Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. New Living Translation So they shouted louder, and following their normal custom, they cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out. English Standard Version And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. Berean Standard Bible So they shouted louder and cut themselves with knives and lances, as was their custom, until the blood gushed over them. King James Bible And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. New King James Version So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. New American Standard Bible So they cried out with a loud voice, and cut themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until blood gushed out on them. NASB 1995 So they cried with a loud voice and cut themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them. NASB 1977 So they cried with a loud voice and cut themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them. Legacy Standard Bible So they cried with a loud voice and gashed themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them. Amplified Bible 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. Christian Standard Bible They shouted loudly, and cut themselves with knives and spears, according to their custom, until blood gushed over them. Holman Christian Standard Bible They shouted loudly, and cut themselves with knives and spears, according to their custom, until blood gushed over them. American Standard Version And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lances, till the blood gushed out upon them. Contemporary English Version The prophets kept shouting louder and louder, and they cut themselves with swords and knives until they were bleeding. This was the way they worshiped, English Revised Version And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lances, till the blood gushed out upon them. GOD'S WORD® Translation So they shouted louder. They also cut themselves with swords and spears until their blood flowed. (This is what their ritual called for.) Good News Translation So the prophets prayed louder and cut themselves with knives and daggers, according to their ritual, until blood flowed. International Standard Version So the prophets of Baal cried even louder and slashed themselves with swords and lances until their blood gushed out all over them, as was their custom. Majority Standard Bible So they shouted louder and cut themselves with knives and lances, as was their custom, until the blood gushed over them. NET Bible So they yelled louder and, in accordance with their prescribed ritual, mutilated themselves with swords and spears until their bodies were covered with blood. New Heart English Bible And they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with swords and spears, until the blood gushed out on them. Webster's Bible Translation And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. World English Bible They cried aloud, and cut themselves in their way with knives and lances until the blood gushed out on them. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd they call with a loud voice, and cut themselves, according to their ordinance, with swords and with spears, until a flowing of blood [is] on them; Young's Literal Translation And they call with a loud voice, and cut themselves, according to their ordinance, with swords and with spears, till a flowing of blood is on them; Smith's Literal Translation And they will call with a great voice, and they will cut themselves according to their judgment, with swords and with spears, even to the pouring out of blood upon them. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleSo they cried with a loud voice, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till they were all covered with blood. Catholic Public Domain Version Then they cried out with a loud voice, and they cut themselves, in accord with their ritual, with knives and lancets, until they were entirely covered in blood. New American Bible They called out louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears according to their ritual until blood gushed over them. New Revised Standard Version Then they cried aloud and, as was their custom, they cut themselves with swords and lances until the blood gushed out over them. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd they cried with a loud voice and they cut themselves after their custom with daggers and lances, until their blood gushed out upon them. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And they called in a loud voice, and they fought, according to their custom, with swords and with lances, until their blood poured out upon them. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with swords and lances, till the blood gushed out upon them. Brenton Septuagint Translation And they cried with a loud voice, and cut themselves according to their custom with knives and lancets until the blood gushed out upon them. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Elijah on Mount Carmel…27At noon Elijah began to taunt them, saying, “Shout louder, for he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or on a journey. Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened!” 28So they shouted louder and cut themselves with knives and lances, as was their custom, until the blood gushed over them. 29Midday passed, and they kept on raving until the time of the evening sacrifice. But there was no response; no one answered, no one paid attention.… Cross References Leviticus 19:28 You must not make any cuts in your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the LORD. Deuteronomy 14:1 You are sons of the LORD your God; do not cut yourselves or shave your foreheads on behalf of the dead, Jeremiah 48:37 For every head is shaved and every beard is clipped; on every hand is a gash, and around every waist is sackcloth. Mark 5:5 Night and day in the tombs and in the mountains he kept crying out and cutting himself with stones. Judges 5:30 ‘Are they not finding and dividing the spoil—a girl or two for each warrior, a plunder of dyed garments for Sisera, the spoil of embroidered garments for the neck of the looter?’ Isaiah 44:20 He feeds on ashes. His deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?” Hosea 7:14 They do not cry out to Me from their hearts when they wail upon their beds. They slash themselves for grain and new wine, but turn away from Me. Matthew 6:7 And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard. Acts 19:34 But when they realized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” 2 Kings 1:2-3 Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers and instructed them: “Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover from this injury.” / But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are on your way to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?’ 2 Kings 3:27 So he took his firstborn son, who was to succeed him, and offered him as a burnt offering on the city wall. And there was great fury against the Israelites, so they withdrew and returned to their own land. 2 Chronicles 33:6 He sacrificed his sons in the fire in the Valley of Ben-hinnom. He practiced sorcery, divination, and witchcraft, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did great evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger. Psalm 106:37-38 They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. / They shed innocent blood—the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood. Ezekiel 8:14 Then He brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the LORD, and I saw women sitting there, weeping for Tammuz. Micah 5:12 I will cut the sorceries from your hand, and you will have no fortune-tellers. Treasury of Scripture And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out on them. cut themselves Leviticus 19:28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD. Deuteronomy 14:1 Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead. Micah 6:7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? the blood gushed out upon them. Jump to Previous Aloud Blood Cried Cries Custom Cut Flowing Gushed Knives Louder Manner Ordinance Shouted Slashed Spears Streaming Swords Themselves Voice WayJump to Next Aloud Blood Cried Cries Custom Cut Flowing Gushed Knives Louder Manner Ordinance Shouted Slashed Spears Streaming Swords Themselves Voice Way1 Kings 18 1. In the extremity of famine Elijah, sent to Ahab, meets good Obadiah9. Obadiah brings Ahab to Elijah 17. Elijah, reproving Ahab, by fire from heaven convinces Baal's prophets 41. Elijah, by prayer obtaining rain, follows Ahab to Jezreel So they shouted louder The phrase "shouted louder" reflects the desperation and intensity of the prophets of Baal. In the Hebrew context, the word for "shouted" (זָעַק, za'aq) often conveys a cry for help or a call for attention. This highlights the futility of their actions, as they believed that increasing their volume would compel their god to respond. Historically, this reflects the practices of ancient Near Eastern religions, where vocal intensity was thought to influence divine beings. Theologically, it contrasts with the God of Israel, who hears the quiet prayers of His people (1 Kings 19:12). and slashed themselves with swords and spears as was their custom until their blood flowed Persons / Places / Events 1. ElijahA prophet of the Lord who challenged the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel to demonstrate the power of the true God. 2. Prophets of Baal Pagan prophets who worshiped Baal, a Canaanite deity, and participated in rituals to invoke their god's power. 3. Mount Carmel The location of the dramatic confrontation between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. 4. Baal A Canaanite god associated with fertility and weather, often worshiped by the Israelites during times of apostasy. 