Amplified Bible
1 Kings 18:28
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.
1 Kings 18:28 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
- New International Version (NIV)So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.
Context of 1 Kings 18:28
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. 27At 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!” So 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. 30Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people approached him. And he repaired and rebuilt the [old] altar of the Lord that had been torn down [by Jezebel].
Read all of 1 Kings 181 Kings 18:28 word by word
וַֽיִּקְרְאוּ֙ בְּק֣וֹל גָּד֔וֹל וַיִּתְגֹּֽדְדוּ֙ כְּמִשְׁפָּטָ֔ם בַּחֲרָב֖וֹת וּבָֽרְמָחִ֑ים עַד־שְׁפָךְ־דָּ֖ם עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And they criedקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call outH7121
- aloudגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- aloudקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
- and cutגָּדַדgâdad · to cutH1413
- themselves after their mannerמִשְׁפָּטmishpâţ · justice: customH4941
- with knivesחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
- and lancetsרֹ֫מַחrômach · spearH7420
- till the bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
- gushed outשָׁפַךְshâphak · to pour: pourH8210
Cross-references for 1 Kings 18:28
- Leviticus 19:28You shall not make any cuts on your body [in mourning] for the dead, nor make any tattoo marks on yourselves; I am the Lord.
- Deuteronomy 14:1“You are the sons of the Lord your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave your forehead for the sake of the dead,
- Micah 6:7Will the Lord be delighted with thousands of rams, Or with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my acts of rebellion, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
- Mark 5:5Night and day he was constantly screaming and shrieking among the tombs and on the mountains, and cutting himself with [sharp] stones.
- Mark 9:22The demon has often thrown him both into fire and into water, intending to kill him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!”
Commentaries on 1 Kings 18:28
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 28They cried aloud - The poor fools acted as they were bidden. And cut themselves after their manner - This was done according to the rites of that barbarous religion; if the blood of the bullock would not move him they thought their own blood might; and with it they smeared themselves and their sacrifice. This was not only the custom of the idolatrous Israelites, but of the Syrians, Persians, Greeks, Indians, and in short of all the heathen world.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28Elijah‘s scorn roused the Baal-priests to greater exertions. At length, when the frenzy had reached its height, knives were drawn, and the blood spirted forth from hundreds of self-inflicted wounds, while an ecstasy of enthusiasm seized many, and they poured forth incoherent phrases, or perhaps an unintelligible jargon, which was believed to come from divine inspiration, and constituted one of their modes of prophecy. The practice of inflicting gashes on…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. 28-29shouted … cut themselves … raving: This behavior was typical in ancient pagan religions, but their actions received no response. There is only one true God (Deuteronomy 4:35; 6:4; Isaiah 44:8), and all other hopes will fail (Isaiah 45:22).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 18:28
In the dictionaries
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
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