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, ( Leviticus 9:24 ) ( Judges 6:21 ) ( 1 Chronicles 21:26 ) ( 2 Chronicles 7:1 2 Chronicles 7:3 ) , 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 ( 1 Kings 18:32 ) .