1 Kings 18:28

28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them.

1 Kings 18:28 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 18:28

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 ^F26, fancying their gods were delighted with human blood; particularly the priests of Bellona {a}, and the worshippers of the Syrian goddess ^F2, and of the Egyptian Isis ^F3.

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FOOTNOTES:

F26 Vid. Kipping. Antiqu. Roman. l. 1. c. 10. p. 202.
F1 Tertul Apolog. c. 9. Lactant. Institut. l. 1. c. 21.
F2 Apulei Metamorph. l. 8.
F3 Herodot. Euterpe, c. 61. Manetho. Apotelesm. l. 1. ver. 243, 244. Seneca de vita beata, c. 27.

1 Kings 18:28 In-Context

26 And they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Ba'al from morning until noon, saying, "O Ba'al, answer us!" But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped about the altar which they had made.

27 And at noon Eli'jah mocked them, saying, "Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is musing, or he has gone aside, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened."

28 And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them.

29 And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice; no one answered, no one heeded.

30 Then Eli'jah said to all the people, "Come near to me"; and all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been thrown down;