Then they sent word to Jezebel: "Naboth has been stoned to death." Then they sent word to Jezebel:This phrase indicates the communication between the elders and nobles of Jezreel and Queen Jezebel. Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab, was a Phoenician princess known for her idolatry and manipulation. Her influence over Ahab and Israel is significant, as she often led the king into sin. The act of sending word to Jezebel highlights her control and authority, even over the local leaders. This reflects the political structure of the time, where the queen could wield significant power. The elders and nobles, instead of upholding justice, comply with Jezebel's wicked plan, showing the moral decay and fear of royal retribution prevalent in Israel. Naboth has been stoned to death:
Stoning was a common method of execution in ancient Israel, prescribed in the Law of Moses for certain offenses (Leviticus 20:2, Deuteronomy 17:5). However, Naboth's stoning was a result of false accusations and a miscarriage of justice, orchestrated by Jezebel to seize his vineyard for Ahab. This act of injustice is a stark violation of the commandments against bearing false witness and coveting (Exodus 20:16-17). Naboth's death is a type of Christ, as both were innocent and falsely accused, leading to their execution. This event also foreshadows the judgment that would come upon Ahab's house, as prophesied by Elijah (1 Kings 21:19). Naboth's unjust death serves as a reminder of the consequences of sin and the perversion of justice when leaders are corrupt. Persons / Places / Events 1. NabothA righteous Israelite who owned a vineyard in Jezreel. He refused to sell his ancestral inheritance to King Ahab, which led to his unjust execution. 2. JezebelThe wife of King Ahab, known for her idolatry and manipulation. She orchestrated Naboth's death to secure his vineyard for Ahab. 3. AhabThe King of Israel, who desired Naboth's vineyard. His passive complicity in Jezebel's scheme highlights his moral weakness. 4. JezreelThe location of Naboth's vineyard, symbolizing the inheritance and blessings of God to His people. 5. The Elders and NoblesLocal leaders in Jezreel who were complicit in Jezebel's plot, demonstrating the corruption and moral decay in Israel. Teaching Points The Danger of CovetousnessCoveting leads to sin and destruction. Ahab's desire for Naboth's vineyard set off a chain of sinful actions. The Consequences of ComplicityThe elders' compliance with Jezebel's plan shows how silence and inaction in the face of evil contribute to injustice. The Role of RighteousnessNaboth's steadfastness in upholding God's law, even at the cost of his life, serves as a model of integrity. The Influence of Ungodly LeadershipJezebel's manipulation and Ahab's weakness illustrate the impact of ungodly leadership on a nation. God's Justice and SovereigntyDespite human injustice, God remains sovereign and will ultimately bring justice, as seen in the eventual downfall of Ahab and Jezebel. Bible Study Questions 1. How does the account of Naboth challenge us to examine our own desires and the potential for covetousness in our lives? 2. In what ways can we ensure that we are not complicit in the face of injustice, as the elders and nobles were? 3. How can Naboth's example of righteousness inspire us to stand firm in our faith, even when faced with persecution or loss? 4. What lessons can we learn from Ahab and Jezebel about the influence of leadership and the importance of aligning with God's will? 5. How does the eventual justice served to Ahab and Jezebel reassure us of God's sovereignty and justice in our own lives? Connections to Other Scriptures Exodus 20:17The commandment against coveting, which Ahab violated by desiring Naboth's vineyard. Micah 2:1-2A condemnation of those who plot evil and covet fields, reflecting Jezebel's actions. Matthew 23:37Jesus' lament over Jerusalem, which parallels the rejection of God's messengers and the shedding of innocent blood. James 5:6A warning against condemning and murdering the innocent, applicable to the actions of Jezebel and the elders. Revelation 2:20A reference to Jezebel as a symbol of false teaching and immorality within the church. People Ahab, Ahijah, Amorites, Baasha, Elijah, Jeroboam, Jezebel, Jezreel, Melech, Naboth, NebatPlaces Jezreel, SamariaTopics Dead, Jezebel, Jez'ebel, Naboth, Saying, StonedDictionary of Bible Themes 1 Kings 21:1-14 5550 speech, negative
5951 slander 1 Kings 21:1-16 5714 men
6710 privileges 1 Kings 21:1-19 4538 vineyard
5440 perjury 1 Kings 21:1-25 5745 women 1 Kings 21:2-16 8716 dishonesty, examples 1 Kings 21:7-14 5202 accusation, false 1 Kings 21:8-14 7719 elders, as leaders 1 Kings 21:11-14 5568 suffering, causes 1 Kings 21:13-15 5557 stoning 1 Kings 21:13-16 5485 punishment, legal aspects Library Ahab and Elijah
'And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy!'--1 KINGS xxi. 20. The keynote of Elijah's character is force-the force of righteousness. The New Testament, you remember, speaks of the 'power of Elias.' The outward appearance of the man corresponds to his function and his character. Gaunt and sinewy, dwelling in the desert, feeding on locusts and wild honey, with a girdle of camel's skin about his loins, he bursts into the history, amongst all that corrupt state of society, with the …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureElijah
(Tenth Sunday after Trinity.) 1 Kings xxi. 19, 20. And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? and thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine. And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord. Of all the grand personages …
Charles Kingsley—Town and Country Sermons Whether all Dissimulation is a Sin?
Objection 1: It seems that not all dissimulation is a sin. For it is written (Lk. 24:28) that our Lord "pretended [Douay: 'made as though'] he would go farther"; and Ambrose in his book on the Patriarchs (De Abraham i) says of Abraham that he "spoke craftily to his servants, when he said" (Gn. 22:5): "I and the boy will go with speed as far as yonder, and after we have worshipped, will return to you." Now to pretend and to speak craftily savor of dissimulation: and yet it is not to be said that there …
Saint Thomas Aquinas—Summa Theologica Touching Jacob, However, that which He did at his Mother's Bidding...
24. Touching Jacob, however, that which he did at his mother's bidding, so as to seem to deceive his father, if with diligence and in faith it be attended to, is no lie, but a mystery. The which if we shall call lies, all parables also, and figures designed for the signifying of any things soever, which are not to be taken according to their proper meaning, but in them is one thing to be understood from another, shall be said to be lies: which be far from us altogether. For he who thinks this, may …
St. Augustine—Against Lying Blessed are they that Mourn
Blessed are they that mourn. Matthew 5:4 Here are eight steps leading to true blessedness. They may be compared to Jacob's Ladder, the top whereof reached to heaven. We have already gone over one step, and now let us proceed to the second: Blessed are they that mourn'. We must go through the valley of tears to paradise. Mourning were a sad and unpleasant subject to treat on, were it not that it has blessedness going before, and comfort coming after. Mourning is put here for repentance. It implies …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12 Repentance
Then has God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.' Acts 11: 18. Repentance seems to be a bitter pill to take, but it is to purge out the bad humour of sin. By some Antinomian spirits it is cried down as a legal doctrine; but Christ himself preached it. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent,' &c. Matt 4: 17. In his last farewell, when he was ascending to heaven, he commanded that Repentance should be preached in his name.' Luke 24: 47. Repentance is a pure gospel grace. …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments Of Antichrist, and his Ruin: and of the Slaying the Witnesses.
BY JOHN BUNYAN PREFATORY REMARKS BY THE EDITOR This important treatise was prepared for the press, and left by the author, at his decease, to the care of his surviving friend for publication. It first appeared in a collection of his works in folio, 1692; and although a subject of universal interest; most admirably elucidated; no edition has been published in a separate form. Antichrist has agitated the Christian world from the earliest ages; and his craft has been to mislead the thoughtless, by …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links 1 Kings 21:14 NIV1 Kings 21:14 NLT1 Kings 21:14 ESV1 Kings 21:14 NASB1 Kings 21:14 KJV
1 Kings 21:14 Commentaries
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