I Kings 21:13
A plain-spoken deep dive on this verse. Read the chapter →
And the two scoundrels came in and sat opposite Naboth, and these men testified against him before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed both God and the king!” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Ahab is still the unhappy subject of the sacred history; from the great affairs of his camp and kingdom this chapter leads us into his garden, and gives us an account of some ill things (and ill indeed they proved to him) relating to his domestic affairs. I. Ahab is sick for Naboth's vineyard (Kg1 21:1-4). II. Naboth dies by Jezebel's plot, that the vineyard may escheat to Ahab (Kg1 21:5-14). III. Ahab goes to take possession (Kg1 21:15-16). IV. Elijah meets him, and denounces the judgments of God against him for his injustice (Kg1 21:17-24). V. Upon his humiliation a reprieve is granted (Kg1 21:25-29).
Open source ↗21:13-14 As with Achan (Josh 7:24-26), Naboth’s sons were killed at the same time (see 2 Kgs 9:26), in this case to prevent the property from passing on to them. Because the charge carried the penalty of state execution (Deut 13:10-11; 17:5) and because Naboth no longer had male heirs, Ahab exercised the royal prerogative of confiscating the property (see 1 Sam 8:14).
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
‘As surely as I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons yesterday, declares the LORD, so will I repay you on this plot of ground, declares the LORD.’ Now then, according to the word of the LORD, pick him up and throw him on the plot of ground.”
We have found this man to be a pestilence, stirring up dissension among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes,
And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar, and proclaiming Himself to be Christ, a King.”
Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, “Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words,
They will roam the land, dejected and hungry. When they are famished, they will become enraged; and looking upward, they will curse their king and their God.
she shall be brought to the door of her father’s house, and there the men of her city will stone her to death. For she has committed an outrage in Israel by being promiscuous in her father’s house. So you must purge the evil from among you.
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air may carry your words, and a winged creature may report your speech.
On seeing this, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!”
Again I looked, and I considered all the oppression taking place under the sun. I saw the tears of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; the power lay in the hands of their oppressors, and there was no comforter.