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. Berean Literal Bible And they called out in a loud voice, and they cut themselves according to their custom with the swords and with the spears, until the blood gushed out 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. Berean Annotated Bible So they shouted louder and cut themselves with knives and lances, as was their custom, until the blood gushed over 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. 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. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleSo they shouted louder and cut themselves with knives and lances, as was their custom, until the blood gushed over 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; Berean Literal Bible And they called out in a loud voice, and they cut themselves according to their custom with the swords and with the spears, until the blood gushed out over 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 (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) 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 So they shouted louder Joshua 6:20 So when the rams’ horns sounded, the people shouted. When they heard the blast of the horn, the people gave a great shout, and the wall collapsed. Then all the people charged straight into the city and captured it. 1 Samuel 4:5 When the ark of the covenant of the LORD entered the camp, all the Israelites raised such a great shout that the ground shook. 2 Chronicles 13:15 and the men of Judah raised the battle cry. And when they raised the cry, God routed Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. and cut themselves with knives and lances, Jeremiah 16:6 “Both great and small will die in this land. They will not be buried or mourned, nor will anyone cut himself or shave his head for them. Deuteronomy 14:1 You are sons of the LORD your God; do not cut yourselves or shave your foreheads on behalf of the dead, 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. as was their custom, Jeremiah 10:2-3 This is what the LORD says: “Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by the signs in the heavens, though the nations themselves are terrified by them. / For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut down a tree from the forest; it is shaped with a chisel by the hands of a craftsman. 2 Kings 17:8 and walked in the customs of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites, as well as in the practices introduced by the kings of Israel. Leviticus 18:3 You must not follow the practices of the land of Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not follow the practices of the land of Canaan, into which I am bringing you. You must not walk in their customs. until the blood gushed over them. 2 Kings 9:33 “Throw her down!” yelled Jehu. So they threw her down, and her blood splattered on the wall and on the horses as they trampled her underfoot. 1 Kings 22:35 The battle raged throughout that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. And the blood from his wound ran out onto the floor of the chariot, and that evening he died. Psalm 79:3 They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury 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?” 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 prophets of Baal intensified their cries, hoping their god would answer with fire. Their growing desperation exposed Baal’s inability to hear or act. Jos 6:20 So when the rams’ horns sounded, the people shouted.… and cut themselves with knives and lances, In keeping with pagan ritual, they wounded themselves to display devotion and provoke a response. The violent spectacle stood in direct opposition to the worship God required of Israel. Jer 16:6 “Both great and small will die in this land.… as was their custom, Such self-mutilation was an established part of Baal worship, revealing how deeply idolatry had shaped their religious practices. Jer 10:2-3 This is what the LORD says: “Do not learn the ways… until the blood gushed over them. Their bloodshed brought no answer, underscoring the helplessness of Baal and the futility of seeking life from a false god. 2Ki 9:33 “Throw her down!” yelled Jehu. So they threw her down… 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. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of 1 Kings 18:28?2. How does 1 Kings 18:28 illustrate the futility of idol worship practices? 3. What does 1 Kings 18:28 reveal about the prophets' desperation and beliefs? 4. How can we avoid similar misguided zeal in our spiritual practices today? 5. Compare the prophets' actions with Elijah's faith in God's power in 1 Kings 18. 6. What modern practices might reflect the misguided devotion seen in 1 Kings 18:28? 7. Why did the prophets of Baal cut themselves in 1 Kings 18:28? 8. What does 1 Kings 18:28 reveal about ancient religious practices? 9. How does 1 Kings 18:28 challenge the concept of faith in false gods? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from 1 Kings 18? (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).] 1 Kings 18:28 exposes the emptiness of idolatry: louder voices, deeper cuts, and fountains of blood cannot wake a false god. God’s Word condemns self-inflicted rituals and points to the only acceptable blood—His own provision in Christ. The verse challenges us to reject desperate human efforts and trust the living God who answers not to our frenzy but to faith and obedience. 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 Additonal Resources 1 Kings 18:28 Blue Letter Bible1 Kings 18:28 Bible Gateway 1 Kings 18:28 Bible.com 1 Kings 18:28 NIV |
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