar; this might still, notwithstanding the water, have afforded some ground for suspicion that fire had been concealed, after the manner of the heathens, under the altar.
Pindar’s account of the Rhodians’ settling is the isle of Rhodes, and their first sacrifice there, bears a near affinity to the account here given: the shower of gold descending on the sacrifice offered up without fire, to show the approbation of their god, is little more than a poetic account of the above transactions.
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Pind. Olymp. Od. 7, ver. 86.
The Rhodians, mindful of their sire’s behest,
Straight in the citadel an altar reared;
But with imperfect rites the Power addressed,
And without fire their sacrifice prepared;
Yet Jove, approving, o’er the assembly spread
A yellow cloud, that dropped with golden dews.
WEST.
Consumed the burnt-sacrifice] The process of this consumption is very remarkable, and all calculated to remove the possibility of a suspicion that there was any concealed fire.
1. The fire came down from heaven.
2. The pieces of the sacrifice were first consumed.
3. The wood next, to show that it was not even by means of the wood that the flesh was burned.
4. The twelve stones were also consumed, to show that it was no common fire, but one whose agency nothing could resist.
5. The dust, the earth of which the altar was constructed, was burned up.
6. The water that was in the trench was, by the action of this fire, entirely evaporated.
7. The action of this fire was in every case downward, contrary to the nature of all earthly and material fire. Nothing can be more simple and artless than this description, yet how amazingly full and satisfactory is the whole account!
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Then the fire of the Lord fell,…. An extraordinary fire from God out of heaven, as the effects of it show:
and consumed the burnt sacrifice; as it had done in former instances, Le 9:24, and besides this, which is still more extraordinary,
and the wood, and the stones, and the dust; of the altar, thereby signifying that even such were not to be used any more:
and licked up the water that was in the trench; around the altar, see
1Ki 18:32.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
38. The fire of the Lord fell See marginal references. This miraculous fire descended from heaven in flaming proof that it was no result of fraudulent practice. Chrysostom says he was personally knowing to fraudulent practices of idolaters whereby fire was kindled on the altar by means of a concealed excavation underneath; and an old tradition says that these priests of Baal had a man hidden under their altar on Carmel, but he was suffocated before he could kindle the fire. “There is an exultant triumph in the words in which the sacred historian describes the completeness of the conflagration. The fragments of the ox on the summit of the altar first disappear; then the pile of wood, heaped from the forests of Carmel; next the very stones of the altar crumble in the flames; then the very dust of the earth that had been thrown out of the trench; and lastly, the water in the trench round the altar is licked up by the fiery tongues, and leaves the whole place bare.” Stanley.
(38) 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.
Observe the graciousness of God, and how faithfully he proved himself to be a prayer-hearing, and a prayer-answering God, agreeably to that sweet promise, Isa 65:24 .
1Ki 18:38 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.
Ver. 38. Then the fire of the Lord fell. ] In answer to the prophet’s prayer, and for the conversion of the people. Plutarch giving a reason why the Cretans pictured Jupiter without ears, saith, Non convenit ab eo audiri quenquam qui omnium sit dominus atque princeps: It is not fit that he should hear any one, who is himself lord of all. But our God taketh no such state upon him; he prepareth his people’s hearts, and then causeth his ears to hear; Psa 10:17 he is near to his suppliants, and rich in mercy to those that call upon him.
Then the fire of the LORD fell. Aram, and Septuagint read “Then fire from Jehovah fell”. See note on Gen 4:4. “Fire of Jehovah” occurs only here and Num 11:1, Num 11:3.
burnt sacrifice. See App-43.
Then the: Gen 15:17, Lev 9:24, Jdg 6:21, 1Ch 21:26, 2Ch 7:1
fire: 1Ki 18:24, Lev 10:2, 2Ki 1:12, Job 1:16, Isa 31:9
Reciprocal: Gen 4:4 – had Exo 29:18 – a burnt offering Jdg 13:19 – did wonderously 1Ki 18:35 – the trench 1Ki 19:12 – a fire 2Ch 31:1 – all Israel Heb 11:4 – he obtained Rev 13:13 – he maketh
1Ki 18:38. The fire of the Lord fell And not only, as at other times, (see the margin,) consumed the sacrifice and the wood, in token of Gods acceptance of the offering, but licked up all the water that was in the trench, exhaling and drawing it up as a vapour, to descend (with other water, to be raised from the adjoining sea) in the intended rain, which was to be the fruit of this sacrifice and prayer, more than the product of natural causes. And this was not all. To complete the miracle, the fire consumed the stones of the altar, and the very dust, to show that it was no ordinary fire, and perhaps to intimate that though God accepted this occasional sacrifice from this altar, yet for the future they ought to demolish all the altars on their high places, and for their constant sacrifices make use of that at Jerusalem only. Mosess altar and Solomons were consecrated by fire from heaven; but this was destroyed, because it was to be used no more. We may well imagine, what a terror this fire struck on guilty Ahab, and all the worshippers of Baal, and how they fled from it as far and as fast as they could, saying, in their hearts, Lest it consume us also, Num 16:34.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments