1 Kings 18:28

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 he gave them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning till noon, crying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice—no one was answering. They also danced leaping around the altar that was made. 27Now when it was about noon, Elijah mocked them and said, “Shout louder! After all, he is a god! Maybe he’s deep in thought, or he’s relieving himself, or he’s off on a journey, or perhaps he’s asleep and must wake up!” So they shouted even louder and cut themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until the blood gushed over them. 29When midday was past, they kept prophesying ecstatically until the time of offering up the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice, no one answering, no one paying attention. 30Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came closer to him. Then he repaired the damaged altar of Adonai.

1 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 are not to make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead or make any tattoo marks upon yourself. I am Adonai.
• Deuteronomy 14:1“You are the children of Adonai your God. You are not to cut yourselves or shave your forehead for the dead.
• Micah 6:7Will Adonai be pleased with thousands of rams, with hordes of rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my belly for the sin of my soul?
• Mark 5:5And through it all, night and day, at the graveyard and in the mountains, he kept screaming and gashing himself with stones.
• Mark 9:22“It has often thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion 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

• Ahab
• Carmel
• Elijah
• Idol
• Idolatry
• Knife
• Prayer
• Revivals

In the dictionaries

• Ahab
• Answer
• Baal
• Carmel
• Cut
• Either
• Follow
• Halt
• Lord
• Quotations

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