1 Kings 18:28

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

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 So they took the ox he had given them, prepared it for the altar, then prayed to Baal. They prayed all morning long, "O Baal, answer us!" But nothing happened - not so much as a whisper of breeze. Desperate, they jumped and stomped on the altar they had made.

27 By noon, Elijah had started making fun of them, taunting, "Call a little louder - he is a god, after all. Maybe he's off meditating somewhere or other, or maybe he's gotten involved in a project, or maybe he's on vacation. You don't suppose he's overslept, do you, and needs to be waked up?"

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

29 This went on until well past noon. They used every religious trick and strategy they knew to make something happen on the altar, but nothing happened - not so much as a whisper, not a flicker of response.

30 Then Elijah told the people, "Enough of that - it's my turn. Gather around." And they gathered. He then put the altar back together for by now it was in ruins.