Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, September 10th, 2025
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
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Read the Bible
Literal Standard Version
1 Kings 18:28
And 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;
Jump to:Bible Study Tools • Parallel Bible Verse • Bible Contextual Overview • Bible Cross-References • Gill's Bible Notes • Clarke's Bible Notes • Barnes' Bible Notes
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- ChipParallel Translations
Christian Standard Bible®
They shouted loudly, and cut themselves with knives and spears, according to their custom, until blood gushed over them.
They shouted loudly, and cut themselves with knives and spears, according to their custom, until blood gushed over them.
Hebrew Names Version
They cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.
They cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.
King James Version
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
English Standard Version
And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them.
And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them.
New Century Version
The prophets prayed louder, cutting themselves with swords and spears until their blood flowed, which was the way they worshiped.
The prophets prayed louder, cutting themselves with swords and spears until their blood flowed, which was the way they worshiped.
New English Translation
So they yelled louder and, in accordance with their prescribed ritual, mutilated themselves with swords and spears until their bodies were covered with blood.
So they yelled louder and, in accordance with their prescribed ritual, mutilated themselves with swords and spears until their bodies were covered with blood.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And they cryed loude, and cut them selues as their maner was, with kniues and launcers, till the blood gushed out vpon them.
And they cryed loude, and cut them selues as their maner was, with kniues and launcers, till the blood gushed out vpon 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.
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.
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,
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,
Complete Jewish Bible
So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and knives, as their custom was, until blood gushed out all over them.
So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and knives, as their custom was, until blood gushed out all over them.
Darby Translation
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with swords and spears, till the blood gushed out upon them.
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with swords and spears, till the blood gushed out upon them.
Easy-to-Read Version
So the prophets prayed louder. They cut themselves with swords and spears. (This was the way they worshiped.) They cut themselves until they were bleeding all over.
So the prophets prayed louder. They cut themselves with swords and spears. (This was the way they worshiped.) They cut themselves until they were bleeding all over.
George Lamsa Translation
And they cried with a loud voice and they cut themselves after their custom with daggers and lances, until their blood gushed out upon them.
And they cried with a loud voice and they cut themselves after their custom with daggers and lances, until their blood gushed out upon them.
Good News Translation
So the prophets prayed louder and cut themselves with knives and daggers, according to their ritual, until blood flowed.
So the prophets prayed louder and cut themselves with knives and daggers, according to their ritual, until blood flowed.
Lexham English Bible
So they called out with a loud voice, and they cut themselves with swords and with spears as was their custom, until the blood poured out over them.
So they called out with a loud voice, and they cut themselves with swords and with spears as was their custom, until the blood poured out over them.
Literal Translation
And they called with a loud voice, and cut themselves, according to their way, with swords and with spears until blood gushed out on them.
And they called with a loud voice, and cut themselves, according to their way, with swords and with spears until blood gushed out on them.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And they cried loude, and prouoked the selues with knyues & botkens, (as their maner was) tyll ye bloude folowed.
And they cried loude, and prouoked the selues with knyues & botkens, (as their maner was) tyll ye bloude folowed.
American Standard Version
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lances, till the blood gushed out upon them.
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lances, till the blood gushed out upon them.
Bible in Basic English
So they gave loud cries, cutting themselves with knives and swords, as was their way, till the blood came streaming out all over them.
So they gave loud cries, cutting themselves with knives and swords, as was their way, till the blood came streaming out all over them.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And they cried lowde, and cut them selues as their maner was with kniues & launcers, till the blood folowed on the.
And they cried lowde, and cut them selues as their maner was with kniues & launcers, till the blood folowed on the.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with swords and lances, till the blood gushed out upon them.
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with swords and lances, till the blood gushed out upon them.
King James Version (1611)
And they cried loud, and cut themselues after their maner, with kniues, and lancers, till the blood gushed out vpon them.
And they cried loud, and cut themselues after their maner, with kniues, and lancers, till the blood gushed out vpon them.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
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.
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.
English Revised Version
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lances, till the blood gushed out upon them.
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lances, till 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 out upon them.
So they shouted louder and cut themselves with knives and lances, as was their custom, until the blood gushed out upon them.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor thei crieden with greet vois, and thei kerueden hem silf with knyues and launcetis, bi her custom, til thei weren bisched with blood.
Therfor thei crieden with greet vois, and thei kerueden hem silf with knyues and launcetis, bi her custom, til thei weren bisched with blood.
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;
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;
Update Bible Version
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lances, 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.
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.
