29 Seest H7200 thou how Ahab H256 humbleth H3665 himself before H6440 me? because H3282 he humbleth H3665 himself before H6440 me, I will not bring H935 the evil H7451 in his days: H3117 but in his son's H1121 days H3117 will I bring H935 the evil H7451 upon his house. H1004
Then said H559 Jehu to Bidkar H920 his captain, H7991 Take up, H5375 and cast H7993 him in the portion H2513 of the field H7704 of Naboth H5022 the Jezreelite: H3158 for remember H2142 how that, when I and thou rode H7392 together H6776 after H310 Ahab H256 his father, H1 the LORD H3068 laid H5375 this burden H4853 upon him; Surely I have seen H7200 yesterday H570 the blood H1818 of Naboth, H5022 and the blood H1818 of his sons, H1121 saith H5002 the LORD; H3068 and I will requite H7999 thee in this plat, H2513 saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 Now therefore take H5375 and cast H7993 him into the plat H2513 of ground, according to the word H1697 of the LORD. H3068
And Moses H4872 and Aaron H175 came in H935 unto Pharaoh, H6547 and said H559 unto him, Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of the Hebrews, H5680 How long H4970 wilt thou refuse H3985 to humble H6031 thyself before H6440 me? let my people H5971 go, H7971 that they may serve H5647 me.
As soon as they hear H8088 H241 of me, they shall obey H8085 me: the strangers H1121 H5236 shall submit H3584 themselves unto me.
Say H559 unto God, H430 How terrible H3372 art thou in thy works! H4639 through the greatness H7230 of thy power H5797 shall thine enemies H341 submit H3584 themselves unto thee.
When he slew H2026 them, then they sought H1875 him: and they returned H7725 and enquired early H7836 after God. H410 And they remembered H2142 that God H430 was their rock, H6697 and the high H5945 God H410 their redeemer. H1350 Nevertheless they did flatter H6601 him with their mouth, H6310 and they lied H3576 unto him with their tongues. H3956 For their heart H3820 was not right H3559 with him, neither were they stedfast H539 in his covenant. H1285
But thou, O Lord, H136 art a God H410 full of compassion, H7349 and gracious, H2587 longsuffering, H750 H639 and plenteous H7227 in mercy H2617 and truth. H571
Seest H7200 thou not what they do H6213 in the cities H5892 of Judah H3063 and in the streets H2351 of Jerusalem? H3389
Therefore, O thou son H1121 of man, H120 speak H559 unto the house H1004 of Israel; H3478 Thus ye speak, H559 saying, H559 If our transgressions H6588 and our sins H2403 be upon us, and we pine away H4743 in them, how should we then live? H2421 Say H559 unto them, As I live, H2416 saith H5002 the Lord H136 GOD, H3069 I have no pleasure H2654 in the death H4194 of the wicked; H7563 but that the wicked H7563 turn H7725 from his way H1870 and live: H2421 turn H7725 ye, turn H7725 ye from your evil H7451 ways; H1870 for why will ye die, H4191 O house H1004 of Israel? H3478
Who is a God H410 like unto thee, that pardoneth H5375 iniquity, H5771 and passeth by H5674 the transgression H6588 of the remnant H7611 of his heritage? H5159 he retaineth H2388 not his anger H639 for ever, H5703 because he delighteth H2654 in mercy. H2617
And G2532 he turned G4762 to G4314 the woman, G1135 and said G5346 unto Simon, G4613 Seest thou G991 this G5026 woman? G1135 I entered G1525 into G1519 thine G4675 house, G3614 thou gavest me G1325 no G3756 water G5204 for G1909 my G3450 feet: G4228 but G1161 she G3778 G846 hath washed G1026 my G3450 feet G4228 with tears, G1144 and G2532 wiped G1591 them with the hairs G2359 of her G846 head. G2776
The Lord G2962 is G1019 not G3756 slack G1019 concerning his promise, G1860 as G5613 some men G5100 count G2233 slackness; G1022 but G235 is longsuffering G3114 to G1519 us-ward, G2248 not G3361 willing G1014 that any G5100 should perish, G622 but G235 that all G3956 should come G5562 to G1519 repentance. G3341
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Kings 21
Commentary on 1 Kings 21 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 21
1Ki 21:1-4. Naboth Refuses Ahab His Vineyard.
1-3. Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel—Ahab was desirous, from its contiguity to the palace, to possess it for a vegetable garden. He proposed to Naboth to give him a better in exchange, or to obtain it by purchase; but the owner declined to part with it. In persisting in his refusal, Naboth was not actuated by any feelings of disloyalty or disrespect to the king, but solely from a conscientious regard to the divine law, which, for important reasons, had prohibited the sale of a paternal inheritance [Le 25:23; Nu 36:7]; or if, through extreme poverty or debt, an assignation of it to another was unavoidable, the conveyance was made on the condition of its being redeemable at any time [Le 25:25-27]; at all events, of its reverting at the jubilee to the owner [Le 25:28]. In short, it could not be alienated from the family, and it was on this ground that Naboth (1Ki 21:3) refused to comply with the king's demand. It was not, therefore, any rudeness or disrespect that made Ahab heavy and displeased, but his sulky and pettish demeanor betrays a spirit of selfishness that could not brook to be disappointed of a favorite object, and that would have pushed him into lawless tyranny had he possessed any natural force of character.
