1 Kings 21:19-26

19 And you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Have you killed and also taken possession? ”’ And you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: ¹“In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your own blood. ”’”

20 Ahab said to Elijah, ²“Have you found me, O my enemy? ” He answered, “I have found you, because ³you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the Lord.

21 Behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and ⁴will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel.

22 And I will make your house like ⁵the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like ⁶the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the anger to which you have provoked me, and because you ⁷have made Israel to sin.

23 And of Jezebel the Lord also said, ⁸‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel within ⁹the walls of Jezreel. ’

24 ¹⁰Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds of the heavens shall eat. ”

Ahab’s Repentance

25 ( ¹¹There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited.

26 He acted very abominably in going after ¹²idols, as ¹³the Amorites had done, whom the Lord cast out before the people of Israel. )

1 Kings 21:19-26 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

• 1. 21:19 ch. 22:38; 2 Kgs. 9:26
• 2. 21:20 [ch. 18:17]
• 3. 21:20 ver. 25; 2 Kgs. 17:17; Rom. 7:14
• 4. 21:21 2 Kgs. 9:8; [ch. 14:10]
• 5. 21:22 ch. 15:29
• 6. 21:22 ch. 16:3, 11
• 7. 21:22 ch. 14:16
• 8. 21:23 2 Kgs. 9:36
• 9. 21:23 [2 Sam. 20:15]
• 10. 21:24 [ch. 14:11; 16:4]
• 11. 21:25 See ch. 16:30-33
• 12. 21:26 [ch. 15:12; 2 Kgs. 17:12; 21:11]
• 13. 21:26 Gen. 15:16