1 Kings 18 27

1 Kings 18:27 kjv

And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

1 Kings 18:27 nkjv

And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, "Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened."

1 Kings 18:27 niv

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."

1 Kings 18:27 esv

And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, "Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened."

1 Kings 18:27 nlt

About noontime Elijah began mocking them. "You'll have to shout louder," he scoffed, "for surely he is a god! Perhaps he is daydreaming, or is relieving himself. Or maybe he is away on a trip, or is asleep and needs to be wakened!"

1 Kings 18 verses

1 Kings 18 27 Meaning

At noon on Mount Carmel, as the prophets of Baal fruitlessly cried out to their god, Elijah the prophet began to mock them with biting sarcasm. He sarcastically suggested that perhaps Baal was distracted, meditating, attending to personal bodily needs, traveling, or even asleep, implying he was unavailable and powerless, contrasting sharply with the ever-present and omnipotent God of Israel. This mockery highlighted the utter futility of Baal worship and the impotency of idols.

1 Kings 18 27 Context

1 Kings chapter 18 details the dramatic confrontation between Elijah, the prophet of Yahweh, and the 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah, initiated by Elijah's challenge on Mount Carmel. This event takes place during the reign of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, who aggressively promoted Baal worship in Israel, leading the nation into widespread idolatry and a severe drought as divine judgment. The contest was designed to determine which deity was the true God: Baal, the Canaanite storm and fertility god, or Yahweh, the God of Israel. Before the contest, the Baal prophets spent hours appealing to their god from morning until noon, frantically dancing, crying, and cutting themselves, all to no avail. Verse 27 marks the turning point where Elijah's calm, sarcastic mockery exposes the emptiness and powerlessness of Baal in front of the assembled Israelites.

1 Kings 18 27 Word analysis

• At noon: (וַיְהִי בַצָּהֳרַיִם, wayhî baṣṣāhorayim) - Literally "and it was at noon." This precise timing is significant. Noon was the climax of the Baal worshippers' day, a peak time for a sun or sky deity's power. Their efforts had extended from morning (v.26) until this crucial moment, highlighting the duration of their futile endeavor and setting the stage for Elijah's intervention.
• Elijah: The name אֵלִיָּהוּ (’ēliyyāhû) means "My God is Yahweh," which directly speaks to the core theme of the chapter.
• mocked them: (וַיְהַתֵּל בָּהֶם, wayhātēl bāhem) - The root הָתַל (hathal) implies mockery, derision, deception, or playing tricks. Elijah’s mockery here is sharp, public, and intended to humiliate and expose. It’s not just playful jest but a severe theological critique wrapped in satire, serving to strip Baal of any supposed dignity or power.
• saying, "Cry aloud": (וַיֹּאמֶר קִרְאוּ בְקוֹל גָּדוֹל, wayyōʾmer qirəʾû bəqôl gāḏôl) - "Speak with a great voice" or "Shout loudly!" This is sarcastic encouragement, intensifying their already frenzied appeals, knowing it will yield no result.
• for he is a god: (כִּי־אֱלֹהִים הוּא, kî-’ĕlōhîm hûʾ) - Utterly ironic. Elijah affirms Baal's divinity in a mock serious tone, immediately undermined by the subsequent ridiculous reasons for his silence.
• Either he is musing: (כִּי־שִׂיחַ לוֹ, kî-śîaḥ lô) - The root שִׂיחַ (śîaḥ) can mean "meditating," "musing," "talking to himself," or being deep in thought. Some commentators suggest a double meaning here, hinting at being occupied with trivial matters, or even as a euphemism for relieving himself. This ambiguity allows for layers of contempt.
• or he is relieving himself: (אוֹ־שִׂיג לוֹ, ’ô-śîḡ lô) - This phrase is the most graphic and contemptuous. שִׂיג (śîg) typically means "turning aside" or "withdrawing." In this context, it's widely understood as a polite, euphemistic, yet incredibly derogatory reference to answering a call of nature. To suggest a god would be absent and indisposed due to a physiological function profoundly diminishes his divine status in the eyes of his worshippers. It directly challenges the dignity and majesty expected of a deity.
• or he is on a journey: (אוֹ־בְדֶרֶךְ הוּא, ’ô-ḇəḏerekə hûʾ) - Literally "or on a path/way he is." Implies absence or unavailability due to travel, emphasizing his being elsewhere and thus incapable of hearing or responding. This contrasts with Yahweh, who is omnipresent and always attentive to His people.
• or perhaps he is asleep: (אוּלַי יָשֵׁן הוּא, ’ûlay yāšēn hûʾ) - The suggestion of a deity sleeping is the ultimate insult. It implies laziness, unconsciousness, or a need for human intervention (to be woken up), presenting Baal as powerless and helpless, needing human action, not offering divine power.
• and must be awakened: (וְיִקָצֵהוּ, wəyiqqāṣêhû) - Emphasizes the complete inadequacy of Baal, contrasting with Yahweh who "will not slumber" (Psa 121:4).

Words-group analysis:

• "Elijah mocked them, saying...": This marks a shift from the Baal prophets' frantic actions to Elijah's sharp, deliberate intervention. It highlights Elijah's confidence and strategic approach in exposing Baal's impotence.
• "Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”: This entire statement is a masterclass in theological sarcasm. Each potential reason offered by Elijah underscores a fundamental deficiency in Baal compared to the attributes of the true God: Yahweh is attentive, ever-present, majestic, and never sleeps. It demolishes Baal's credibility point by point, from being preoccupied, to being unclean, to being unavailable, to being incapacitated. The climax of "asleep" is the most humiliating, showing a deity completely inert and requiring human initiative to function.

1 Kings 18 27 Bonus section

• The public nature of Elijah’s mockery would have been profoundly shameful for the prophets of Baal and their followers. In the ancient Near East, a deity's power was often reflected in their ability to perform wonders or respond to their devotees. Baal's utter silence and Elijah's sarcastic explanation directly challenged this, contributing to a psychological breakdown among the idol worshippers.
• Baal worship often involved intense rituals, self-mutilation (as seen in v. 28), and sexual acts, stemming from beliefs in sympathetic magic for fertility. Elijah's sarcastic degradation of Baal undermined these very rituals by portraying the deity as less than human.
• The use of irony and satire is not common but present in prophetic literature (e.g., Isa 44:9-20). This sharp, almost brutal humor highlights the utter absurdity of worshipping man-made idols or deities invented by human imagination.

1 Kings 18 27 Commentary

1 Kings 18:27 represents a critical juncture in the confrontation on Mount Carmel. Elijah’s mockery served multiple purposes. Theologically, it was a polemic against Baal worship, stripping away any mystique or reverence associated with this false deity. By suggesting Baal was on a toilet break or asleep, Elijah reduced the mighty storm-god to a ridiculous, human-like figure, devoid of power, omnipresence, or responsiveness. Culturally, it broke the psychological hold of Baal on the people, humiliating his prophets and demonstrating their futility after hours of desperate appeals. Spiritually, it prepared the hearts of the Israelites to witness the powerful demonstration of Yahweh’s sole deity. This audacious display of prophetic boldness highlighted Yahweh's infinite nature – actively hearing, seeing, and present – against the silent, impotent "non-god" that Baal truly was. The profound contrast set the stage for the imminent, decisive revelation of Yahweh's fire from heaven, which Baal, as the god of fire and storms, ironically could not provide for himself.