1 Kings 18:28

28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed.

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1 Kings 18:28 in Other Translations

KJV

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

ESV

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

NLT

28 So they shouted louder, and following their normal custom, they cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out.

MSG

28 They prayed louder and louder, cutting themselves with swords and knives - a ritual common to them - until they were covered with blood.

CSB

28 They shouted loudly, and cut themselves with knives and spears, according to their custom, until blood gushed out on 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.

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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

1 Kings 18:28 In-Context

26 So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.

27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.”

28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed.

29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come here to me.” They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which had been torn down.