World English Bible
They cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.
They cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on 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.
So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.
New Living Translation
So they shouted louder, and following their normal custom, they cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out.
So they shouted louder, and following their normal custom, they cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out.
New Life Bible
So they cried with a loud voice. They cut themselves as they had done in the past, with swords and spears until blood poured out on them.
So they cried with a loud voice. They cut themselves as they had done in the past, with swords and spears until blood poured out on them.
New Revised Standard
Then they cried aloud and, as was their custom, they cut themselves with swords and lances until the blood gushed out over them.
Then they cried aloud and, as was their custom, they cut themselves with swords and lances until the blood gushed out over them.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And they cried, with a loud voice, and cut themselves, after their custom, with swords, and with lances, - until the blood gushed out upon them.
And they cried, with a loud voice, and cut themselves, after their custom, with swords, and with lances, - until the blood gushed out upon them.
Douay-Rheims Bible
So they cried with a loud voice, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till they were all covered with blood.
So they cried with a loud voice, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till they were all covered with blood.
Revised Standard Version
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them.
And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them.
New American Standard Bible (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.
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.
Contextual Overview
21and Elijah comes near to all the people and says, "Until when are you leaping on the two branches? If YHWH [is] God, go after Him; and if Ba‘al, go after him"; and the people have not answered him a word. 22And Elijah says to the people, "I have been left, by myself, a prophet of YHWH; and the prophets of Ba‘al [are] four hundred and fifty men; 23and let them give two bullocks to us, and they choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and place [it] on the wood, and place no fire; and I prepare the other bullock, and have put [it] on the wood, and I do not place fire— 24and you have called in the name of your god, and I call in the Name of YHWH, and it has been, the god who answers by fire—He [is] the God." And all the people answer and say, "The word [is] good." 25And Elijah says to the prophets of Ba‘al, "Choose one bullock for yourselves, and prepare [it] first, for you [are] the multitude, and call in the name of your god, and place no fire." 26And they take the bullock that [one] gave to them, and prepare [it], and call in the name of Ba‘al from the morning even until the noon, saying, "O Ba‘al, answer us!" And there is no voice, and there is none answering; and they leap on the altar that one had made. 27And it comes to pass, at noon, that Elijah mocks at them and says, "Call with a loud voice, for he [is] a god, for he is meditating, or pursuing, or on a journey; it may be he is asleep, and awakes." 28And 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;29and it comes to pass, at the passing by of the noon, that they feign themselves prophets until the going up of the present, and there is no voice, and there is none answering, and there is none attending. 30And Elijah says to all the people, "Come near to me"; and all the people come near to him, and he repairs the altar of YHWH that is broken down;
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 he says, "My Lord, if now I have found grace in Your eyes, please do not pass on from Your servant;
and he says, "My Lord, if now I have found grace in Your eyes, please do not pass on from Your servant;
Genesis 18:4
please let a little water be accepted, and wash Your feet, and recline under the tree;
please let a little water be accepted, and wash Your feet, and recline under the tree;
Genesis 18:17
and YHWH said, "Am I concealing from Abraham that which I am doing,
and YHWH said, "Am I concealing from Abraham that which I am doing,
Genesis 18:19
For I have known him, that he commands his children, and his house after him (and they have kept the way of YHWH), to do righteousness and judgment, that YHWH may bring on Abraham that which He has spoken concerning him."
For I have known him, that he commands his children, and his house after him (and they have kept the way of YHWH), to do righteousness and judgment, that YHWH may bring on Abraham that which He has spoken concerning him."
Genesis 18:26
And YHWH says, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous in the midst of the city, then have I borne with all the place for their sake."
And YHWH says, "If I find in Sodom fifty righteous in the midst of the city, then have I borne with all the place for their sake."
Genesis 18:29
And he adds again to speak to Him and says, "Perhaps there are found there forty?" And He says, "I do not do [it], because of the forty."
And he adds again to speak to Him and says, "Perhaps there are found there forty?" And He says, "I do not do [it], because of the forty."
Genesis 18:32
And he says, "Please let it not be displeasing to the Lord, and I speak only this time: perhaps there are found there ten?" And He says, "I do not destroy [it], because of the ten."
And he says, "Please let it not be displeasing to the Lord, and I speak only this time: perhaps there are found there ten?" And He says, "I do not destroy [it], because of the ten."
Genesis 18:33
And YHWH goes on, when He has finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham has turned back to his place.
And YHWH goes on, when He has finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham has turned back to his place.
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.
