Behold, I will bring evil upon thee ,.... Upon his own person, by cutting him off with a violent death, though his family was so numerous, having no less than seventy sons: and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left Israel ; See Gill on 1 Kings 14:10 . read more
The Progress of Sin. This chapter describes one of the blackest crimes which ever blotted the page of history. The description is so graphic that we seem eyewitnesses of the tragedy, and so suggestive that we can understand the motives and feelings of the principal actors. Naboth has been blamed sometimes for refusing what appeared a reasonable request that he would sell a piece of land to his rightful king at a fair price. It is evident, however, that he was not only acting within his... read more
Divine Inquisition. Ahab lost no time in reaping the fruit of Jezebel's wickedness. The next day, after the murder of Naboth and his family, we find him taking possession of the coveted vineyard (see 2 Kings 9:26 ). But in all this dark business there was an invisible Spectator, whose presence does not seem to have been sufficiently taken into the account, I. GOD IS AN OMNISCIENT OBSERVER . 1 . He inspects all human actions . 2 . He surveys all human motives . ... read more
Guilt and Mercy. I. To ENJOY THE FRUITS OF SIN IS TO TAKE ITS GUILT . "Hast thou killed?" etc. It is not said that Ahab knew of the plot. The plain inference is that he did not. Jezebel wrote to the elders, and to her the tidings were sent that the deed was done. But if Ahab did not know before, he knew after. Knowing how it had been procured he nevertheless received it, and heard as he stood there the word of the Lord: "Hast thou killed , and also taken... read more
Divine Retaliation. We have just seen Naboth martyred because of his fidelity to law; we have seen him murdered by men who in the name of law violated all the laws of God and man. Now the dispensation under which these men lived promised a present recompense, a temporal reward, to obedience, and it denounced temporal punishment against "every transgression and disobedience." We may imagine, consequently, how this tragedy would strike the men of that age. They would see in it a direct... read more
Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity [Heb. exterminate after thee . See note on 1 Kings 14:10 . Ahab knew well the meaning of these words. He had before him the examples of Baasha and Zimri], and will cut off from Ahab [Heb. to Ahab ] him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel [see on 1 Kings 14:10 ]. read more
The prophet changes, without warning, from speaking in his own person to speaking in the person of God. The transition is abrupt, probably because the compiler follows his materials closely, compressing by omission. One fragment omitted here is preserved in 2 Kings 9:26. read more
Naboth’s vineyard (21:1-29)The events so far recorded of Ahab show that his religious, military and trade policies were all contrary to God’s will. The story of his seizure of Naboth’s vineyard shows that he was equally ungodly in the matter of common justice. Ahab at first made an honest offer to buy Naboth’s vineyard. Naboth refused, as land inherited from ancestors was an Israelite’s most valued possession (21:1-4). Jezebel therefore arranged to have Naboth falsely accused and executed.... read more
him that, &c. = every male. Compare 1 Kings 14:10 . shut up and left. See note on 1 Kings 14:10 . read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 1 Kings 21:17-29
In these verses we may observe, I. The very bad character that is given of Ahab (1 Kgs. 21:25, 26), which comes in here to justify God in the heavy sentence passed upon him, and to show that though it was passed upon occasion of his sin in the matter of Naboth (which David's sin in the matter of Uriah did too much resemble), yet God would not have punished him so severely if he had not been guilty of many other sins, especially idolatry; whereas David, except in that one matter, did that which... read more