Charles Ellicott 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)

How long halt ye between two opinions?— In this exclamation is expressed the very motto of Elijah’s life. It is an expression of righteous impatience with the “halting” (that is, limping to and fro) “between two opinions”—a state at all times more dangerous, because it is easier, than open apostasy—which was evidently characteristic of Ahab and probably of the majority of the people. This indecisiveness might have suited well the accommodating nature of the polytheism that had been introduced into Israel since the time of Solomon himself, but it was utterly incompatible with the exclusive and absolute claim of the worship of Jehovah. Perhaps Jezebel would have scorned it equally for Baal. Compare this with Ezekiel’s indignant protest (Ezekiel 20:31; Ezekiel 20:39). The question, once clearly understood, is always unanswerable, and is listened to here in awestruck silence.