5. Israel The nation witnessing the contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal, representing a people torn between worshiping Yahweh and Baal. Teaching Points The Futility of IdolatryThe prophets of Baal demonstrate the emptiness of worshiping false gods. Idolatry leads to destructive practices and ultimately fails to deliver. The Power of True Worship In contrast to the prophets of Baal, Elijah's simple prayer to the true God results in a powerful demonstration of divine power. True worship is effective and life-giving. The Danger of Syncretism The Israelites' wavering between Yahweh and Baal serves as a warning against mixing true faith with pagan practices. Believers are called to exclusive devotion to God. The Cost of Desperation The extreme measures taken by the prophets of Baal reflect the desperation that comes from relying on false gods. Trusting in God brings peace and assurance. The Call to Stand Firm Elijah's boldness in confronting the prophets of Baal encourages believers to stand firm in their faith, even when surrounded by opposition.(28) Lancets--should be lances. This self-mutilation, common in Oriental frenzy, was possibly a portion, or a survival, of human sacrifice, in the notion that self-torture and shedding of human blood must win Divine favour--a delusion not confined to heathen religions, though excusable only in them.Verse 28. - And they cried aloud [Heb. in a great voice, as above. It was not that they took Elijah's words au serieux, but his scorn led them to redouble their efforts, if only to testify their faith in their god. The frantic cries of the Greek Easter (see Porter, 1:168; Conder, 176-178) in Jerusalem, the prayers of the pilgrims for the descent of the holy fire, may help us to realize the scene here described], and cut themselves [cf. Deuteronomy 14:1; Jeremiah 16:6; Jeremiah 41:5; Jeremiah 47:5] after their manner [Keil quotes from Movers, Phoniz. 1. pp. 682-83, a description of the religious dances offered to the Dea Syria. "A discordant howling opens the scene. Then they rush wildly about in perfect confusion, with their heads bowed down to the ground, but always revolving in circles, so that the loosened hair drags through the mire; then they begin to bite their arms, and end with cutting themselves with the two-edged swords which they are in the habit of carrying. A new scene then opens. One of them, who surpasses all the rest in frenzy, begins to prophesy with sighs and groans," etc. In the "Contemporary Review," vol. 27, pp. 371 sqq., Bishop Caldwell has graphically described the devil dances of Southern India - a description which may be read with profit in this connexion. One sentence may be transcribed here: "He cuts and hacks and hews himself, and not unfrequently kills himself there and then." Kitto mentions "the furious gashes which the Persians inflict upon themselves in their frantic annual lamentation for Hossein." Rawlinson says this was also common among the Carians and Phrygians] with knives [Heb. swords] and lancets [Heb. lances, spears. The A.V. is misleading. The instruments they used were weapons of heavy-armed troops. For רְמָחִים, see Numbers 25:7; Judges 5:8; Jeremiah 46:4], till the blood gushed out upon them. [Heb. until the shedding of blood upon them. It is perfectly clear that their faith in Baal was sincere and profound. Making due allowance for the fact that they were under the eyes of their king and patron, and of representatives of the entire people, it is still impossible to doubt their sincerity. Some of them, it is probable, were Phoenicians. "Of one thing I am assured - the devil dancer never shams excitement" (Caldwell).] Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew So they shouted louderוַֽיִּקְרְאוּ֙ (way·yiq·rə·’ū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read and cut וַיִּתְגֹּֽדְדוּ֙ (way·yiṯ·gō·ḏə·ḏū) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural Strong's 1413: To crowd, to gash themselves with knives בַּחֲרָב֖וֹת (ba·ḥă·rā·ḇō·wṯ) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine plural Strong's 2719: Drought, a cutting instrument, as a, knife, sword and lances, וּבָֽרְמָחִ֑ים (ū·ḇā·rə·mā·ḥîm) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 7420: A lance, the iron point as [was] their custom, כְּמִשְׁפָּטָ֔ם (kə·miš·pā·ṭām) Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 4941: A verdict, a sentence, formal decree, divine law, penalty, justice, privilege, style until עַד־ (‘aḏ-) Preposition Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while the blood דָּ֖ם (dām) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 1818: Blood, of man, an animal, the juice of the grape, bloodshed gushed out שְׁפָךְ־ (šə·p̄āḵ-) Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Strong's 8210: To spill forth, to expend, to sprawl out upon them. עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ (‘ă·lê·hem) Preposition | third person masculine plural Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against Links 1 Kings 18:28 NIV1 Kings 18:28 NLT 1 Kings 18:28 ESV 1 Kings 18:28 NASB 1 Kings 18:28 KJV 1 Kings 18:28 BibleApps.com 1 Kings 18:28 Biblia Paralela 1 Kings 18:28 Chinese Bible 1 Kings 18:28 French Bible 1 Kings 18:28 Catholic Bible OT History: 1 Kings 18:28 They cried aloud and cut themselves after (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg) |
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