1 Kings 21:9

9 In her letters she commanded: “Call the citizens together for a time of fasting, and give Naboth a place of honor.

1 Kings 21:9 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 21:9

And she wrote in the letters, saying, proclaim a fast
Pretending fears of some dreadful calamity coming upon the nation, and therefore fasting and humiliation were necessary to avert it, and it would be right to inquire what crimes were committed by men among them, and punish them for them; and intimated to them that Naboth should be chosen as the great offender, and be accused, condemned, and put to death, R. Joseph Kimchi ^F1 thinks the phrase signifies "call an assembly or congregation"; convene a court of judicature, from the use of the word in the Talmudic language ^F2; and so it is thought it is used in ( Jeremiah 36:6 ) and indeed it can hardly be thought that Jezebel should have much notion of fasting; and besides, if it was a public fast, why should it be proclaimed only in Jezreel, and not throughout the kingdom?

and set Naboth on high among the people;
the court being set, bring him to the bar and arraign him; perhaps in their courts of judicature there was a high place above the heads of the people, where criminals accused used to stand when they took their trials, that they might be seen and heard by all in court.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F1 Apud David. Kimchium in loc.
F2 Vid. Buxtorf. Talmud. Lexic. in rad (tou)

1 Kings 21:9 In-Context

7 “Are you the king of Israel or not?” Jezebel demanded. “Get up and eat something, and don’t worry about it. I’ll get you Naboth’s vineyard!”

8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and other leaders of the town where Naboth lived.

9 In her letters she commanded: “Call the citizens together for a time of fasting, and give Naboth a place of honor.

10 And then seat two scoundrels across from him who will accuse him of cursing God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death.”

11 So the elders and other town leaders followed the instructions Jezebel had written in the letters.