11 So the responsible men and the chiefs who were in authority in his town, did as Jezebel had said in the letter she sent them.
If a ruler gives attention to false words, all his servants are evil-doers.
But Peter and the Apostles, answering, said, We have to do the orders of God, not of man.
Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was very angry; and he sent out, and put to death all the male children in Beth-lehem and in all the parts round about it, from two years old and under, acting on the knowledge which he had got with care from the wise men.
And it was made clear to them by God in a dream that they were not to go back to Herod; so they went into their country by another way.
Ephraim is troubled; he is crushed by his judges, because he took pleasure in walking after deceit.
But if not, be certain, O King, that we will not be the servants of your gods, or give worship to the image of gold which you have put up. Then Nebuchadnezzar was full of wrath, and the form of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: and he gave orders that the fire was to be heated up seven times more than it was generally heated. And he gave orders to certain strong men in his army to put cords on Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego and put them into the burning and flaming fire. Then these men had cords put round them as they were, in their coats, their trousers, their hats, and their clothing, and were dropped into the burning and flaming fire. And because the king's order was not to be put on one side, and the heat of the fire was so great, the men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were burned to death by the flame of the fire. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, with the cords about them, went down into the burning and flaming fire. Then King Nebuchadnezzar, full of fear and wonder, got up quickly, and said to his wise men, Did we not put three men in cords into the fire? and they made answer and said to the king, True, O King. He made answer and said, Look! I see four men loose, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are not damaged; and the form of the fourth is like a son of the gods.
But the women had the fear of God, and did not do as the king of Egypt said, but let the male children go on living.
But when they had made a secret design against him, he was stoned with stones, by the king's order, in the outer square of the Lord's house.
Then he sent them a second letter, saying, If you are on my side, and if you will do my orders, come to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow, with the heads of your master's sons. Now the king's seventy sons were with the great men of the town, who had the care of them. And when the letter came to them, they took the king's sons and put them to death, all the seventy, and put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel.
So now, O king, have your soul's desire and come down, and we, for our part, will give him up into the king's hands.
Then the king said to the runners who were waiting near him, Put the priests of the Lord to death; because they are on David's side, and having knowledge of his flight, did not give me word of it. But the king's servants would not put out their hands to make an attack on the Lord's priests.
Do not let a false statement go further; do not make an agreement with evil-doers to be a false witness. Do not be moved to do wrong by the general opinion, or give the support of your words to a wrong decision:
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 1 Kings 21
Commentary on 1 Kings 21 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 21
Ahab is still the unhappy subject of the sacred history; from the great affairs of his camp and kingdom this chapter leads us into his garden, and gives us an account of some ill things (and ill indeed they proved to him) relating to his domestic affairs.
1Ki 21:1-4
Here is,
1Ki 21:5-16
Nothing but mischief is to be expected when Jezebel enters into the story-that cursed woman, 2 Ki. 9:34.
1Ki 21:17-29
In these verses we may observe,