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1 KINGS 21

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph
2. Second paragraph
3. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

1. Note how this chapter shows the true heart of its characters.
   1. faithful Naboth
   2. corrupt local leaders
   3. weak, selfish Ahab
   4. strong, ruthless Jezebel
   5. faithful prophet
   6. repentant Ahab
   7. merciful YHWH
   
   
2. It is difficult for modern western people who are so committed to individual rights and the value of the individual to read a chapter like this. Faithful Naboth is stoned illegally by his wicked neighbors, who were commanded by a weak, selfish king and his powerful, ruthless queen. However, this same idolatrous king (cf. vv. 25-26), who repents at the close of his life (like Manasseh), is mercifully accepted by God. God's desire and willingness to forgive and restore is absolutely amazing! God loves all people but He will sacrifice an individual for the greater good. The Bible is a corporate, eastern book. This is why it is so misunderstood by western, literalistic individuals.
   

   SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARACTERISTICS OF ISRAEL'S GOD

   SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN

3. A helpful book for me related to prophecy is D. Brent Sandy, Plowshares and Pruning Hooks. In relation to verse 19, see chapter 6, "How Have Prophecies Been Fulfilled?"

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 21:1-4
  ¹Now it came about after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. ²Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, "Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden because it is close beside my house, and I will give you a better vineyard than it in its place; if you like, I will give you the price of it in money." ³But Naboth said to Ahab, "The Lord forbid me that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers." ⁴So Ahab came into his house sullen and vexed because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he said, "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers." And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and ate no food.

21:1 "beside the palace of Ahab" This was a second residence of Ahab (i.e., 1 Kgs. 18:45). His main palace was in the capital of Israel, Samaria, which was established by his father Omri.

21:2 Ahab offers to

1. trade Naboth's land for better land
2. or pay money for it

21:3 Naboth will not sell because the vineyard was his family's inheritance from the Lord. This can be understood as

1. all the earth belongs to YHWH ‒ Exod.19:5; Lev. 25:23; Num. 36:7
2. YHWH gave the land of Canaan to His covenant people by lot ‒ Gen. 15:12-26; Joshua 12-19
3. the land could not be sold permanently (i.e., Year of Jubilee, cf. Lev. 25:23-28; Num. 36:7; Ezek. 46:18)

21:4 The weakness of Ahab's personality is clearly revealed in this verse.

1. he was sullen (BDB 711) and vexed (BDB 277), just as he was in 1 Kgs. 20:43
2. he went to bed
3. he turned his face to the wall (i.e., away from all contact with people)
4. he refused to eat

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 21:5-7
  ⁵But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, "How is it that your spirit is so sullen that you are not eating food?" ⁶So he said to her, "Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, 'Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if it pleases you, I will give you a vineyard in its place.' But he said, 'I will not give you my vineyard.'" ⁷Jezebel his wife said to him, "Do you now reign over Israel? Arise, eat bread, and let your heart be joyful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."

21:5-10 As v. 4 reveals Ahab's personality, these verses reveal Jezebel's strong personality. She was a get-it-done-at-whatever-cost person!

21:5 "your spirit" The term translated "spirit" is ruah (BDB 924), which denotes one's life force.

SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT IN THE BIBLE

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 21:8-10
  ⁸So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, and sent letters to the elders and to the nobles who were living with Naboth in his city. ⁹Now she wrote in the letters, saying, "Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth at the head of the people; ¹⁰and seat two worthless men before him, and let them testify against him, saying, 'You cursed God and the king.' Then take him out and stone him to death."

21:8 "seal" This was a signet ring or staff with a carved image or letters which denoted one's authority.

Here, the MT uses the VERB "sealed" (BDB 367, KB 364, Qal IMPERFECT with waw) and the NOUN together, "sealed with a seal."

SPECIAL TOPIC: SEAL

▣ "the elders" This was the local elders. The larger group is mentioned in 1 Kgs. 20:7.

