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Texts -- 1 Kings 21:10-29 (NET)

Context
21:10 Also seat two villains opposite him and have them testify , ‘You cursed God and the king .’ Then take him out and stone him to death .” 21:11 The men of the city , the leaders and the nobles who lived there, followed the written orders Jezebel had sent them. 21:12 They observed a time of fasting and put Naboth in front of the people . 21:13 The two villains arrived and sat opposite him. Then the villains testified against Naboth right before the people , saying , “Naboth cursed God and the king .” So they dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death . 21:14 Then they reported to Jezebel , “Naboth has been stoned to death .” 21:15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death , she said to Ahab , “Get up , take possession of the vineyard Naboth the Jezreelite refused to sell you for silver , for Naboth is no longer alive ; he’s dead .” 21:16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead , he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite . 21:17 The Lord told Elijah the Tishbite : 21:18 “Get up , go down and meet King Ahab of Israel who lives in Samaria . He is at the vineyard of Naboth ; he has gone down there to take possession of it. 21:19 Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says : “Haven’t you committed murder and taken possession of the property of the deceased?”’ Then say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says : “In the spot where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood they will also lick up your blood – yes, yours!”’” 21:20 When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So, you have found me, my enemy !” Elijah replied , “I have found you, because you are committed to doing evil in the sight of the Lord . 21:21 The Lord says, ‘Look , I am ready to bring disaster on you. I will destroy you and cut off every last male belonging to Ahab in Israel , including even the weak and incapacitated . 21:22 I will make your dynasty like those of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah because you angered me and made Israel sin .’ 21:23 The Lord says this about Jezebel , ‘Dogs will devour Jezebel by the outer wall of Jezreel .’ 21:24 As for Ahab’s family, dogs will eat the ones who die in the city , and the birds of the sky will eat the ones who die in the country .” 21:25 (There had never been anyone like Ahab , who was firmly committed to doing evil in the sight of the Lord , urged on by his wife Jezebel . 21:26 He was so wicked he worshiped the disgusting idols , just like the Amorites whom the Lord had driven out from before the Israelites .) 21:27 When Ahab heard these words , he tore his clothes , put on sackcloth , and fasted . He slept in sackcloth and walked around dejected . 21:28 The Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite , 21:29 “Have you noticed how Ahab shows remorse before me? Because he shows remorse before me, I will not bring disaster on his dynasty during his lifetime , but during the reign of his son .”

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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • 21:12-14 The Torah upheld capital punishment for murder (v. 12), which God commanded of Noah (Gen. 9:6) and people in the Near East practiced from then on. It did not permit capital punishment in the case of manslaughter (unp...
  • This section appeals for justice toward all people. The subject of the legislation now shifts from love for all to justice for all. The Israelites should treat all people justly, not only the rich but also the poor (v. 3), th...
  • The previous pericope alluded to the need for witnesses, and this one explains their role. A common cause of hostility between individuals that sometimes led to homicide was a failure to agree on common boundaries and to resp...
  • The fact that this book opens and closes with death should be a clue as to its message.It opens with David's death, and it closes with Ahab's death. The intervening period of about a century and a half is a story of national ...
  • I. The reign of Solomon chs. 1-11A. Solomon's succession to David's throne 1:1-2:121. David's declining health 1:1-42. Adonijah's attempt to seize the throne 1:5-533. David's charge to Solomon 2:1-94. David's death 2:10-12B. ...
  • Whereas the prophecy of the young prophet from Judah dealt with Jeroboam's religious cult, this one predicted the fate of his descendants.Jeroboam probably sent his wife to see Ahijah because that prophet had previously given...
  • Even though Jezebel was behind the murder of Naboth, God held her husband Ahab responsible (v. 19). Jezebel's evil influence over her husband stands out in this story.221Ahab was willing to murder a godly Israelite to obtain ...
