So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and to the nobles who were in his city, who lived with Naboth. She wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. Set two men, wicked fellows, before him, and let them testify against him, saying, ‘You cursed God and the king!’ Then carry him out, and stone him to death.”
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1 Kings 21:8-10 sits inside this longer paragraph.
Jezebel his wife said to him, “Do you now govern the kingdom of Israel? Arise, and eat bread, and let your heart be merry. I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.” So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and to the nobles who were in his city, who lived with Naboth. She wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. Set two men, wicked fellows, before him, and let them testify against him, saying, ‘You cursed God and the king!’ Then carry him out, and stone him to death.”
Parallel Translations
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So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and to the nobles who were in his city, who lived with Naboth.
She wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.
Set two men, wicked fellows, before him, and let them testify against him, saying, ‘You cursed God and the king!’ Then carry him out, and stone him to death.”
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So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.
And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:
And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.
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So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, and that dwelt with Naboth.
And she wrote in the letters, saying: 'Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people;
and set two men, base fellows, before him, and let them bear witness against him, saying: Thou didst curse God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he die.'
Cross-references (29)
- Exodus 22:28 (v10) “You shall not blaspheme God, nor curse a ruler of your people.
- Acts 6:11 (v10) Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.”
- Leviticus 24:15-16 (v10) You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin. He who blasphemes Yahweh’s name, he shall…
- Deuteronomy 13:13 (v10) certain wicked fellows have gone out from among you and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, “Let’s go and serve other…
- Deuteronomy 19:15 (v10) One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin that he sins. At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth…
Show all 29 cross-references
- Numbers 11:16 (v8) Yahweh said to Moses, “Gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over…
- Deuteronomy 16:18-19 (v8) You shall make judges and officers in all your gates, which Yahweh your God gives you, according to your tribes; and they shall judge the…
- Deuteronomy 21:1-9 (v8) If someone is found slain in the land which Yahweh your God gives you to possess, lying in the field, and it isn’t known who has struck…
- Judges 19:22 (v10) As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain wicked fellows, surrounded the house, beating at the door; and…
- 2 Samuel 11:14-15 (v8) In the morning, David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. He wrote in the letter, saying, “Send Uriah to the…
- 1 Kings 20:7 (v8) Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, “Please notice how this man seeks mischief; for he sent to me for my…
- 1 Kings 21:1 (v8) After these things, Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
- 2 Kings 10:1-7 (v8) Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, even the elders, and to those who…
- 2 Kings 10:11 (v8) So Jehu struck all that remained of Ahab’s house in Jezreel, with all his great men, his familiar friends, and his priests, until he left…
- 2 Chronicles 32:17 (v8) He also wrote letters insulting Yahweh, the God of Israel, and speaking against him, saying, “As the gods of the nations of the lands,…
- Ezra 4:7-8 (v8) In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing…
- Ezra 4:11 (v8) This is the copy of the letter that they sent: To King Artaxerxes, From your servants the men beyond the River.
- Nehemiah 6:5 (v8) Then Sanballat sent his servant to me the same way the fifth time with an open letter in his hand,
- Esther 3:12-15 (v8) Then the king’s scribes were called in on the first month, on the thirteenth day of the month; and all that Haman commanded was written to…
- Esther 8:8-13 (v8) Write also to the Jews, as it pleases you, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s ring; for the writing which is written in the…
- Isaiah 58:4 (v9) Behold, you fast for strife and contention, and to strike with the fist of wickedness. You don’t fast today so as to make your voice to be…
- Matthew 2:8 (v9) He sent them to Bethlehem, and said, “Go and search diligently for the young child. When you have found him, bring me word, so that I also…
- Matthew 23:13 (v9) “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and as a pretense you make long prayers. Therefore you will…
- Matthew 26:59-66 (v10) Now the chief priests, the elders, and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus, that they might put him to death; and they…
- Luke 20:47 (v9) who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these will receive greater condemnation.”
- John 10:33 (v10) The Jews answered him, “We don’t stone you for a good work, but for blasphemy: because you, being a man, make yourself God.”
- John 18:28 (v9) They led Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Praetorium. It was early, and they themselves didn’t enter into the Praetorium, that they…
- Acts 6:13 (v10) and set up false witnesses who said, “This man never stops speaking blasphemous words against this holy place and the law.