SPECIAL TOPIC: ELDERS

▣ "nobles" This designation (BDB 359 II) is of important and influential land owners and business men. They were a distinct group from

1. the tribal leaders
2. military personnel
3. royal servants (i.e., government officials)

21:10 "two" Jezebel knew that Mosaic Law required "two" witnesses (i.e., Num. 35:30; Deut. 17:6; 19:15).

Literally this means "sons of Belial" (BDB 116). The Hebrew word meant "worthless one" or "good for nothing" (cf. Jdgs. 19:22; 20:13; 1 Sam. 10:27; 30:22; 1 Kgs. 21:10,13; Prov. 6:12). By the NT time, Belial had become synonymous with Satan (cf. 2 Cor. 6:15).

▣ "You cursed God and the king" The VERB (BDB 138, KB 159, Piel PERFECT) means "bless," but in some contexts it has the exact opposite meaning (BDB 139, #5, cf. here; Job 1:5,11; 2:5,9; Ps. 10:3). See Gleason Archer, Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, p. 237 and F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions, p. 21.

For someone in Israel to speak poorly of the king was to speak poorly of God (Elohim). The king was God's official representative on earth (i.e., Exod. 22:28).

▣ "stone him" See SPECIAL TOPIC: STONE TO DEATH.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 21:11-14
  ¹¹So the men of his city, the elders and the nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them, just as it was written in the letters which she had sent them. ¹²They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the people. ¹³Then the two worthless men came in and sat before him; and the worthless men testified against him, even against Naboth, before the people, saying, "Naboth cursed God and the king." So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones. ¹⁴Then they sent word to Jezebel, saying, "Naboth has been stoned and is dead."

21:12 "proclaim a fast" To proclaim a fast meant there was a problem (i.e., judgment of God for a covenant violation). This was a set up to condemn Naboth and take his inheritance.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 21:15-16
  ¹⁵When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, "Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth, the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead." ¹⁶When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

21:15 There has been much discussion among commentators as to how/why Ahab had the legal right to Naboth's vineyard and not Naboth's family (his sons were also killed, cf. 2 Kgs. 9:26). The question remains open!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 21:17-19
  ¹⁷Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ¹⁸"Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth where he has gone down to take possession of it. ¹⁹You shall speak to him, saying, 'Thus says the Lord, "Have you murdered and also taken possession?"' And you shall speak to him, saying, 'Thus says the Lord, "In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth the dogs will lick up your blood, even yours."'"

21:19 "murdered" This is the very VERB of Exod. 20:13 (BDB 953, KB 1283). It denotes premeditated murder.

SPECIAL TOPIC: MURDER

▣ "the dogs licked the blood" This would denote an improper burial, which was so odious to the Hebrews. This is fulfilled for

1. Ahab in 1 Kgs. 22:38
2. Jezebel in 2 Kgs. 9:33-36

▣ "blood" See SPECIAL TOPIC: BLOOD.

▣ "the dogs will lick up your blood, even yours" This was YHWH's judgment of Ahab for Neboth's murder specifically and for leading Israel into deeper idolatry (vv. 25-26). However, this never occurred! Was this a false prophecy? Even though it is not always stated (i.e., "if. . .then"), the vast majority of promises and prophecies are "conditional." The judgment is meant to cause repentance. Repentance can change a prophecy (vv. 27-29). See Hard Sayings of the Bible, pp. 70-75.

SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT

SPECIAL TOPIC: REPENTANCE (OT)

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 21:20-24
  ²⁰Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" And he answered, "I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord. ²¹Behold, I will bring evil upon you, and will utterly sweep you away, and will cut off from Ahab every male, both bond and free in Israel; ²²and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger, and because you have made Israel sin. ²³Of Jezebel also has the Lord spoken, saying, 'The dogs will eat Jezebel in the district of Jezreel.' ²⁴The one belonging to Ahab, who dies in the city, the dogs will eat, and the one who dies in the field the birds of heaven will eat."

21:20 "O my enemy" This title (BDB33, KB 38, Qal ACTIVE PARTICIPLE) is used to denote an enemy of the king or nation. Ahab viewed Elijah as a traitor to his leadership more than a messenger from YHWH. But that will change (cf. vv. 17-24,27-29).

