Melachim Alef 21:9

9 And she wrote in the sefarim, saying, Proclaim a tzom, and set Navot on high among the people;

Melachim Alef 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)

Melachim Alef 21:9 In-Context

7 And Izevel his isha said unto him, What a grand sovereign over Yisroel you are! Arise, and eat lechem, and let thine lev be cheerful; I will give thee the kerem (vineyard) of Navot the Yizre’eli.

8 So she wrote sefarim (letters) b’shem Ach’av, and sealed them with his chotam (seal), and sent the sefarim unto the zekenim and to the chorim (nobles, rulers) that were in his city, dwelling with Navot.

9 And she wrote in the sefarim, saying, Proclaim a tzom, and set Navot on high among the people;

10 And seat two men, bnei beliyaal, opposite him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst upon Elohim and Melech make a [blasphemous] brocha! And then take him out, and stone him, that he may die.

11 And the anashim of his city, even the zekenim and the chorim (nobles) who were the inhabitants in his city, did just as Izevel had sent unto them, and just as it was written in the sefarim which she had sent unto them.