Melakhim I Ch. 18 | "How Long Will You Sway From One Side to Another?"

The Mount Carmel confrontation is one of the spiritual peaks of the Tanakh. Eliyahu puts to test the Divinity of God, and challenges the legitimacy of Baal worship. Following his dramatic victory, he slaughters the prophets of Baal and calls the people of Israel to renew their covenant with God.

The central theme of the chapter is Eliyahu's demand for decisiveness: “And Eliyahu drew close to all the people and said, ‘How long will you sway from one side to another? If the Lord is God, follow Him, and if Baal, follow him.’” (Melakhim I 18:21). Eliyahu’s words indicate that the Israelites had not entirely abandoned God. They retained their original faith but had also embraced Baal worship. Eliyahu rejects this duality. He demands total allegiance: either God is the true Lord, or Baal is. (Note how Eliyahu’s conditional statement is incomplete — he does not say, "If Baal is God, follow him," perhaps avoiding uttering such a possibility.)

An early foreshadowing of this demand appears in Eliyahu’s conversation with Ovadyahu. When Ovadyahu encounters Eliyahu, he exclaims, “Is that you, my lord Eliyahu?” (18:7). However, Eliyahu is aware that Ovadyahu serves in Achav’s court, and insists that Achav is Ovadyahu’s true lord: “Go, tell your lord, that Eliyahu is here.’” (18:8). Even though the Tanakh testifies that “Ovadyahu had deep reverence from the Lord” (18:3) and had saved 100 prophets, Eliyahu still challenges him: decide who your true master is.

Similarly, the Mount Carmel encounter seeks to resolve the question of who the true God is. In this context, Eliyahu’s name itself becomes significant. A brief introduction to God's different names is necessary here: The name "Lord" (יקוק) is God’s personal name, while other names, such as "God" (א-לוהים) serve as titles or roles, but are not considered His personal name. The name "God" (א-לוהים) expresses the role of a ruler or judge. The Mount Carmel controversy is essentially over who holds the role of 'E-lohim': The Lord (יקוק) or the Baal.

Eliyahu’s name encapsulates a special meaning. His theophoric name (a name that embeds a word equivalent of 'God') combines two elements: the prefix 'Eli': "My God" (like Elisha and Eliezer for example) and the suffix - 'yahu': a form of 'יקוק' (like Hizkiyahu and Ovadyahu for example). This dual theophoric structure reflects his role in proving that the true God is The Lord. His name declares his mission: Eli-Yahu — My God is The Lord (My 'Elokim' is 'יקוק').