1 Kingschapter 21
29 verses · BSB1 Kings book hub →
A.The inheritance of my fathers is not for salevv. 1-4
1 Some time later, Naboth the Jezreelite happened to own a vineyard in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 So Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard to use as a vegetable garden, since it is next to my palace. I will give you a better vineyard in its place—or if you prefer, I will give you its value in silver.” 3 But Naboth replied, “The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.” 4 So Ahab went to his palace, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had told him, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” He lay down on his bed, turned his face away, and refused to eat.
B.Jezebel's letters, a proclaimed fast, and two sons of Belialvv. 5-16
5 Soon his wife Jezebel came in and asked, “Why are you so sullen that you refuse to eat?” 6 Ahab answered, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and told him, ‘Give me your vineyard for silver, or if you wish, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ And he replied, ‘I will not give you my vineyard!’” 7 But his wife Jezebel said to him, “Do you not reign over Israel? Get up, eat some food, and be cheerful, for I will get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.” 8 Then Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city. 9 In the letters she wrote: “Proclaim a fast and give Naboth a seat of honor among the people. 10 But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify, ‘You have cursed both God and the king!’ Then take him out and stone him to death.” 11 So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city did as Jezebel had instructed in the letters she had written to them. 12 They proclaimed a fast and gave Naboth a seat of honor among the people. 13 And the two scoundrels came in and sat opposite Naboth, and these men testified against him before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed both God and the king!” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death. 14 Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.” 15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, who refused to give it to you for silver. For Naboth is no longer alive, but dead.” 16 And when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
C.Hast thou killed, and also taken possession?vv. 17-24
17 Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 18 “Get up and go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria. See, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, of which he has gone to take possession. 19 Tell him that this is what the LORD says: ‘Have you not murdered a man and seized his land?’ Then tell him that this is also what the LORD says: ‘In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, there also the dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!’” 20 When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So you have found me out, my enemy.” He replied, “I have found you out because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD. 21 This is what the LORD says: ‘I will bring calamity on you and consume your descendants; I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both slave and free. 22 I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked My anger and caused Israel to sin.’ 23 And the LORD also speaks concerning Jezebel: ‘The dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ 24 Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the field will be eaten by the birds of the air.”
D.Ahab in sackcloth — the evil deferred to his son's daysvv. 25-29
25 (Surely there was never one like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, incited by his wife Jezebel. 26 He committed the most detestable acts by going after idols, just like the Amorites whom the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.) 27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around meekly. 28 Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying: 29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity during his days, but I will bring it upon his house in the days of his son.”
Chapter summary
Naboth the Jezreelite refuses to sell the inheritance of his fathers, and Ahab lies on his bed with his face to the wall and will eat no bread.
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Chapter summary
Naboth the Jezreelite refuses to sell the inheritance of his fathers, and Ahab lies on his bed with his face to the wall and will eat no bread.
Read the rest, the context and the outline ▾Show less ▴
Naboth the Jezreelite refuses to sell the inheritance of his fathers, and Ahab lies on his bed with his face to the wall and will eat no bread. Jezebel writes letters in the king's name, proclaims a fast, seats two base fellows to swear that Naboth cursed God and the king, and has him stoned outside the city. Ahab rises to take possession, and Elijah is waiting in the vineyard: 'Hast thou killed, and also taken possession?' Where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, dogs shall lick his own, and dogs shall eat Jezebel by the rampart of Jezreel. Then a hinge no one expects: Ahab rends his clothes and fasts, and the evil is deferred to his son's days.
Drawn from Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory, Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary and John Wesley, Notes on the Old Testament.
Context
History · Jeremiah — 1 Kings overview
- A. 1–4 The inheritance of my fathers is not for sale
- B. 5–16 Jezebel's letters, a proclaimed fast, and two sons of Belial
- C. 17–24 Hast thou killed, and also taken possession?
- D. 25–29 Ahab in sackcloth — the evil deferred to his son's days
Top cross-references8 chapters ▾
1 Kings 165 verses
- 1 Kings 16:3So now I will consume Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat:
- 1 Kings 16:4Anyone belonging to Baasha who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the field will be eaten by the birds of the air.”
- 1 Kings 16:11As soon as Zimri began to reign and was seated on the throne, he struck down the entire household of Baasha. He did not leave a single male, whether a kinsman or friend.
- 1 Kings 16:30However, Ahab son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him.
- 1 Kings 16:31And as if it were not enough for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he even married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and he then proceeded to serve and worship Baal.
- Read 1 Kings 16 →
1 Kings 214 verses
- 1 Kings 21:7But his wife Jezebel said to him, “Do you not reign over Israel? Get up, eat some food, and be cheerful, for I will get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
- 1 Kings 21:8Then Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city.
- 1 Kings 21:20When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So you have found me out, my enemy.” He replied, “I have found you out because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD.
- 1 Kings 21:25(Surely there was never one like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, incited by his wife Jezebel.
- Read 1 Kings 21 →
2 Kings 94 verses
- 2 Kings 9:10And on the plot of ground at Jezreel the dogs will devour Jezebel, and there will be no one to bury her.’” Then the young prophet opened the door and ran.
- 2 Kings 9:25And Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, “Pick him up and throw him into the field of Naboth the Jezreelite. For remember that when you and I were riding together behind his father Ahab, the LORD lifted up this burden against him:
- 2 Kings 9:26‘As surely as I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons yesterday, declares the LORD, so will I repay you on this plot of ground, declares the LORD.’ Now then, according to the word of the LORD, pick him up and throw him on the plot of ground.”
- 2 Kings 9:30Now when Jehu arrived in Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it. So she painted her eyes, adorned her head, and looked down from a window.
- Read 2 Kings 9 →
1 Kings 143 verses
- 1 Kings 14:10Because of all this, behold, I am bringing disaster on the house of Jeroboam: I will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both slave and free, in Israel; I will burn up the house of Jeroboam as one burns up dung until it is gone!
- 1 Kings 14:11Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the field will be eaten by the birds of the air.’ For the LORD has spoken.
- 1 Kings 14:16So He will give Israel over on account of the sins Jeroboam has committed and has caused Israel to commit.”
- Read 1 Kings 14 →
4 more chapters this one speaks with
1 Samuel 82 verses
- 1 Samuel 8:4So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.
- 1 Samuel 8:14He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his servants.
- Read 1 Samuel 8 →
1 Kings 202 verses
- 1 Kings 20:7Then the king of Israel summoned all the elders of the land and said, “Please take note and see that this man is looking for trouble, for when he demanded my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold, I did not deny him.”
- 1 Kings 20:43Sullen and angry, the king of Israel went home to Samaria.
- Read 1 Kings 20 →
Ecclesiastes 82 verses
- Ecclesiastes 8:4For the king’s word is supreme, and who can say to him, “What are you doing?”
- Ecclesiastes 8:14There is a futility that is done on the earth: There are righteous men who get what the actions of the wicked deserve, and there are wicked men who get what the actions of the righteous deserve. I say that this too is futile.
- Read Ecclesiastes 8 →
2 Kings 102 verses
- 2 Kings 10:6Then Jehu wrote them a second letter and said: “If you are on my side, and if you will obey me, then bring the heads of your master’s sons to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.” Now the sons of the king, seventy in all, were being brought up by the leading men of the city.
- 2 Kings 10:11So Jehu killed everyone in Jezreel who remained of the house of Ahab, as well as all his great men and close friends and priests, leaving him without a single survivor.
- Read 2 Kings 10 →
Cross-references from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and OpenBible.info.