1 Kings 21:14-24

14 Then they sent word to Jezebel, saying, "Naboth has been stoned and is dead."
15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, "Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth, the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead."
16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.
17 Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
18 "Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, 1who is in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth where * he has gone down to take possession of it.
19 "You shall speak to him, saying, 'Thus says the LORD, "2Have you murdered and also taken possession?"' And you shall speak to him, saying, 'Thus says the LORD, "3In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth the dogs will lick up your blood, even yours.""'
20 Ahab said to Elijah, "4Have you found me, O my enemy?" And he answered, "I have found you, 5because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD.
21 "Behold, I will bring evil upon you, and 6will utterly sweep you away, and will cut off from Ahab every male *, both bond and free in Israel;
22 and 7I will make your house 8like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger, and because you 9have made Israel sin.
23 "Of Jezebel also has the LORD spoken, saying, '10The dogs will eat Jezebel in the district of Jezreel.'
24 "11The one belonging to Ahab, who dies in the city, the dogs will eat, and the one who dies in the field the birds of heaven will eat."

1 Kings 21:14-24 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 21

In this chapter we have an account of Ahab's design to have Naboth's vineyard, for which he offered him another, or the value of that, but Naboth refusing to part with it, Ahab fell sick, 1Ki 21:1-4, the reason of which being found out by Jezebel, she devised means to get Naboth put to death under the colour of justice for blasphemy, 1Ki 21:5-14, and then bid Ahab go and take possession of the vineyard, where he was met by Elijah, who denounced the judgments of God upon him, and Jezebel, and all his family, for his injustice, 1Ki 21:15-26, but he humbling himself, the evil threatened was deferred to the days of his son, 1Ki 21:27-29.

Cross References 11

  • 1. 1 Kings 16:29
  • 2. 2 Samuel 12:9
  • 3. 1 Kings 22:38; 2 Kings 9:26
  • 4. 1 Kings 18:17
  • 5. 1 Kings 21:25; 2 Kings 17:17; Romans 7:14
  • 6. 1 Kings 14:10; 2 Kings 9:8
  • 7. 1 Kings 15:29
  • 8. 1 Kings 16:3, 11
  • 9. 1 Kings 12:30; 1 Kings 13:34; 1 Kings 14:16
  • 10. 2 Kin 9:10, 30-37
  • 11. 1 Kings 14:11; 1 Kings 16:4

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Lit "said"
  • [b]. Lit "portion;" some mss read "rampart"
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California.  All rights reserved.