Amplified Bible
1 Kings 21:20
20Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” And he answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord.
1 Kings 21:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Ahab said to Elijah, “So you have found me, my enemy!” “I have found you,” he answered, “because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" He answered, "I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the Lord.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” And he answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord:
Context of 1 Kings 21:20
18“Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria. Behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession of it. 19You shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Have you murdered and also taken possession [of the victim’s property]?” ’ And you shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will lick up your blood as well.” ’ ” Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” And he answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord. 21Behold [says the Lord], I am bringing evil (catastrophe) on you, and will utterly sweep you away, and will cut off from Ahab every male, both bond and free in Israel; 22and I will make your house (descendants) like that of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for provoking Me to anger and making Israel sin.
Read all of 1 Kings 211 Kings 21:20 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אַחְאָב֙ אֶל־אֵ֣לִיָּ֔הוּ הַֽמְצָאתַ֖נִי אֹיְבִ֑י וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מָצָ֔אתִי יַ֚עַן הִתְמַכֶּרְךָ֔ לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֥י יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Ahabאַחְאָב'ach'âb 'echâb · AhabH256
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- to Elijahאֵלִיָּה'êlîyâh 'êlîyâhû · ElijahH452
- Hast thou foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
- me, O mine enemyאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
- because thou hast soldמָכַרmâkar · to sellH4376
- thyself to workעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- evilרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
- in the sightעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for 1 Kings 21:20
- 1 Kings 18:17When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Are you the one who is bringing disaster on Israel?”
- 1 Kings 22:8The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is one more man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, because he never prophesies good news for me, but only evil.” But Jehoshaphat said, “May the king not say that [Micaiah only tells bad news].”
- 2 Chronicles 18:7The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord, but I hate him, for he never prophesies [anything] good for me, but always evil. He is Micaiah the son of Imla” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so [perhaps this time it will be different].”
- Amos 5:10They hate the one who reprimands [the unrighteous] in the [court held at the city] gate [regarding him as unreasonable and rejecting his reprimand], And they detest him who speaks [the truth] with integrity and honesty.
- Mark 12:12And they were looking for a way to seize Him, but they were afraid of the crowd; for they knew that He spoke this parable in reference to [and as a charge against] them. And so they left Him and went away.
- Galatians 4:16So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?
- Revelation 11:10And those [non-believers] who live on the earth will gloat over them and rejoice; and they will send gifts [in celebration] to one another, because these two prophets tormented and troubled those who live on the earth.
- 1 Kings 21:25There certainly was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the Lord, because Jezebel his wife incited him.
- 2 Kings 17:17They made their sons and their daughters pass through the fire [as human sacrifices], and used divination [to foretell the future] and enchantments; and they sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him to anger.
- Isaiah 50:1The Lord declares this; “Where is the certificate of divorce By which I have sent your mother away, [O Israel]? Or to which one of My creditors did I sell you [as slaves]? In fact, You were sold for your wickedness [your sin, your injustice, your wrongdoing], And for your transgressions your mother was sent away.
- Isaiah 52:3For the Lord says this, “You were sold for nothing and you will be redeemed, but not with money.”
- Romans 7:14We know that the Law is spiritual, but I am a creature of the flesh [worldly, self-reliant—carnal and unspiritual], sold into slavery to sin [and serving under its control].
- 1 Kings 16:30Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all [the kings] who were before him.
- 2 Kings 21:2He did [great] evil in the sight of the Lord, in accordance with the [idolatrous] repulsive acts of the [pagan] nations whom the Lord dispossessed before the sons (descendants) of Israel.
- 2 Chronicles 33:6He made his sons pass through the fire [as an offering to his gods] in the Valley of Ben-hinnom; and he practiced witchcraft, used divination, and practiced sorcery, and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking Him to anger.
- Ephesians 4:19And they, [the ungodly in their spiritual apathy], having become callous and unfeeling, have given themselves over [as prey] to unbridled sensuality, eagerly craving the practice of every kind of impurity [that their desires may demand].
Commentaries on 1 Kings 21:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Thou hast sold thyself to work evil - See a similar form of speech, Romans 7:14; (note). Thou hast totally abandoned thyself to the service of sin. Satan is become thy absolute master, and thou his undivided slave.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20The words “O mine enemy,” may refer partly to the old antagonism (marginal reference; 1 Kings 17:1; 1 Kings 19:2-3); but the feeling which it expresses is rather that of present oppositions - the opposition between good and evil, light and darkness John 3:20. Thou hast sold thyself to work evil - Compare the marginal references. The metaphor is taken from the practice of men‘s selling themselves into slavery, and so giving themselves wholly up to work the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 17-29Verses 17-29 Blessed Paul complains that he was sold under sin, Ro 7:14, as a poor captive against his will; but Ahab was willing, he sold himself to sin; of choice, and as his own act and deed, he loved the dominion of sin. Jezebel his wife stirred him up to do wickedly. Ahab is reproved, and his sin set before his eyes, by Elijah. That man's condition is very miserable, who has made the word of God his enemy; and very desperate, who reckons the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17-22Elijah announced God's judgment on Ahab as he was about to take over the vineyard. Since Ahab caused Naboth's death and took his field, Ahab and his family would be destroyed. The prophecy about Ahab's children would come true when Jehu removed Baal worshipers from Israel (2 Kings 9:30–37; 10:1–11).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. thou hast sold thyself to work evil--that is, allowed sin to acquire the unchecked and habitual mastery over thee (2Ki 17:17; Ro 7:11).Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 21:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Kings 21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Amplified Bible — © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631
Commentaries