Lexical Summary sar: To turn aside, depart, remove, take away Original Word: סַר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance heavy, sad Contracted from carar; peevish -- heavy, sad. see HEBREW carar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom sarar Definition stubborn, resentful, sullen, implacable NASB Translation sullen (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs סַר adjective stubborn, resentful, sullen, implacable; — סַר וְזָעֵף 1 Kings 20:43; 1 Kings 21:4; feminine מַהזֶּֿה רוּחֲךָ סָרָ֫ה 1 Kings 21:5 why then is thy spirit sullen ? possibly also plural construct סָרֵי סוֺרְרִים Jeremiah 6:28 revolters (stubborn ones) among, etc. (see above and סור Qal near the end). Topical Lexicon Scriptural Usage The word appears only three times, each in the narrative of Ahab: “So the king of Israel went to his house sullen and angry and came to Samaria” (1 Kings 20:43); “So Ahab went to his house sullen and angry because of the word that Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him” (1 Kings 21:4); and Jezebel’s question, “Why are you so sullen that you refuse to eat?” (1 Kings 21:5). In every instance the term describes a brooding, resentful spirit, a settled refusal to yield the heart. The pairing with “angry” underscores an inward disposition that festers rather than repents. Historical Background: Ahab’s Court The scenes belong to the late ninth century BC during the Omride dynasty in the northern kingdom. Ahab has just spared Ben-hadad against prophetic counsel (1 Kings 20), and he later covets Naboth’s vineyard (1 Kings 21). Ahab’s sullen withdrawal reflects a king who feels thwarted but will not humble himself under God’s word. That posture sets the stage for Jezebel’s sinister manipulation and, ultimately, for divine judgment pronounced by Elijah (1 Kings 21:17-24). Moral and Spiritual Implications 1. Ahab’s sulking posture is not passive; it incubates defiance. His silence permits evil to germinate in the court, showing that refusal to repent is itself an act of rebellion. Contrasts in Wisdom Literature Proverbs extols the “upright in heart” (for example, Proverbs 11:20) and warns that “wrath rests in the heart of fools” (Ecclesiastes 7:9). Ahab embodies the fool whose anger lingers. The contrast highlights the call to quick repentance and openhearted obedience. Prophetic Echoes and Foreshadowing Elijah’s pronouncement that dogs would lick Ahab’s blood (1 Kings 21:19) is later fulfilled (1 Kings 22:38). The sullen heart ultimately meets covenant curses. The episodes anticipate the prophetic theme that unrepentant inner attitudes bring national ruin—a reality later amplified by Jeremiah (Jeremiah 17:9-10). Christological Perspective Where Ahab broods in self-absorption, Jesus Christ embodies humble submission: “Not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). The contrast sets before believers the choice between sullen resistance and surrendered obedience, highlighting the perfection of Christ’s heart as the remedy for human stubbornness. Practical Ministry Applications • Pastoral care should probe beneath outward behavior to discern lingering resentment that blocks repentance. Lessons for Contemporary Believers 1. Guard the heart when confronted by divine or human rebuke. Related Themes Stubbornness (1 Samuel 15:23) – Brooding anger (Jonah 4:1-9) – Hardness of heart (Mark 3:5) – Godly sorrow leading to repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10). Forms and Transliterations סַ֣ר סָרָ֔ה סר סרה sā·rāh sar saRah sārāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Kings 20:43 HEB: עַל־ בֵּית֖וֹ סַ֣ר וְזָעֵ֑ף וַיָּבֹ֖א NAS: to his house sullen and vexed, KJV: to his house heavy and displeased, INT: unto his house sullen and vexed and came 1 Kings 21:4 1 Kings 21:5 3 Occurrences |
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