21:21 "will utterly sweep you away" This VERB (BDB 128I, KB 145, Piel PERFECT with waw) basically means "to burn," but in the Piel stem (BDB 229, #3) it means "consume, utterly remove" (cf. Deut. 13:5; 17:7,12; 19:13,19; 21:21; 22:21,22,24; Jdgs. 20:13; 1 Kgs. 14:10; 16:3; 21:21; 2 Kgs. 23:24; 2 Chr. 19:3).

▣ "cut off" This VERB (BDB 503, KB 500, Hiphil PERFECT with waw) basically means "to destroy" (cf.1 Kgs. 14:10; Kgs. 9:8). Here, in the sense of no posterity. This will be done by Jehu to Ahab's descendants.

21:22 "like the house of Jeroboam" See 1 Kgs. 14:10-11.

▣ "like the house of Baasha" See 1 Kgs. 16:3-4.

▣ "you have provoked Me to anger" This is anthropomorphic language which describes YHWH's reaction to idolatry.

SPECIAL TOPIC: ANTHROPOMORPHIC LANGUAGE TO DESCRIBE GOD

▣ "because you have made Israel sin" This refers to the rival temples set up by Jeroboam in Bethel and Dan. Originally they were meant to worship YHWH but they degenerated into fertility worship sites.

SPECIAL TOPIC: FERTILITY WORSHIP OF THE ANE

21:23 For this fulfillment see 2 Kgs. 9:10,30-37.

The MT has the MASCULINE NOUN (BDB 295) which denotes a fortress or rampart. The parallel in 2 Kgs. 9:36 has "in the property/portion of Jezreel." The term "field" occurs in nine Hebrew MSS (JPSOA).

1. field/plot ‒ חלק (BDB 323)
2. rampart/wall ‒ חל (unusual spelling)

21:24 Ahab's descendants will all be destroyed and have no proper burial (cf. 1 Kgs. 14:11; 16:4; this refers to v. 22).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 21:25-26
  ²⁵Surely there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the Lord, because Jezebel his wife incited him. ²⁶He acted very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the Lord cast out before the sons of Israel.

21:25-26 Ahab was easily influenced by Jezebel to become actively involved in idolatry even though YHWH revealed Himself to him several times (cf. 1 Kings 20).

21:26 "Amorites" This tribal group, along with "Canaanite," is used as a collective term for all the ethnic groups of Palestine.

If there is a distinction

1. Amorite refers to those groups in the hill country
2. Canaanite refers to those groups on the coastal plain

SPECIAL TOPIC: PRE-ISRAELITE INHABITANTS OF PALESTINE

▣ "whom the Lord cast out before the sons of Israel" This could refer to

1. Gen. 15:12-21
2. the conquest of Joshua

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 21:27-29
  ²⁷It came about when Ahab heard these words, that he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and fasted, and he lay in sackcloth and went about despondently. ²⁸Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ²⁹"Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days, but I will bring the evil upon his house in his son's days."

21:27-29 Apparently Ahab repented late in his life (like Manasseh) and YHWH responded in mercy. Ahab's repentance is evidenced by

1. mourning rites
2. general demeanor

YHWH's willingness to accept Ahab's repentance, after all he had done and been a party to, speaks volumes of the character of Israel's God.

SPECIAL TOPIC: REPENTANCE (OT)

SPECIAL TOPIC: GRIEVING RITES

SPECIAL TOPIC: CHARACTERISTICS OF ISRAEL'S GOD (OT)

The MT has the ADJECTIVE (BDB 31) that basically means "gentleness" (i.e., 2 Sam. 18:5; Isa. 8:6), but here it denotes "walking softly" in a repentant attitude. Ahab was genuinely sorry for his life and actions; even after all his evil, YHWH responded to his spiritual turn about!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. How does this chapter accentuate the merciful character of YHWH?
2. Why would Naboth not sell or trade his vineyard?
3. Why was the prophecy of Elijah not literally fulfilled?
4. What is repentance?

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