1 Kings 18:27
New International Version
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.”

New Living Translation
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!”

English Standard Version
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.”

Berean Standard Bible
At noon Elijah began to taunt them, saying, “Shout louder, for he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or on a journey. Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened!”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
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.”

New American Standard Bible
And at noon Elijah ridiculed them and said, “Call out with a loud voice, since he is a god; undoubtedly he is attending to business, or is on the way, or is on a journey. Perhaps he is asleep, and will awaken.”

NASB 1995
It came about at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened.”

NASB 1977
And it came about at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or relieving himself, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened.”

Amplified Bible
At noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied, or he is out [at the moment], or he is on a journey. Perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened!”

Christian Standard Bible
At noon Elijah mocked them. He said, “Shout loudly, for he’s a god! Maybe he’s thinking it over; maybe he has wandered away; or maybe he’s on the road. Perhaps he’s sleeping and will wake up! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
At noon Elijah mocked them. He said, “Shout loudly, for he’s a god! Maybe he’s thinking it over; maybe he has wandered away; or maybe he’s on the road. Perhaps he’s sleeping and will wake up!”

American Standard Version
And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud; for he is a god: either he is musing, or he is gone aside, or he is on a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth and must be awaked.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And when it was noon, Elyah laughed at them and he said: “Call in a loud voice, because he is a god! Maybe he is in meditation, or perhaps is visiting a property, or maybe he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and he will be awakened!”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And it was noon, and Eliu the Thesbite mocked them, and said, Call with a loud voice, for he is a god; for he is meditating, or else perhaps he is engaged in business, or perhaps he is asleep, and is to be awaked.

Contemporary English Version
At noon, Elijah began making fun of them. "Pray louder!" he said. "Baal must be a god. Maybe he's daydreaming or using the toilet or traveling somewhere. Or maybe he's asleep, and you have to wake him up."

Douay-Rheims Bible
And when it was now noon, Elias jested at them, saying: Cry with a louder voice: for he is a God, and perhaps he is talking, or is in an inn, or on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep, and must be awaked.

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

GOD'S WORD® Translation
At noon Elijah started to make fun of them. "Shout louder, since he is a god. Maybe he's thinking, relieving himself, or traveling! Maybe he's sleeping, and you have to wake him!"

Good News Translation
At noon Elijah started making fun of them: "Pray louder! He is a god! Maybe he is day-dreaming or relieving himself, or perhaps he's gone off on a trip! Or maybe he's sleeping, and you've got to wake him up!"

International Standard Version
Starting about noon, Elijah began to tease them: "Shout louder! "He's a god, so maybe he's busy. "Maybe he's relieving himself. "Maybe he's busy someplace. "Maybe he's taking a nap and somebody needs to wake him up."

JPS Tanakh 1917
And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said: 'Cry aloud; for he is a god; either he is musing, or he is gone aside, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.'

Literal Standard Version
And it comes to pass, at noon, that Elijah mocks at them and says, “Call with a loud voice, for he [is] a god, for he is meditating, or pursuing, or on a journey; it may be he is asleep, and awakes.”

Majority Standard Bible
At noon Elijah began to taunt them, saying, “Shout louder, for he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or on a journey. Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened!”

New American Bible
When it was noon, Elijah taunted them: “Call louder, for he is a god; he may be busy doing his business, or may be on a journey. Perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”

NET Bible
At noon Elijah mocked them, "Yell louder! After all, he is a god; he may be deep in thought, or perhaps he stepped out for a moment or has taken a trip. Perhaps he is sleeping and needs to be awakened."

New Revised Standard Version
At noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud! Surely he is a god; either he is meditating, or he has wandered away, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.”

New Heart English Bible
And it came about, at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, "Cry aloud, for he is a god. Maybe he is thinking about it, or he is busy, or he is on a trip, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened."

Webster's Bible Translation
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 on a journey, or perhaps he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

World English Bible
At noon, Elijah mocked them, and said, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is deep in thought, or he has gone somewhere, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he sleeps and must be awakened.”

Young's Literal Translation
And it cometh to pass, at noon, that Elijah playeth on them, and saith, 'Call with a loud voice, for he is a god, for he is meditating, or pursuing, or on a journey; it may be he is asleep, an doth awake.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Elijah on Mount Carmel
26And they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no sound, and no one answered as they leaped around the altar they had made. 27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them, saying, “Shout louder, for he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or occupied, or on a journey. Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened!” 28So they shouted louder and cut themselves with knives and lances, as was their custom, until the blood gushed over them.…

Cross References
1 Kings 18:26
And they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, shouting, "O Baal, answer us!" But there was no sound, and no one answered as they leaped around the altar they had made.

1 Kings 18:28
So they shouted louder and cut themselves with knives and lances, as was their custom, until the blood gushed over them.

Psalm 39:3
My heart grew hot within me; as I mused, the fire burned. Then I spoke with my tongue:


Treasury of Scripture

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 sleeps, and must be awaked.