4. turned away his face—either to conceal from his attendants the vexation of spirit he felt, or, by the affectation of great sorrow, rouse them to devise some means of gratifying his wishes.
1Ki 21:5-16. Jezebel Causes Naboth to Be Stoned.
7. Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel?—This is not so much a question as an exclamation—a sarcastic taunt; "A pretty king thou art! Canst not thou use thy power and take what thy heart is set upon?"
arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard—After upbraiding Ahab for his pusillanimity and bidding him act as a king, Jezebel tells him to trouble himself no more about such a trifle; she would guarantee the possession of the vineyard.
8. So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal—The seal-ring contained the name of the king and gave validity to the documents to which it was affixed (Es 8:8; Da 6:17). By allowing her the use of his signet-ring, Ahab passively consented to Jezebel's proceeding. Being written in the king's name, it had the character of a royal mandate.
sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city—They were the civic authorities of Jezreel, and would, in all likelihood, be the creatures and fit tools of Jezebel. It is evident that, though Ahab had recently been in Jezreel, when he made the offer to Naboth, both he and Jezebel were now in Samaria (1Ki 20:43).
9. Proclaim a fast, &c.—Those obsequious and unprincipled magistrates did according to orders. Pretending that a heavy guilt lay on one, or some unknown party, who was charged with blaspheming God and the king and that Ahab was threatening vengeance on the whole city unless the culprit were discovered and punished, they assembled the people to observe a solemn fast. Fasts were commanded on extraordinary occasions affecting the public interests of the state (2Ch 20:3; Ezr 8:21; Joe 1:14; 2:15; Jon 3:5). The wicked authorities of Jezreel, by proclaiming the fast, wished to give an external appearance of justice to their proceedings and convey an impression among the people that Naboth's crime amounted to treason against the king's life.
set Naboth on high—During a trial the panel, or accused person, was placed on a high seat, in the presence of all the court; but as the guilty person was supposed to be unknown, the setting of Naboth on high among the people must have been owing to his being among the distinguished men of the place.
13. there came in two men—worthless fellows who had been bribed to swear a falsehood. The law required two witnesses in capital offenses (De 17:6; 19:15; Nu 35:30; Mt 26:60). Cursing God and cursing the king are mentioned in the law (Ex 22:28) as offenses closely connected, the king of Israel being the earthly representative of God in His kingdom.
they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him—The law, which forbade cursing the rulers of the people, does not specify the penalty for this offense but either usage had sanctioned or the authorities of Jezreel had originated stoning as the proper punishment. It was always inflicted out of the city (Ac 7:58).
14-16. Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession—Naboth's execution having been announced, and his family being involved in the same fatal sentence (2Ki 9:26), his property became forfeited to the crown, not by law, but traditionary usage (see 2Sa 16:4).
16. Ahab rose up to go down—from Samaria to Jezreel.
1Ki 21:17-29. Elijah Denounces Judgments against Ahab and Jezebel.
17-19. Hast thou killed, and also taken possession?—While Ahab was in the act of surveying his ill-gotten possession, Elijah, by divine commission, stood before him. The appearance of the prophet, at such a time, was ominous of evil, but his language was much more so (compare Eze 45:8; 46:16-18). Instead of shrinking with horror from the atrocious crime, Ahab eagerly hastened to his newly acquired property.
19. In the place where dogs licked, &c.—a righteous retribution of Providence. The prediction was accomplished, not in Jezreel, but in Samaria; and not on Ahab personally, in consequence of his repentance (1Ki 21:29), but on his son (2Ki 9:25). The words "in the place where" might be rendered "in like manner as."
20. thou hast sold thyself to work evil—that is, allowed sin to acquire the unchecked and habitual mastery over thee (2Ki 17:17; Ro 7:11).
21, 22. will make thine house, &c.—(see on 1Ki 15:29 and 1Ki 16:3-12). Jezebel, though included among the members of Ahab's house, has her ignominious fate expressly foretold (see 2Ki 9:30).
27-29. Ahab … rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly—He was not obdurate, like Jezebel. This terrible announcement made a deep impression on the king's heart, and led, for a while, to sincere repentance. Going softly, that is, barefoot, and with a pensive manner, within doors. He manifested all the external signs, conventional and natural, of the deepest sorrow. He was wretched, and so great is the mercy of God, that, in consequence of his humiliation, the threatened punishment was deferred.