1 Kings 21:7

7 His wife Jezebel said, "Is this how the king of Israel acts? Get up! Eat something! Cheer up. I'll get you the vineyard of Naboth from Jezreel."

1 Kings 21:7 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 21:7

And Jezebel his wife said unto him, dost thou now govern the
kingdom of Israel?
&c.] Art thou not king of Israel? canst thou not do as thou pleasest? hast thou not power to oblige a subject to obey thy commands, and especially in such a trifling matter as parting with a vineyard, and that upon the most reasonable terms? thou hast too much demeaned thyself as a king; thou oughtest to have exerted thy kingly power and authority, and demanded it from him; the Targum is,

``thou now shalt prosper in thy kingdom over Israel;''

thy reign now is prosperous, and like to continue so, having obtained two such victories over thine enemies, and therefore should not be dejected with such a trifling thing as this:

arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry:
the kingdom being in such a flourishing state; and let not this affair give thee any trouble or uneasiness; I will take care of that, leave it with me:

I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite:
without paying any money, or giving another vineyard in exchange for it.

1 Kings 21:7 In-Context

5 His wife Jezebel came in. She asked him, "Why are you in such a bad mood? Why won't you eat anything?"

6 He answered her, "Because I spoke to Naboth from Jezreel. I said, 'Sell me your vineyard. Or, if you prefer, I'll give you another vineyard in its place.' But he said, 'I won't sell you my vineyard.' "

7 His wife Jezebel said, "Is this how the king of Israel acts? Get up! Eat something! Cheer up. I'll get you the vineyard of Naboth from Jezreel."

8 So she wrote some letters in Ahab's name. She stamped them with his seal. Then she sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in the city where Naboth lived.

9 In those letters she wrote, "Announce a day when people are supposed to go without eating. Have Naboth sit in an important place among the people.