1 Kings 18:28

Contextual Overview

²¹ And Elijah came near to all the people, and said, How long do you go limping between the two sides? if Yahweh is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. ²¹ Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, "How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!" But the people were completely silent. ²¹ And Elijah came near unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. ²¹ Elijah approached the people and said, "How long will you not decide between two choices? If the Lord is the true God, follow him, but if Baal is the true God, follow him!" But the people said nothing. ²¹ Elijah approached all the people and said, "How long are you going to be paralyzed by indecision? If the Lord is the true God, then follow him, but if Baal is, follow him!" But the people did not say a word. ²¹ And Elijah came to all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD [is] God, follow him: but if Baal, [then] follow him. And the people answered him not a word. ²¹ Elijah came near to all the people, and said, How long go you limping between the two sides? if Yahweh is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. The people answered him not a word. ²¹Elijah approached all the people and said, "How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people [of Israel] did not answer him [so much as] a word. ²¹ And Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him." And the people did not answer him a word. ²¹ Forsothe Elie neiyede to al the puple of Israel, and seide, Hou long halten ye in to twey partis? If the Lord is God, sue ye hym; forsothe if Baal is God, sue ye hym. And the puple answeride not o word to hym.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

cut themselves: Leviticus 19:28, Deuteronomy 14:1, Micah 6:7, Mark 5:5, Mark 9:22

the blood gushed out upon them: Heb. they poured out blood upon them

Reciprocal: Judges 10:14 - General Psalms 145:18 - nigh unto Jeremiah 47:5 - how Jeremiah 48:37 - cuttings Zechariah 13:6 - What

Cross-References

Genesis 18:3
and said, "O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant.

Genesis 18:3
and said, My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, don't pass away, I pray you, from your slave:

Genesis 18:3
and said, "Sir, if you think well of me, please stay awhile with me, your servant.

Genesis 18:3
He said, "My lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by and leave your servant.

Genesis 18:3
And said, My Lord, if now I have found favor in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:

Genesis 18:3
and said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please don't go away from your servant.

Genesis 18:3
and Abraham said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass by your servant [without stopping to visit].

Genesis 18:3
and seide, Lord, if Y haue founde grace in thin iyen, passe thou not thi seruaunt,

Genesis 18:3
And he saith, `My Lord, if, I pray thee, I have found grace in thine eyes, do not, I pray thee, pass on from thy servant;

Genesis 18:3
"My lord," said Abraham, "if I have found favor in your sight, please do not pass your servant by.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And they cried aloud,.... Trying to make him hear, if possible:

and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them; so the priests of Heathen deities used to slash themselves on their shoulders, arms, and thighs, in their devotions to them, as many writers observe z, fancying their gods were delighted with human blood; particularly the priests of Bellona a, and the worshippers of the Syrian goddess b, and of the Egyptian Isis c.

z Vid. Kipping. Antiqu. Roman. l. 1. c. 10. p. 202. a Tertul Apolog. c. 9. Lactant. Institut. l. 1. c. 21. b Apulei Metamorph. l. 8. c Herodot. Euterpe, c. 61. Manetho. Apotelesm. l. 1. ver. 243, 244. Seneca de vita beata, c. 27.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Elijah’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 their limbs, in their religious exercises, was common among the Carians, the Syrians, and the Phrygians. We may regard it as a modification of the idea of human sacrifice. The gods were supposed to be pleased with the shedding of human blood.

Lancets - Lancets, in our modern sense of the word, can scarcely have been intended by our translators. The Hebrew word is elsewhere always translated “spears,” or “lances;” and this is probably its meaning here.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 28. They 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.