1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 21:1 An apparently reinvigorated Elijah appears again in Jezreel to denounce another sin of Ahab and to foretell the destruction of Ahab’s family for all its sins. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 21:3 THE INHERITANCE OF MY FATHERS. The land of Israel did not belong to the families who technically “owned” it. Instead it belonged to God. He had brought the Israelites into the land in fulfillment of the Abrahamic promise and had, through Joshua, divided it among the trib... [ Continue Reading ]
1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 21:7 DO YOU NOW GOVERN ISRAEL? Jezebel is the most powerful person in Israel (see 1 Kings 19:1), not her passive husband Ahab. She despises Ahab when he is unwilling to use his power for personal gain. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, le... [ Continue Reading ]
1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 21:8 PROCLAIM A FAST. Jezebel’s plan to have Naboth executed on false charges requires the cooperation of ELDERS and LEADERS who don’t care about justice for the poor (see Deuteronomy 19:11; Deuteronomy 21:1). It also requires the cooperation of TWO WORTHLESS MEN, who will be... [ Continue Reading ]
1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 21:15 TAKE POSSESSION OF THE VINEYARD. This assumes that the king is entitled to confiscate the property of an executed criminal. This custom is recorded in the history of other ancient nations, but there was no such provision in Israelite law. Ahab and Jezebel were ignoring... [ Continue Reading ]
1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 21:19 IN THE PLACE WHERE DOGS LICKED UP THE BLOOD OF NABOTH SHALL DOGS LICK YOUR OWN BLOOD. Ahab died in battle and was buried in Samaria (1 Kings 22:34), not outside Jezreel “in the place” where Naboth was stoned (1 Kings 21:19; see v. 1 Kings 21:13). Yet, when dogs in Samar... [ Continue Reading ]
1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 21:23 THE DOGS SHALL EAT... THE BIRDS OF THE HEAVENS SHALL EAT. Israelites considered it a terrible thing not to be given a proper burial (Deuteronomy 28:25). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
1 KINGS—NOTE ON 1 KINGS 21:29 BECAUSE HE HAS HUMBLED HIMSELF. Ahab was the worst of kings (vv. 1 Kings 21:25). He added to Jeroboam’s sin the worship of Baal (1 Kings 16:30). But Ahab repents, and so avoids God’s judgment on his house in his lifetime. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTa [ Continue Reading ]