Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on 1 Kings 18:27
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
And it came to pass at noon, etc.] When they had been from the time of the morning sacrifice until now invoking their deity to no purpose: that Elijah mocked them; he jeered and bantered them: and said, cry aloud; your god does not hear you; perhaps, if you raise your voice higher, he may; for he is a god; according to your esteem of him, and, if so, he surely may hear you: unless either he is talking; with others about matters of moment and importance, who are waiting on him with their applications to him; or he is in meditation; in a deep study upon some things difficult to be resolved: or he is pursuing; his studies, or his pleasures, or his enemies, to overtake them; or he is employed on business f391: or he is in a journey; gone to visit his friends, or some parts of his dominions; so Homer f392 represents Jupiter gone to pay a visit to the Ethiopians, and as yesterday gone to a feast, and all the gods following him, from whence he would not return until twelve days; and in like manner Lucian f393 speaks of the gods, mocking at them: or, peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked; with a loud crying to him: it being now noon, Abarbinel thinks this refers to a custom of sleeping after dinner; Homer f394 also speaks of the sleep of the gods, and which used to be at noon; and therefore the worshippers of Baal ceased then to call upon him; and it is said f395, the Heathens feared to go into the temples of their gods at noon, lest they should disturb them; but such is not the true God, the God of Israel, he neither slumbers nor sleeps, (<19C104>Psalm 121:4).
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