Standing upon Mount Carmel, Elijah approaches the ruined altar of God to restore it through a deeply symbolic act. He selects exactly twelve stones to physically rebuild the structure, with each stone representing one of the foundational tribes of the nation named after Jacob [ביאור שטיינזלץ].
The primary approach among commentators is that this action carries a profound message of unity. At that time, the people were politically torn between the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, and spiritually divided between the worship of God and the worship of Baal. By constructing a single altar from twelve distinct stones, Elijah teaches the nation that they must return to God with a united heart, centered around one Torah and one altar [רד״ק, אברבנאל]. Additionally, the specific number invokes the merit of the tribes and the patriarchs, serving as a silent plea for God to answer Elijah’s prayer [רד״ק, מצודת דוד]. Gathering the stones together also echoes the actions of Jacob, whose own twelve stones miraculously merged into one after he purged idolatry from his camp. Elijah similarly seeks to cleanse the people from idol worship and heal the spiritual fracture it caused [אלשיך]. Furthermore, the number twelve delivers a sharp theological point: the stones exclusively represent the tribes of Israel, firmly rejecting the twelve signs of the zodiac worshipped by the prophets of Baal [מלבי״ם].
The recalling of the historical moment when Jacob’s name was changed to Israel is highly significant. The name Israel embodies dominion and triumph over higher powers, reflecting how Jacob strove with a divine being and prevailed. By invoking this name, Elijah declares that just as Jacob defeated the angel, his descendants will overcome the forces of impurity, the prophets of Baal, and the celestial powers revered by the idolaters [מצודת דוד, אברבנאל, מלבי״ם]. There is also a tragic irony embedded in this reference. Jacob originally built an altar and received the name Israel in the city of Bethel, which is the exact location where the Kingdom of Israel later erected a golden calf and built an altar to Baal [רד״ק].
Another fascinating layer to the mention of the name change addresses the legality of Elijah's actions. During that era, offering sacrifices anywhere outside the Temple in Jerusalem was strictly forbidden. However, on the day God appeared to Jacob and named him Israel, He also promised him that a congregation of nations would emerge from him. Within this promise, God embedded a future consent for Elijah's extraordinary measure. It served as divine permission for the prophet to temporarily gather the nation and build an altar outside of Jerusalem in order to bring them back to the right path, ensuring that his sacrifice would be accepted despite the strict prohibition against using outside altars [רש״י, רד״ק, צוארי שלל, אלשיך].