  • Again God told Elijah to "go"(v. 18; cf. 17:3, 9; 18:1; 19:15). As a faithful servant, he went to confront the king again.226Ahab was not in Samaria then (v. 18) but in Jezreel (v. 19). The mention of Samaria was evidently an...
  • Another significant battle occurred between the battle of Ramoth-gilead that the writer recorded in chapter 22 (853 B.C.) and the battles he recorded in chapter 20. Ahab and his Aramean ally Ben-Hadad II (860-841 B.C.) defeat...
  • Aram's cessation of hostilities resumed after some time (v. 24; cf. v. 23), perhaps between 845 and 841 B.C.43The famine in Samaria resulted from the siege that was a punishment from the Lord for Israel's apostasy (cf. Lev. 2...
  • God had told Elijah that he would anoint Jehu (1 Kings 19:16).55He did this through his successor Elisha who accomplished it by using one of his protégés (v. 1). Jehu would wipe out Omri's dynasty in Israel (v. 7-10...
  • Israel had evidently retaken Ramoth-gilead after Ben-Hadad I had defeated Ahab there 12 years earlier. Israel was now defending it against the attacking Arameans (v. 14). The horsemen and Joram who asked Jehu, "Is it peace?"w...
  • Jezebel evidently painted her eyes and adorned her head (v. 30) to receive Jehu. Unwittingly, or perhaps deliberately,59she prepared herself for her own death. At least one interpreter believed she was trying to seduce Jehu.6...
  • Israel deserved judgment, and this pericope shows why. Jeremiah presented a series of pictures of the nation's irresponsibility and corruption.2:29 The Lord wanted to know why His people were angry with Him. The difficulties ...
  • "Jehoiakim was condemned by Jeremiah more severely than any other king. He seems to have been a typical Oriental despot who rejected Josiah's reforms."30722:13-14 Jeremiah called down woe on the person who advanced his own in...
  • Jeremiah wrote almost as much about Babylon's future as he did about the futures of all the other nations in his other oracles combined. The length of this oracle reflects the great importance of Babylon in his ministry as we...
  • 43:6 The prophet heard someone speaking to him from the temple, and there was a man, probably Ezekiel's guide, standing beside him (cf. 1:16).43:7-8 The one speaking from the temple, undoubtedly the Lord, told Ezekiel that th...
  • 46:16-17 The prince could give a gift to any of his sons out of his own inheritance from the Lord. This gift was theirs forever. However, if he gave such a gift to one of his servants, it would revert back to him on the year ...
  • Amos' announcement of Israel's coming judgment came in three waves (vv. 11, 12, and 13-15).3:11 Sovereign Yahweh announced that an enemy that would surround the land of Israel would destroy and loot its impressive fortresses....
  • 6:13 Because of these sins the Lord promised to make His people sick, downtrodden, and desolate.6:14 They would continue to eat, but their food would not bring them satisfaction (cf. Lev. 26:26). Their excessive accumulation ...
  • Matthew's emphasis in his account of Jesus' crucifixion was on the mocking of the onlookers.27:32 Jesus was able to carry the crosspiece of His cross until He passed through the city gate (cf. Mark 15:21 John 19:17). Normally...
  • The theme of discipleship training continues in this section of verses. The 70 disciples that Jesus sent out contrast with the three men Luke just finished presenting (9:57-62). This was a second mission on which Jesus sent a...
  • 4:2 The ultimate end of lust, desire that a person may or may not satisfy, is murder. We can see this through human history all the way from Cain down to the present (cf. the case of Naboth; 1 Kings 21). James was probably no...
  • 11:7 It is only when they have finished their ministry that God will permit the beast to kill the two witnesses. They will not die prematurely. This is the first of 36 references to "the beast"in Revelation (cf. Dan. 7:21). H...
  • 17:15 The angel next helped John understand the identity of the waters (v. 1). Water is a common symbol for people in the Old Testament (e.g., Ps. 18:4, 16; 124:4; Isa. 8:7; Jer. 47:2). The harlot exercises a controlling infl...
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