the Third Week after Epiphany
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1 Kings 18:28
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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
And he said, Lord, if I haue now founde fauour in thy sight, goe not, I pray thee, from thy seruant.
And said, O LORD, if now I have found mercy in thy sight, do not pass away from thy servant;
and said, "My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please don't go away from your servant.
Abraham said, "Sirs, please stay a while with me, your servant.
and said, "O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant.
and said, My lord, if now I have found favor in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:
And said, My Lord, if now I have grace in your eyes, do not go away from your servant:
and said, "Please come to my home where I can serve you.
and said, "My lord, if I have found favor in your sight, please don't leave your servant.
and said, Lord, if now I have found favour in thine eyes, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant.
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.
