1 Kings 18:27

1 Kings 18:27 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.
• New International Version (NIV)At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, "Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened."
• New King James Version (NKJV)And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened.”

Context of 1 Kings 18:27

25Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one bull for yourselves and prepare it first, since there are many of you; and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.” 26So they took the bull that was given to them and prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, hear and answer us.” But there was no voice and no one answered. And they leaped about the altar which they had made. At noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied, or he is out [at the moment], or he is on a journey. Perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened!” 28So they cried out with a loud voice [to get Baal’s attention] and cut themselves with swords and lances in accordance with their custom, until the blood flowed out on them. 29As midday passed, they played the part of prophets and raved dramatically until the time for offering the evening sacrifice; but there was no voice, no one answered, and no one paid attention.

1 Kings 18:27 word by word

וַיְהִ֨י בַֽצָּהֳרַ֜יִם וַיְהַתֵּ֧ל בָּהֶ֣ם אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ קִרְא֤וּ בְקוֹל־גָּדוֹל֙ כִּֽי־אֱלֹהִ֣ים ה֔וּא כִּ֣י שִׂ֧יחַ וְכִֽי־שִׂ֛יג ל֖וֹ וְכִֽי־דֶ֣רֶךְ ל֑וֹ אוּלַ֛י יָשֵׁ֥ן ה֖וּא וְיִקָֽץ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And it came to pass at noonצֹ֫הַרtsôhar · middayH6672
• that Elijahאֵלִיָּה'êlîyâh 'êlîyâhû · ElijahH452
• mockedהָתַלhâthal · to mockH2048
• them, and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Cryקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call outH7121
• aloudקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
• aloudגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• a godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• either he is talkingשִׂיחַώîyach · complaintH7879
• or he is pursuingשִׂיגώîyg · pursuingH7873
• or he is in a journeyדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
• peradventureאוּלַי'ûlay 'ûlay · perhapsH194
• he sleepethיָשֵׁןyâshên · sleepingH3463
• and must be awakedיָקַץyâqats · to awakeH3364

Cross-references for 1 Kings 18:27

• 1 Kings 22:15So when he came to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go against Ramoth-gilead in battle, or shall we not?” And he answered him, “Go up and be successful, for the Lord will hand it over to the king.”
• 2 Chronicles 25:8But if you do go [in spite of this warning], be strong and courageous for battle; yet God will cause you to stumble and fall before the enemy, for God has power to help and to cause people to stumble.”
• Ecclesiastes 11:9Rejoice, young man, in your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant in the days of your young manhood. And walk in the ways of your heart and in the desires of your eyes, but know that God will bring you into judgment for all these things.
• Isaiah 8:9“Be broken [in pieces], O peoples, and be shattered! Listen, all you [our enemies from the] far countries. Prepare yourselves [for war], and be shattered; Prepare yourselves [for war], and be shattered.
• Isaiah 44:15Then it becomes fuel for a man to burn, so he takes one of them and warms himself; he also kindles a fire to bake bread. He also makes a god [from the same wood] and worships it. He makes it into a carved idol [with his own hands] and falls down and worships it!
• Ezekiel 20:39“As for you, O house of Israel,” thus says the Lord God, “Go, let everyone serve his idols; but later you shall most certainly listen to Me, and you shall no longer profane My holy name with your gifts and with your idols.
• Amos 4:4“Come to Bethel [where the golden calf is] and transgress; In Gilgal [where idols are worshiped] multiply transgression; Bring your sacrifices every morning, Your tithes every three days!
• Matthew 26:45Then He returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Listen, the hour [of My sacrifice] is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners [whose way and nature is to oppose God].
• Mark 7:9He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside and nullifying the commandment of God in order to keep your [man-made] tradition and regulations.
• Mark 14:41He came back a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough [of that]! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.
• Isaiah 41:23Tell us the things that are to come afterward, That we may know that you are gods; Indeed, you should do something good or do evil, that we may be afraid and fear [you] together [as we observe the miracle].
• Psalms 44:23Awake! Why do You sleep, O Lord? Awaken, do not reject us forever.
• Psalms 78:65Then the Lord awakened as from sleep, Like a [mighty] warrior who awakens from the sleep of wine [fully conscious of his power].
• Psalms 121:4Behold, He who keeps Israel Will neither slumber [briefly] nor sleep [soundly].
• Isaiah 51:9Awake, awake, put on strength and might, O arm of the Lord; Awake as in the ancient days, as in the generations of long ago. Was it not You who cut Rahab (Egypt) in pieces, Who pierced the dragon [of Egypt]?
• Mark 4:38But Jesus was in the stern, asleep [with His head] on the [sailor’s leather] cushion. And they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are about to die?”

Commentaries on 1 Kings 18:27

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 27At noon - Elijah mocked them - Had not Elijah been conscious of the Divine protection, he certainly would not have used such freedom of speech while encompassed by his enemies. Cry aloud - Make a great noise; oblige him by your vociferations to attend to your suit. For he is a god - הוא אלהים כי ki Elohim hu, he is the supreme God, you worship him as such, he must needs be such, and no doubt jealous of his own honor and the credit of his votaries! A…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 27The object of Elijah‘s irony was two-fold; (1) to stimulate the priests to greater exertions, and so to make their failure more complete, and (2) to suggest to the people that such failure would prove absolutely that Baal was no God. The force of the expressions seems to be, “Cry on, only cry louder, and then you will make him hear, for surely he is a god; surely you are not mistaken in so regarding him.” He is “talking,” or “meditating;” the word used…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-40Verses 21-40 Many of the people wavered in their judgment, and varied in their practice. Elijah called upon them to determine whether Jehovah or Baal was the self-existent, supreme God, the Creator, Governor, and Judge of the world, and to follow him alone. It is dangerous to halt between the service of God and the service of sin, the dominion of Christ and the dominion of our lusts. If Jesus be the only Saviour, let us cleave to him alone for every…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 27occupied: Elijah mocked the false gods by speaking as if they had human needs. His sarcasm showed how powerless they were. In some religions, such as in Egypt, priests treated idols like people. They would wake up the idol, feed it, wash it, dress it in fresh clothes, put makeup on its face, and place a royal emblem on it.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-4021-40. Elijah said unto all the people, How long halt ye?--They had long been attempting to conjoin the service of God with that of Baal. It was an impracticable union and the people were so struck with a sense of their own folly, or dread of the king's displeasure, that they "answered not a word." Elijah proposed to decide for them the controversy between God and Baal by an appeal, not to the authority of the law, for that would have no weight, but by a…Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 18:27

• Ahab
• Carmel
• Elijah
• Idol
• Idolatry
• Irony
• Mocking
• Prayer
• Revivals
• Sarcasm
• Tantalizing

In the dictionaries

• Elijah
• God
• Ahab
• Answer
• Baal
• Carmel
• Cut
• Either
• Follow
• Halt

Commentaries on 1 Kings 18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings