1 Kings 18:23 (GNV)

Passage

Let them therefore giue vs two bullockes, and let them chuse the one, and cut him in pieces, and lay him on the wood, but put no fire vnder, and I will prepare the other bullocke, and lay him on the wood, and will put no fire vnder.

Nearby Context

1 Kings 18:21 And Eliiah came vnto all the people, and said, How long halt ye betweene two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal be he, then goe after him. And the people answered him not a worde.

1 Kings 18:22 Then said Eliiah vnto the people, I onely remayne a Prophet of the Lord: but Baals prophets are foure hundreth and fiftie men.

1 Kings 18:23 Let them therefore giue vs two bullockes, and let them chuse the one, and cut him in pieces, and lay him on the wood, but put no fire vnder, and I will prepare the other bullocke, and lay him on the wood, and will put no fire vnder.

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

1 Kings 18:25 And Eliiah said vnto the prophets of Baal, Chuse you a bullocke, and prepare him first, (for ye are many) and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire vnder.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "therefore", "giue", "bullockes", "chuse", "pieces", "wood", "fire", and "vnder". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "therefore" and "giue", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 22's "Then said Eliiah vnto the people I..." into verse 24's "Then call ye on the name of...", so "therefore" and "giue" 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 "therefore" and "giue" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.