Elijah

1 Kings 22:15
So he came to the king. And the king said unto him, Micaiah, shall we go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall we forbear? And he answered him, Go, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the hand of the king.

2 Chronicles 25:8
But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong for the battle: God shall make thee fall before the enemy: for God hath power to help, and to cast down.

Ecclesiastes 11:9
Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.

aloud [heb] with a great voice

Isaiah 41:23
Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together.

he is talking.

Psalm 44:23
Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.

Psalm 78:65,66
Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine…

Psalm 121:4
Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

Jump to Previous
Aloud Asleep Awaked Awakened Busy Cry Deep Either Elijah Gone Journey Loud Maybe Middle Mocked Musing Needs Noon Occupied Peradventure Perhaps Purpose Pursuing Shout Sleepeth Sleeps Surely Talking Taunt Thought Traveling Voice
Jump to Next
Aloud Asleep Awaked Awakened Busy Cry Deep Either Elijah Gone Journey Loud Maybe Middle Mocked Musing Needs Noon Occupied Peradventure Perhaps Purpose Pursuing Shout Sleepeth Sleeps Surely Talking Taunt Thought Traveling Voice
1 Kings 18
1. In the extremity of famine Elijah, sent to Ahab, meets good Obadiah
9. Obadiah brings Ahab to Elijah
17. Elijah, reproving Ahab, by fire from heaven convinces Baal's prophets
41. Elijah, by prayer obtaining rain, follows Ahab to Jezreel














(27) Elijah mocked them.--The mockery of Elijah--apparently even blunter and more scornful in the sense of the original--has been with over-ingenuity explained as applying to various supposed actions of Baal. It is merely the bitter irony of sheer contempt, calling Baal a god only to heap upon him ideas most ungodlike; "He is busy, or he is in retirement; he is far away, or in the noon-day heat he is asleep." Characteristic of the fierce indignation of Elijah's nature, in this crisis of conflict, it is yet not unlike the righteous scorn of the psalmists or the prophets (see Psalm 115:4-8; Psalm 135:15-18; Isaiah 44:9-20; Isaiah 46:1-7; Jeremiah 10:2-10, &c.) for the worship of "the vanities" of the heathen. There was no place for toleration of prejudice, or tender appreciation of a blind worship feeling after God, like that of St. Paul at Athens (Acts 17:22-23). The conflict here was between spiritual worship and a foul, cruel idolatry; and the case was not of heathen ignorance, but of Israel's apostasy. . . . Verse 27. - And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked [or deceived] them, and said, Cry aloud [Heb. with a great voice]: for he is a god [i.e., in your estimation. "Here is one of the few examples of irony in Scripture" (Wordsworth)]; either he is talking [the marg. he meditateth is preferable. Cf. 1 Samuel 1:16; Psalm 142:3. But the word has both meanings (see 2 Kings 9:11), fairly preserved in the LXX., ἀδολεσχία αὐτῷ ἐστι], or he is pursuing [Heb. for he hath a withdrawal, i.e., for the purpose of relieving himself. A euphemism. Cf. Judges 3:24; 1 Samuel 24:3. Stanley attempts to preserve the paronomasia, שִׂיג שִׂיח, by the translation, "he has his head full" and "he has his stomach full"], or he is in a Journey [the thrice repeated כִּי must be noticed. It heightens the effect of the mockery], or peradventure he sleepeth [Though it was noon, it is not clear that there is a reference to the usual midday siesta of the East], and must be awaked.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
At noon
בַֽצָּהֳרַ֜יִם (ḇaṣ·ṣā·ho·ra·yim)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6672: A light, double light, noon

Elijah
אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ (’ê·lî·yā·hū)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 452: Elijah -- 'Yah is God', a well-known prophet of Israel, also three other Israelites

began to taunt
וַיְהַתֵּ֧ל (way·hat·têl)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2048: To deride, to cheat

them,
בָּהֶ֣ם (bā·hem)
Preposition | third person masculine plural
Strong's Hebrew

saying,
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Shout
קִרְא֤וּ (qir·’ū)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural
Strong's 7121: To call, proclaim, read

louder,
גָּדוֹל֙ (gā·ḏō·wl)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

for
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

he is
ה֔וּא (hū)
Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

a god!
אֱלֹהִ֣ים (’ĕ·lō·hîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative

Perhaps he is deep in thought,
שִׂ֧יחַ (śî·aḥ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7879: A contemplation, an utterance

or occupied,
שִׂ֛יג (śîḡ)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 7873: A withdrawal

or on a journey.
דֶ֣רֶךְ (ḏe·reḵ)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

Perhaps
אוּלַ֛י (’ū·lay)
Adverb
Strong's 194: Perhaps

he is
ה֖וּא (hū)
Pronoun - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1931: He, self, the same, this, that, as, are

sleeping
יָשֵׁ֥ן (yā·šên)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 3463: Sleeping

and must be awakened!”
וְיִקָֽץ׃ (wə·yi·qāṣ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3364: To awake


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OT History: 1 Kings 18:27 It happened at noon that Elijah mocked (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)
1 Kings 18:26
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