- Genesis 34:13-17 (v9) The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father with deceit when they spoke, because he had defiled Dinah their sister, and said to…
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (16 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v9 For then they used to inquire of men’s faults:…
For then they used to inquire of men’s faults: for none could fast truly that were notorious sinners.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv8–10 1Ki 21:8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name,…
1Ki 21:8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed [them] with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that [were] in his city, dwelling with Naboth.
Ver. 8. So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal.] She was king, and he queen, as was afore noted; she wrought upon his impotencies, and did what she listed. The he-viper putteth his head into the she-viper’s mouth, and she biteth it off: so the uxorious person parteth with his authority.
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Unto the elders.] Who were her creatures likely, and therefore so morigerous.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv8–10 Whom she very well knew to be fit for…
Whom she very well knew to be fit for her purpose.
In his city, i.e. in Jezreel. So she seeks to destroy him with a pretence of justice, and with as little reflection upon Ahab as might be.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv8–10 And set two men, sons of Belial, before him,…
And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him,.... Worthless wretches, that have cast off the yoke of the law, as Belial signifies, lawless abandoned creatures, that have no conscience of anything; "knights of the post", as we call them, that will swear anything; these were to be set before Naboth, right against him to confront him, and accuse him to his face, and charge him with crimes next mentioned:
saying, thou didst blaspheme God and the king: and so was guilty of death for the former, if not for both, and of confiscation of estate for the latter, which was the thing aimed at; and Jezebel was willing to make sure work of it, and therefore would have him accused of both:
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and then carry him out, and stone him, that he die; immediately, without requiring the witnesses to give proof of their charge, and without giving Naboth leave to answer for himself.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv9–10 A fast - To remove all suspicion of evil…
A fast - To remove all suspicion of evil design in Ahab, and to beget a good opinion of him amongst his people, as if he were grown zealous for God's honour, and careful of his people's welfare, and therefore desirous to inquire into all those sins which provoked God against them. On high - On a scaffold, or high- place, where malefactors were usually placed, that they might be seen, and heard by all the people.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv8–10 Verse 8. She wrote letters in Ahab's name] She…
Verse 8. She wrote letters in Ahab's name] She counterfeited his authority by his own consent; and he lent his signet to stamp that authority.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv8–10 1Ki 21:8. She sent the letters unto the elders…
1Ki 21:8. She sent the letters unto the elders and nobles — Whom she very well knew to be fit for her purpose; that were in his city — In Jezreel. Thus she seeks to destroy him with a pretence of justice, and with as little reflection on Ahab as might be.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv8–10 Seal - The seal is a very ancient invention.…
Seal - The seal is a very ancient invention. Judah’s signet and Pharaoh’s signet-ring are mentioned in Genesis Gen 38:18; Gen 41:42. Signets of Egyptian kings have been found which are referred to about 2000 B.C. Sennacherib’s signet, and an impression of Sargon’s, are still extant. There can be no doubt that in the East, from a very remote antiquity, kings had seals and appended them to all documents which they set forth under their authority. (Compare also Est 3:12; Est 8:8; Dan 6:17). The Hebrew mode of sealing seems to have been by attaching a lump of clay to the document, and impressing the seal thereupon Job 38:14.
His city - i. e., Jezreel 1Ki 21:1. The mode in which it is spoken of here, and in 1Ki 21:11, seems to imply that it was not the city from which Jezebel wrote. The court was evidently at this time residing at Samaria 1Ki 20:43; and Ahab may either have met Naboth there, or have gone down (compare 1Ki 21:16) to Jezreel to make his request, and then, on being refused, have returned to Samaria. The distance is not more than seven miles.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv8–10 Chief men. Hebrew chorim, "those in white," the usual…
Chief men. Hebrew chorim, "those in white," the usual colour of magistrates and noblemen, Ecclesiastes ix. 8., and Daniel vii. 9. The angels generally appear arrayed in white. Among the Egyptians and the Greeks, the rich were remarkable for the whiteness of their robes. (Herodotus ii. 36.) (Homer, Odyssey z.)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv8–9 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed…
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal--The seal-ring contained the name of the king and gave validity to the documents to which it was affixed (Est 8:8; Dan 6:17). By allowing her the use of his signet-ring, Ahab passively consented to Jezebel's proceeding. Being written in the king's name, it had the character of a royal mandate.
sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city--They were the civic authorities of Jezreel, and would, in all likelihood, be the creatures and fit tools of Jezebel. It is evident that, though Ahab had recently been in Jezreel, when he made the offer to Naboth, both he and Jezebel were now in Samaria (Kg1 20:43).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv8–10 8. Sealed them with his seal — “In giving…
8. Sealed them with his seal — “In giving validity to documents, names were not in those days, nor are they now in the East, signed by the hand in writing, but impressed by a seal on which the name is engraved. Hence the importance which is attached to the signet throughout the sacred books.” — Kitto.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv8–10 8. she wrote letters in Ahab’s name] She was…
8. she wrote letters in Ahab’s name] She was the real ruler, he only king in name. The letters would be prepared for her by the royal secretaries. Jezebel’s part was to take the signet ring of her husband, and therewith affix the royal seal that the document might go forth with authority. Apparently Ahab asked no question about the means which his wife meant to employ.
the elders and to the nobles] The law ordered (Deu_16:18) that there should be judges appointed in every city, and we cannot doubt the existence of such a tribunal in a place so important as Jezreel, where the elders and nobles would form the bench of magistrates. The sequel shews that for such an offence as that charged against Naboth they had the power of life and death. But the whole proceeding is very Oriental. The royal letter dictates the sentence, and how it is to be obtained, and the persons to whom it is addressed make no scruple about obeying, although the last words of this verse increase the enormity of their proceeding by telling that they ‘were in his city, dwelling with Naboth’, and so it would seem well acquainted with his character.
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The words ‘in his city’ are omitted in the LXX.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv8–10 (8) Sealed them with his seal—with the name, or…
(8) Sealed them with his seal—with the name, or token, of the king, engraved on stone, and impressed (see Job_38:14) on a lump of clay attached to the letter. The sealing (as the modern sense of “signature” implies) was the pledge of authenticity and authority. (See Gen_38:18; Neh_9:38; Neh_10:1; Est_3:10; Est_3:12, Dan_6:17, &c.) The use of the seal—ordinarily worn or carried on the person—implies Ahab’s knowledge that something is being done in his name, into which he takes care not to inquire.
In his city.—This would be most naturally interpreted as Jezreel; but if Naboth dwelt or sojourned at Samaria, it may be Samaria. Jezebel naturally desires that neither Ahab nor she herself, though close at hand, should appear in the matter; but gives the necessary authority in writing, because without it the deed could not be done.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv8–10 So she wrote letters Heb. writings in Ahab"s name,…
So she wrote letters Heb. writings in Ahab"s name, and sealed them with his seal The use of the seal, for the purpose of authentication, is of great antiquity. Some of the Egyptian signets are more than 4, 000 years old. Their use in the age of the patriarchs is attested by Gen_38:15 and 41:42; their importance is proved by the text, by Est_3:10 Est_8:2, Est_8:8, 10 (cf. "Herod," 3:128); Dan_6:17; Jer_32:10; Hag_2:23, etc. Whether this seal which does not necessarily prove that those who used it could not write was impressed upon the writings themselves according to the modern practice of the East, or upon a piece of clay, (Job_38:14) which was then attached to the letter by strings, we have no means of knowing. The use of Ahab"s seal affords a strong presumption that he was privy to her designs (Bahr), but of this we cannot be absolutely certain, and sent the letters unto the elders see Deu_16:18 and to the nobles same Neh_2:16 Neh_4:13; Ecc_10:17 that were in his city, dwelling or inhabitants, as in ver. 11 with Naboth.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v8 wrote letters in Ahab's name
wrote letters in Ahab's name
Possible meanings are 1) she wrote Ahab's name on the letters. AT: "wrote letters and signed them with Ahab's name" or 2) the word "name" is a metonym for authority. AT: "wrote letters on behalf of Ahab" (See: Metonymy)
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the wealthy who sat with him
The word "wealthy" refers to wealthy people. AT: "the wealthy people who sat with Naboth" (See: Nominal Adjectives)
seat Naboth above the people
Having Naboth sit in a place of honor is spoken of as if it were having him sit above the rest of the people who were present. AT: "have Naboth sit in a place of honor among the people" (See: Metaphor)
let them testify against him
"have them accuse him"
translationWords
epistle
Ahab
name
seal
send
elder
life
preach
fast
testimony
curse
God
king
stone
die
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv8, 10 21:8-9 Call the citizens together: This kind of assembly…
21:8-9 Call the citizens together: This kind of assembly would normally address sin that could bring divine judgment against the people (see Deut 21:1-9; Josh 7:10-12; 1 Sam 7:1-6). Jezebel convened it to bring false charges against an innocent person.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.