1 Kings 18:20 (ASV)

Passage

So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

Nearby Context

1 Kings 18:18 And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father`s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of Jehovah, and thou hast followed the Baalim.

1 Kings 18:19 Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the Asherah four hundred, that eat at Jezebel`s table.

1 Kings 18:20 So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel.

1 Kings 18:21 And Elijah came near unto all the people, and said, How long go ye limping between the two sides? if Jehovah be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.

1 Kings 18:22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, am left a prophet of Jehovah; but Baal`s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "ahab", "sent", "children", "israel", "gathered", "prophets", "together", and "mount". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "ahab" and "sent", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 19's "Now therefore send and gather to me..." into verse 21's "And Elijah came near unto all the...", so "ahab" and "sent" belong inside that flow. In 1 Kings context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "ahab" and "sent" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.