1 Kings 21:1-26 NIV

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 21:8

So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal ,.... He giving her leave, no doubt, to take his seal; though she might not communicate her scheme to him, lest he should object to it: and sent the letters unto the elders, and to the nobles that were in his city dwelling with Naboth : to the chief magistrates of the city of Jezreel, where Naboth dwelt. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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 Apud David. Kimchium in loc. thinks the phrase... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 21:10

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 21:11

And the men of the city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them ,.... That Jezebel should contrive so execrable a scheme, and that there should be such sons of Belial among the common people to swear to such falsehoods, need not seem strange; but that the elders and nobles of the city, the chief magistrates thereof, should be so sadly and universally depraved as to execute such a piece of villany, is really surprising. Idolatry,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 21:12

They proclaimed a fast ,.... Or called a court; see Gill on 1 Kings 21:9 . and set Naboth on high among the people ; placed him at the bar as a criminal; see Gill on 1 Kings 21:9 , though Josephus F3 Antiqu. l. 3. c. 13. sect. 8. thinks he was set on an high place in the court, because he was of an illustrious birth. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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 Antiqu. l. 3. c. 13. sect. 8. 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 ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 21:14

Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead. Not only stoned, but stoned to death. This message was sent to her from the magistrates of Jezreel; for though the letters came in Ahab's name, they might be privately informed that this was a scheme of Jezebel's; besides, they knew she had the sway at court, and especially that the news of this man's death would be acceptable to her, and the more if he was of the 7000 that would not bow the knee to Baal. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 21:15

And it came to pass when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab ,.... To whom she communicated the news as soon as possible: arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money, for Naboth is not alive, but dead ; some think that Naboth was a near relation to Ahab, his father's brother's son F5 T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 48. 2. ; which they endeavour to support from his estate lying next to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 21:16

And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead ,.... Of which he was informed by Jezebel: that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it ; if it was in Jezreel, that was sixteen miles from Samaria, and lay lower than that, in a valley, and therefore he is said to go down to it; and which he did very likely in great state and pomp, many of his nobles and captains accompanying him, as we read that Jehu and Bidkar did ride after... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 21:17

And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the prophet ,.... Where he now was, when this word came to him, is not certain; nor what he had been employed in for some time past, since we hear nothing of him since the unction of Elisha, other prophets of lesser note being employed in messages to Ahab from time to time; perhaps Elijah, while Ahab was engaged in war with the king of Syria, spent his time in founding or reviving the schools of the prophets, and instructing and training up those that... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 21:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 21:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 21:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 21:11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 21:12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 21:13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 21:14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 21:15

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 21:16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 21:17

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