Kings I 21:13

13 And he changed his appearance before him, and feigned himself a false character in that day; and drummed upon the doors of the city, and used extravagant gestures with his hands, and fell against the doors of the gate, and his spittle ran down upon his beard.

Kings I 21:13 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 21:13

And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before
him
Which position showed that they were his accusers, and had a charge against him; it being usual for the accusers and accused to be set face to face, as it was the manner of the Romans in later times, ( Acts 25:16 ) . Josephus says ^F4 there were "three" men to accuse him; but the Targum, and all the ancient versions, have only "two":

and the men of Belial witnessed against him, [even] against Naboth, in
the presence of the people;
both before the judges of the court, and before all the people that filled it, who came to hear the trial; so bold and impudent were they:

saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king;
or "bless", an euphemism; the phrase of cursing God being shocking to the ear, and therefore such a word is used to express it, see ( Job 1:5 ) ( 2:9 ) ,

then they carried him forth out of the city;
without any further process of examining witnesses, and of hearing what the accused had to say in his defence; but immediately they carried him out of court, and out of the city, to put him to death, malefactors being executed always without the city:

and stoned him with stones, that he died;
which was the death blasphemers were put to, ( Leviticus 24:14 Leviticus 24:23 ) , of the manner of which, (See Gill on Acts 7:58), it seems from ( 2 Kings 9:26 ) , that his sons were stoned with him.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 Antiqu. l. 3. c. 13. sect. 8.

Kings I 21:13 In-Context

11 And the servants of Anchus said to him, not this David the king of the land? Did not the dancing women begin the son to him, saying, Saul has smitten his thousand, and David his ten thousands?

12 And David laid up the words in his heart, and was greatly afraid of Anchus king of Geth.

13 And he changed his appearance before him, and feigned himself a false character in that day; and drummed upon the doors of the city, and used extravagant gestures with his hands, and fell against the doors of the gate, and his spittle ran down upon his beard.

14 And Anchus said to his servants, Lo! ye see the man mad: why have ye brought him in to me?

15 I in want of madmen, that ye have brought him in to me to play the madman? He shall not come into the house.