Albert Barnes Commentary 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 18:21 (ASV)

The people were mute. They could not deny the logical force of Elijah’s argument, but they were not prepared to act on it at once. They wished to unite the worship of Yahweh with that of Baal—to avoid breaking with the past and completely rejecting the old national worship, yet at the same time to enjoy the new rites, which were certainly sensuous and probably impure.