1 Kings 21:9

9 She had written in the letters, saying, "Call a fast and seat Naboth at the head of the people.

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.

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FOOTNOTES:

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

1 Kings 21:9 In-Context

7 Jezebel his wife said to him, "Now, you {rule} over Israel. Get up, eat food, and let your heart be {cheerful}. I myself will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."

8 So she wrote letters in the name of Ahab and sealed them with his seal. She sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who [were] dwelling with Naboth in his city.

9 She had written in the letters, saying, "Call a fast and seat Naboth at the head of the people.

10 Seat two men, {scoundrels}, opposite him. Let them witness against him saying, 'You cursed God and the king.' Then you shall bring him out and stone him so that he dies."

11 The men of his city and the elders and nobles who were living in his city did according to what Jezebel had sent to them, as [was] written in the letters which she had sent to them.