SEV Biblia, Chapter 18:40
Y les dijo Elías: Prended a los profetas de Baal, que no escape ninguno. Y ellos los prendieron; y los llevó Elías al arroyo de Cisón, y allí los mató.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 18:40
Verse 40. Let not one of them escape.] They had committed the highest crime against the state and the people by introducing idolatry, and bringing down God's judgments upon the land; therefore their lives were forfeited to that law which had ordered every idolater to be slain. It seems also that Ahab, who was present, consented to this act of impartial justice.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 40. And Elijah said unto them, take the prophets of Baal , etc.] The four hundred and fifty that were upon the spot; for the number of the people of Israel, now gathered together, were equal to it; nor was it in Ahab’s power to hinder it, and he might himself be so far surprised and convicted as not in the least to object to it: let not one of them escape : that there might be none of them left to seduce the people any more: and they took them ; laid hold on them, everyone of them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon ; which ran by the side, and at the bottom of Mount Carmel, into the sea; (see Gill on “ Judges 4:7”) (see Gill on “ Judges 5:21”). and slew them there ; intimating, that it was owing to the idolatry they led the people into that rain had been withheld, and the brooks were dried up, as this might be; or, as Ben Gersom thinks, that the land might not be defiled with their blood, but be carried down the river after it: these he slew not with his own hand, but by others he gave orders to do it; and this not as a private person, but as an extraordinary minister of God, to execute justice according to his law, ( Deuteronomy 13:1) by which law such false prophets were to die; and the rather he was raised up and spirited for this service, as the supreme magistrate was addicted to idolatry himself.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 21-40 - Many of the people wavered in their judgment, and varied in their practice. Elijah called upon them to determine whether Jehovah or Baa was the self-existent, supreme God, the Creator, Governor, and Judge of the world, and to follow him alone. It is dangerous to halt between the service of God and the service of sin, the dominion of Christ and the dominion of our lusts. If Jesus be the only Saviour, let us cleave to him alone for every thing; if the Bible be the world of God, let u reverence and receive the whole of it, and submit our understanding to the Divine teaching it contains. Elijah proposed to bring the matter to a trial. Baal had all the outward advantages, but the event encourage all God's witnesses and advocates never to fear the face of man. The God that answers by fire, let him be God: the atonement was to be mad by sacrifice, before the judgment could be removed in mercy. The God therefore that has power to pardon sin, and to signify it by consumin the sin-offering, must needs be the God that can relieve from the calamity. God never required his worshippers to honour him in the manner of the worshippers of Baal; but the service of the devil, thoug sometimes it pleases and pampers the body, yet, in other things, reall is cruel to it, as in envy and drunkenness. God requires that we mortify our lusts and corruptions; but bodily penances and severitie are no pleasure to him. Who has required these things at your hands? few words uttered in assured faith, and with fervent affection for the glory of God, and love to the souls of men, or thirstings after the Lord's image and his favour, form the effectual, fervent prayer of the righteous man, which availeth much. Elijah sought not his own glory but that of God, for the good of the people. The people are all agreed convinced, and satisfied; Jehovah, he is the God. Some, we hope, ha their hearts turned, but most of them were convinced only, no converted. Blessed are they that have not seen what these saw, yet have believed, and have been wrought upon by it, more than they that saw it.
Original Hebrew
ויאמר 559 אליהו 452 להם תפשׂו 8610 את 853 נביאי 5030 הבעל 1168 אישׁ 376 אל 408 ימלט 4422 מהם 1992 ויתפשׂום 8610 ויורדם 3381 אליהו 452 אל 413 נחל 5158 קישׁון 7028 וישׁחטם 7819 שׁם׃ 8033
