1 Kings 21:17-29

The Lord's Judgment on Ahab

17 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite:
18 "Get up and go to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria. You'll find him in Naboth's vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it.
19 Tell him, 'This is what the Lord says: Have you murdered and also taken possession?' Then tell him, 'This is what the Lord says: In the place where the dogs licked Naboth's blood, the dogs will also lick your blood!' "
20 Ahab said to Elijah, "So, you have caught me, my enemy." He replied, "I have caught you because you devoted yourself to do what is evil in the Lord's sight.
21 This is what the Lord says:[a] 'I am about to bring disaster on you and will sweep away your descendants: I will eliminate all of Ahab's males,[b] both slave and free, in Israel;[c]
22 I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked [My] anger and caused Israel to sin.
23 The Lord also speaks of Jezebel: The dogs will eat Jezebel in the plot of land[d] at Jezreel:[e]
24 He who belongs to Ahab and dies in the city, the dogs will eat, and he who dies in the field, the birds of the sky will eat.' "[f]
25 Still, there was no one like Ahab, who devoted himself to do what was evil in the Lord's sight, because his wife Jezebel incited him.
26 He committed the most detestable acts by going after idols as the Amorites had, whom the Lord had dispossessed before the Israelites.
27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put sackcloth over his body, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around subdued.
28 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite:
29 "Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? I will not bring the disaster during his lifetime, because he has humbled himself before Me. I will bring the disaster on his house during his son's lifetime."

1 Kings 21:17-29 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.

Footnotes 6

  • [a]. LXX; Hb omits This is what the Lord says
  • [b]. Lit eliminate Ahab's one who urinates against the wall
  • [c]. 1 Kg 14:10
  • [d]. Some Hb mss, Syr, Tg, Vg, 2 Kg 9:36; MT, LXX read the rampart
  • [e]. 2 Kg 9:36
  • [f]. 1 Kg 14:11; 16:4
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