God’s Word Translation
1 Kings 21:10
10Have two good-for-nothing men sit opposite him and accuse him of cursing God and the king. Then stone him to death outside the city.”
1 Kings 21:10 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.
- New International Version (NIV)But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them bring charges that he has cursed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And set two worthless men opposite him, and let them bring a charge against him, saying, 'You have cursed God and the king.' Then take him out and stone him to death."
- New King James Version (NKJV)and seat two men, scoundrels, before him to bear witness against him, saying, “You have blasphemed God and the king.” Then take him out, and stone him, that he may die.
Context of 1 Kings 21:10
8So Jezebel wrote letters, signed them with Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal. She sent them to the respected leaders and nobles living in Naboth’s city. 9In these letters she wrote: “Announce a fast. Seat Naboth as leader of the people. Have two good-for-nothing men sit opposite him and accuse him of cursing God and the king. Then stone him to death outside the city.” 11The men in Naboth’s city—the respected leaders and nobles who lived there—did what Jezebel asked them to do. They did just as she had written in the letters she sent. 12They announced a fast and had Naboth seated as the leader of the people.
Read all of 1 Kings 211 Kings 21:10 word by word
וְ֠הוֹשִׁיבוּ שְׁנַ֨יִם אֲנָשִׁ֥ים בְּנֵֽי־בְלִיַּעַל֮ נֶגְדּוֹ֒ וִיעִדֻ֣הוּ לֵאמֹ֔ר בֵּרַ֥כְתָּ אֱלֹהִ֖ים וָמֶ֑לֶךְ וְהוֹצִיאֻ֥הוּ וְסִקְלֻ֖הוּ וְיָמֹֽת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And setיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- sonsבֵּןbên · son: young animalH1121
- of Belialבְּלִיַּ֫עַלbelîya‛al · BelialH1100
- before him, to bear witnessעוּד‛ûd · to testifyH5749
- against him, sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Thou didst blasphemeבָּרַךְbârak · to blessH1288
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- and the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- carry him outיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: sendH3318
- and stoneסָקַלsâqal · to stoneH5619
- him, that he may dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
Cross-references for 1 Kings 21:10
- Deuteronomy 19:15One witness is never enough to convict someone of a crime, offense, or sin he may have committed. Cases must be settled based on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
- Matthew 26:59The chief priests and the whole council were searching for false testimony to use against Jesus in order to execute him.
- Acts 6:11Then they bribed some men to lie. These men said, “We heard him slander Moses and God.”
- Deuteronomy 13:13have been led away from the Lord your God by worthless people. You may hear that these people have been saying, “Let’s worship other gods.” (Those gods may be gods you’ve never heard of.)
- Judges 19:22While they were enjoying themselves, some worthless men from the city surrounded the house and pounded on the door. They told the old man, the owner of the house, “Bring out the man who came to your house so that we can have sex with him.”
- Exodus 22:28“Never show disrespect for God or curse a leader of your people.
- Leviticus 24:15“Also tell the Israelites: Those who treat their God with contempt will be punished for their sin.
- John 10:33The Jews answered Jesus, “We’re going to stone you to death, not for any good things you’ve done, but for dishonoring God. You claim to be God, although you’re only a man.”
- Acts 6:13Some witnesses stood up and lied about Stephen. They said, “This man never stops saying bad things about the holy place and Moses’ Teachings.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 21:10
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 10Set two men - For life could not be attainted but on the evidence of two witnesses at least. Sons of Belial - Men who will not scruple to tell lies and take a false oath. Thou didst blaspheme God and the king - Thou art an atheist and a rebel. Thou hast spoken words injurious to the perfections and nature of God; and thou hast spoken words against the crown and dignity of the king. The words literally are, Naboth hath Blessed Clod and the king; or, as…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10Sons of Belial - i. e., “worthless persons” (Deuteronomy 13:13 note). Witnesses must be two in number according to the Law Numbers 35:30; Deuteronomy 17:6; Deuteronomy 19:15. The word rendered “blaspheme” is that which commonly means “bless.” The opposite sense of “cursing,” seems, however, to be required here and in Job 1:5, Job 1:11; Job 2:5. Perhaps the best explanation of the bad sense of the original word is to be found in the practice of blessing by…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 5-16Verses 5-16 When, instead of a help meet, a man has an agent for Satan, in the form of an artful, unprincipled, yet beloved wife, fatal effects may be expected. Never were more wicked orders given by any prince, than those Jezebel sent to the rulers of Jezreel. Naboth must be murdered under colour of religion. There is no wickedness so vile, so horrid, but religion has sometimes been made a cover for it. Also, it must be done under colour of justice, and…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10scoundrels (literally sons of Belial): This Hebrew term describes completely wicked people (Deuteronomy 13:13; Judges 19:22; 1 Samuel 10:27; Proverbs 6:12). Later Jewish texts associated Belial with Satan, a connection Paul also makes in the New Testament (2 Corinthians 6:15). Legally, two witnesses were required to confirm a charge against someone (Deuteronomy 19:15; Matthew 18:16). Naboth faced a double accusation of blasphemy against God and the king…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 21:10
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
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