1 Kings 18:29

1Ki 18:29 And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the [time] of the offering of the [evening] sacrifice, that [there was] neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

Ver. 29. And they prophesied.] Did all their mad pranks, and haply sang the praises of their idol god.

Nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.] Jupiter Cretensis was pictured without ears, as well he might, for he had no use of them. But our God scorneth that any should seek to him in vain. {Isa 45:19}

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ki 18:29. They prophesied, &c. — That is, prayed to, or sung hymns in honour of their god, falling into strange contortions, as if they were excited and actuated by some divine power. Until the time of the evening sacrifice — Here termed the sacrifice by way of eminence, (for in the Hebrew there is nothing for evening,) because it was more solemn and public, and more frequented than the morning sacrifice; of which divers reasons may be given. See Exo 12:6; Psa 141:2; Act 3:1. Nor any that regarded — Hebrew, אין קשׁב, ein kasheb, there was no attention; either of their god who was so far from answering that he did not mind any of their words or actions; or of the people, who were now tired out with so long attention and expectation; and therefore, more readily deserted them, and drew near to Elijah and his altar at his call.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 29. They prophesied] They made incessant prayer and supplication; a farther proof that to pray or supplicate is the proper ideal meaning of the word נבא naba, which we constantly translate to prophesy, when even all the circumstances of the time and place are against such a meaning. See what is said on the case of Saul among the prophets, in Clarke's note on "1Sa 10:5".

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(29) They prophesied—raved in their frenzy; like Saul in the hour of madness (1Sa_18:10), or of overpowering religious excitement (1Sa_19:20-24). As a rule, not perhaps without some rare exceptions, the true prophetic inspiration, even if felt as overmastering the will (see Jer_20:7-9), gave no place to frenzy. “The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

29. And it came to pass [R.V. it was so], when midday was past, and [R.V. that] they prophesied] The word used for the wild raving of these heathen priests is the same which is employed for the most solemn utterances of the prophets of Jehovah (cf. Eze_37:10). The thought which connects the two uses seems to be of a person acting under some influence which he cannot control. In both cases the external manifestation was in a degree alike, for Jehovah’s prophets were moved at times by great outward excitement. In these Baal-prophets it appears to have been of the nature of raving. On the bodily agitations of the prophets Maimonides (de Fundam. Legis VII. 3) writes ‘The limbs of all the prophets, during the time of their prophetic inspiration, are agitated, their strength of body fails, their thoughts are snatched aside, and their intellect is left free to understand what is shewn to them.’ Then he quotes the instances of Abraham (Gen_15:12) and of Daniel (Dan_10:8).

the offering of the evening sacrifice] R.V. oblation. The Hebrew word מנחה here used signifies that offering of fine flour mixed with oil, salt and frankincense, which was the accompaniment at times of sacrifices, but which at times was offered alone. It is generally rendered in A.V. ‘meat offering,’ and R.V. has changed this to ‘meal offering’ that the nature of the oblation might be more nearly described in the translation. ‘Sacrifice’ here is misleading, for the offering was without blood.

that [R.V. but] there was neither voice … regarded] The change in R.V. follows on the alterations made in the first half of the verse. The sense then is given more clearly. What is meant to be expressed is, that though they went on the whole day through, yet there was no result of their cries and lacerations.

The LXX. omits this clause, and gives instead ‘And Elijah the Tishbite spake to the prophets of the abominations, saying, Stand aside now, and I will offer my burnt offering. And they stood aside and went away.’

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob,.... Which he might very easily come at from the mountain:

unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name, which signifies one that has power with God, as Jacob had, when the word came to him to make a change in his name at Penuel, Gen 32:28, and as Elijah hoped and believed he should have at this time, being a prophet, and a worshipper of Israel's God.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

And they prophesied - Compare 1Ki 22:12. The expression seems to be used of any case where there was an utterance of words by persons in a state of religious ecstasy.

Until the time of the offering etc - Rather, “Until toward the time.” Elijah had built his altar by the actual time of the offering 1Ki 18:36.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Prophesying, "acting like fools;" (Chaldean) performing their superstitious rites, and singing the praises of their god, &c. (Calmet) --- Sacrifice, by Elias, who had assigned all the morning to Baal’s prophets. Perhaps he waited till the time of the evening sacrifice, Exodus xxix. 38. (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

They prophesied, i. e. praised, and prayed unto, and worshipped their god; for so the word prophesying is used, 1Sa 10:10; 19:20; 1Ch 25:2,3; Mt 7:22; 1Co 11:4; 14:5,6, &c.

Of the evening sacrifice, Heb. of the sacrifice; which being here opposed to the time of their offering, which was the morning, 1Ki 18:26, must needs be meant of the evening sacrifice; of which see Exo 29:39, &c.; which is called the sacrifice, by way of eminency, because it was more solemn, and public, and frequented than the morning sacrifice; of which divers reasons may be given. See Exo 12:6; Psa 141:2; Act 3:1.

Nor any that regarded, Heb. there was no attention; either, first, Of their god, who was so far from answering, that he did not mind any of their words and actions. Or, secondly, Of the people, who were now tired out with so long attention and expectation; and therefore more readily deserted them, and approached to Elijah and his altar, at his call, 1Ki 18:30.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

29. They prophesied — In the manner described in the last verse. See note on 1Sa_18:10.

Until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice — Or, until towards the offering. The time is indicated only approximately. There is nothing in the Hebrew that answers to evening, which is here supplied by our translators; but the context shows that the evening sacrifice is meant, for from morning until after midday had the priests of Baal kept up their orgies. The evening sacrifice was offered “between the two evenings.” Exo_29:39; Num_28:4. This expression also designates the time at which the paschal lamb was killed. See note on Exo_12:6. The exact hour was disputed even by the ancients. It would seem from a casual remark of Josephus (Antiquties, 1Ki_14:4; 1Ki_14:3) to have been about the ninth hour, or three o’clock in the afternoon.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And it came to pass, when midday was past Elijah allowed them all the time he could, consistently with the great work he had himself to do, which would absorb all the rest of the day, and they prophesied Notice the striking coincidence with the description of the worship of Ashtoreth given above. We are not to think of vaticinations, but of frenzied cries, etc. It is not clear, however, that any fresh element in their worship is intended, as Keil imagines. Their service as a whole, seeing they were prophets, would be called a "prophesying," and the word, consequently, may merely mean "they pursued their calling," "they cried and prayed," etc. until the time of the offering Keil and Rawlinson would translate, "until towards the time," etc. There is certainly some indefiniteness in the words twOl until the hour for placing, etc., but we may well believe that their dances and cries continued up to the moment of Elijah"s prayer (ver. 36) of the evening sacrifice Heb. the Minchah, i.e., the meat offering or unbloody sacrifice. Inz, Gen_4:3-6 the word would appear to be used of any offering; but at a later day it was restricted to bloodless offerings, and was opposed to jb Cf. Psa_40:7; Jer_17:26. Directions as to the offering of the Minchah are given, Exo_29:38-41; Num_28:3-8. The evening sacrifice was probably offered then, as it certainly was at a later day, at the ninth hour. Act_3:1 Act_10:3, Act_10:30, and see Jos., Ant. 14:4. 3. Wordsworth think, this synchronism very significant, as suggesting that the true worship of God was that of the temple in Jerusalem, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer as in ver. 26, nor any that regarded. Heb. and not attention. The LXX has a curious variation and addition here: "And Elijah the Tishbite said to the prophets of the idols, Stand back; I will now make ready my offering."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Prophesied - That is, prayed to, and worshipped their God.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

They continued to prophesy. [Targum Yonoson rendered,] “and they raved.”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.