1 Kings 18:28

1 Kings 18:28

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

a. ASV: And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lances, till the blood gushed out upon them.

b. YLT: 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;

c. Amplified Bible Classic: And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with knives and lances until the blood gushed out upon them.

d. Septuagint: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.

e. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: They called out with a loud voice and cut themselves with swords and spears, according to their custom, until blood spurted on them.

1. “And they cried aloud…”

a. [And they] cried [Strong: 7121 qârâʼ, kaw-raw'; a primitive root (rather identical with H7122 through the idea of accosting a person met); to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications):—bewray (self), that are bidden, call (for, forth, self, upon), cry (unto), (be) famous, guest, invite, mention, (give) name, preach, (make) proclaim(-ation), pronounce, publish, read, renowned, say.]

b. aloud [Strong: 6963 qôwl, kole; or קֹל qôl; from an unused root meaning to call aloud; a voice or sound:—+ aloud, bleating, crackling, cry (+ out), fame, lightness, lowing, noise, +hold peace, (pro-) claim, proclamation, + sing, sound, + spark, thunder(-ing), voice, + yell.]

c. [Strong: 1419 gâdôwl, gaw-dole'; or גָּדֹל gâdôl; (shortened) from H1431; great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent:— aloud, elder(-est), exceeding(-ly), far, (man of) great (man, matter, thing,-er,-ness), high, long, loud, mighty, more, much, noble, proud thing, × sore, (×) very.]

2. “...and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets...:”

a. [and] cut [Strong: 1413 gâdad, gaw-dad'; a primitive root (compare H1464); to crowd; also to gash (as if by pressing into):—assemble (selves by troops), gather (selves together, self in troops), cut selves.]

b. [themselves after] their manner [Strong: 4941 mishpâṭ, mish-pawt'; from H8199; properly, a verdict (favorable or unfavorable) pronounced judicially, especially a sentence or formal decree (human or (participant's) divine law, individual or collective), including the act, the place, the suit, the crime, and the penalty; abstractly, justice, including a participant's right or privilege (statutory or customary), or even a style:— adversary, ceremony, charge, ×crime, custom, desert, determination, discretion, disposing, due, fashion, form, to be judged, judgment, just(-ice, -ly), (manner of) law(-ful), manner, measure, (due) order, ordinance, right, sentence, usest, × worthy, wrong.]

c. [with] knives [Strong: 2719 chereb, kheh'-reb; from H2717; drought; also a cutting instrument (from its destructive effect), as a knife, sword, or other sharp implement:—axe, dagger, knife, mattock, sword, tool.

d. [and] lancets [Strong: 7420 rômach, ro'-makh; from an unused root meaning to hurl; a lance (as thrown); especially the iron point:—buckler, javelin, lancet, spear.]

3.  “...till the blood gushed out upon them.”

a. till [Strong: 5704 `ad ad properly, the same as 5703 (used as a preposition, adverb or conjunction; especially with a preposition); as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with):--against, and, as, at, before, by (that), even (to), for(-asmuch as), (hither-)to, + how long, into, as long (much) as, (so) that, till, toward, until, when, while, (+ as) yet.]

b. [the] blood [Strong: 1818 dâm, dawm; from H1826 (compare H119); blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshed (i.e. drops of blood):—blood(-y, -guiltiness), (-thirsty), + innocent.]

c. gushed out [upon them] [Strong: 8210 shâphak, shaw-fak'; a primitive root; to spill forth (blood, a libation, liquid metal; or even a solid, i.e. to mound up); also (figuratively) to expend (life, soul, complaint, money, etc.); intensively, to sprawl out:—cast (up), gush out, pour (out), shed(-der, out), slip.]

1). Cutting oneself is a characteristic of idolatry, and demonic oppression. It was strictly forbidden by God for his people.

a). Leviticus 19:28 Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD.

(1) This is interesting in light of the worldwide fascination of tattooing. In America tattoo parlors are everywhere, and people everywhere are getting them. The many nations that comprise the group of nations called the ‘Canaanites’ that God dispossessed and gave to Israel as an inheritance, practiced tattooing, it was  a characteristic of their idolatrous worship. God strictly forbade Israel of engaging in such behavior. Even though we are not under the Covenant that forbade such behavior, I believe that it is wisdom not to engage in any Canaanite practices, but I don’t believe that getting tattoos will keep a person out of heaven. It is a fact that the Canaanite practices such as child sacrifice, homosexuality and a fascination with witchcraft, which are strictly forbidden under the New Covenant, these behaviors are becoming firmly established in America. Along with that is a drenching of every form of sexuality which also was a characteristic of Canaanite culture. All of this is an indication that the void created by our national leaders of forcing God out of our nation, is being filled by Canaanite practices, and we its citizens many of us Christians are allowing it, and in some cases helping it. We need to repent.

b). Deuteronomy 14:1Ye are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.

2). The demoniac of Gadara cut himself with stones.

a). Mark 5:1-5 And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.

5:2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

5:3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:

5:4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.

5:5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.