English Standard Version
1 Kings 21:25
25(There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited.
1 Kings 21:25 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
- New International Version (NIV)(There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the Lord, because Jezebel his wife stirred him up.
- New Living Translation (NLT)(No one else so completely sold himself to what was evil in the Lord’s sight as Ahab did under the influence of his wife Jezebel.
Context of 1 Kings 21:25
23And of Jezebel the Lord also said, 'The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the walls of Jezreel.' 24Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds of the heavens shall eat." (There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited. 26He acted very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord cast out before the people of Israel.) 27And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly.
Read all of 1 Kings 211 Kings 21:25 word by word
רַ֚ק לֹֽא־הָיָ֣ה כְאַחְאָ֔ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִתְמַכֵּ֔ר לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר־הֵסַ֥תָּה אֹת֖וֹ אִיזֶ֥בֶל אִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- But there was none like unto Ahabאַחְאָב'ach'âb 'echâb · AhabH256
- which did sellמָכַרmâkar · to sellH4376
- himself to workעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- wickednessרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
- in the sightעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- whom Jezebelאִיזֶבֶל'îyzebel · JezebelH348
- his wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- stirred upסוּתsûth · to inciteH5496
Cross-references for 1 Kings 21:25
- 1 Kings 21:20Ahab 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.
- 1 Kings 16:30And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him.
- 2 Kings 23:25Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor did any like him arise after him.
- 2 Kings 17:17And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination and omens and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger.
- Isaiah 50:1Thus says the Lord: "Where is your mother's certificate of divorce, with which I sent her away? Or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities you were sold, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.
- Isaiah 52:3For thus says the Lord: "You were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money."
- Romans 6:19I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.
- Romans 7:14For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin.
- 1 Kings 21:7And Jezebel his wife said to him, "Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."
- 1 Kings 11:1Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women,
- 1 Kings 16:31And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, he took for his wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal and worshiped him.
- 1 Kings 18:4and when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water.)
- 1 Kings 19:2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, "So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow."
- Proverbs 22:14The mouth of forbidden women is a deep pit; he with whom the Lord is angry will fall into it.
- Ecclesiastes 7:26And I find something more bitter than death: the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her.
- Mark 6:17For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he had married her.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 21:25
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 25Did sell himself to work wickedness - He hired himself to the devil for this very purpose, that he might work wickedness. This was to be his employment, and at this he labored. In the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up - A good wife is from the Lord; a bad wife is from the devil: Jezebel was of this kind; and she has had many successors.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 25whom Jezebel stirred up - The history of Ahab‘s reign throughout exhibits him as completely governed by his imperious wife. Instances of her influence are seen in 1 Kings 21:7, 1 Kings 21:15, marginal reference, 1 Kings 18:4; 1 Kings 19:2.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. 25-26The author pauses his story to highlight Ahab's evil nature, criticize the king's dedication to idol worship, and blame him for being influenced by his wife Jezebel. Jezebel, who was wicked, would do anything to get what she wanted (1 Kings 18:4; 19:1–2; 21:5–10, 15). Although she remained arrogant and defiant until the end (2 Kings 9:30–31), she eventually faced her foretold fate (1 Kings 21:23; 2 Kings 9:32–37).Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 21:25
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries