So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.
Parallel translations
- WEB They cried aloud, and cut themselves in their way with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.
- KJV And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
- BSB So they shouted louder and cut themselves with knives and lances, as was their custom, until the blood gushed over them.
- NASB 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.
- NLT So they shouted louder, and following their normal custom, they cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The prophets cut themselves with knives until blood flows, trying to force a response. Their self-mutilation reveals the cruelty of false worship.
Overview
The bloody frenzy reflects pagan rituals that sought to manipulate a deity through extreme acts. Their self-harm contrasts sharply with the God of Israel, who forbids such practices and who pours out His own provision rather than demanding self-destruction. The scene highlights the bondage and despair of idolatry against the grace later shown in true worship.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 5
- Lev 19:28“‘You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor tattoo any marks on you. I am Yahweh.
- Deut 14:1You are the children of Yahweh your God. You shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.
- Mark 5:5Always, night and day, in the tombs and in the mountains, he was crying out, and cutting himself with stones.
- Mic 6:7Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams? With tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience? The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
- Mark 9:22Often it has cast him both into the fire and into the water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us, and help us.”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Solomon's glory, wisdom, and temple where God's presence dwells are a shadow of the greater Son of David — 'one greater than Solomon is here' — and of the true Temple, Christ himself.
How 1 Kings 18:28 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.