1 Kings 18:28

So they shouted louder. Then, doing one of the things that they frequently did when they worshiped Baal, they slashed/cut themselves with knives and swords until a lot of blood flowed.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

In Context

27About noontime, Elijah started to make fun of them. He said, “ Surely Baal is a god, so it seems that you must shout louder! Perhaps he is thinking about something, or perhaps he has gone to the toilet. Or perhaps he is traveling somewhere, or perhaps he is asleep and you need to wake him up!”

29They continued calling out to Baal all afternoon. But there was no reply, no answer, no god who paid attention.

Read all of 1 Kings 18

Cross References

Deuteronomy 14:1“We are people who belong to Yahweh our God. So, when people die, do not show that you are grieving by gashing/cutting yourselves or by shaving the hair on your foreheads like the other people-groups do.

Micah 6:7Will Yahweh be pleased if we offer to him 1,000 rams and 10,000 streams of olive oil? Should we offer our firstborn children to be sacrifices to pay for the sins that we have committed [DOU]?”

Mark 5:5He lived in one of the caves where they bury dead people. During both night and day he would scream among the caves and in the hills. He would also cut himself with sharp stones. That day he came out of the caves.

Matthew Henry on 1 Kings 18:22-41

Elijah's Trial of the False Prophets; the Destruction of Baal's Prophets. ( b. c. 906.) 21 And Elijah came 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. 22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord ; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. 23 Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it… Read the whole commentary →

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Study 1 Kings 18:28