New English Translation
1 Kings 21:8
8She wrote out orders, signed Ahab’s name to them, and sealed them with his seal. She then sent the orders to the leaders and to the nobles who lived in Naboth’s city.
1 Kings 21:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.
- New International Version (NIV)So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, placed his seal on them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city with him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and the leaders who lived with Naboth in his city.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who were dwelling in the city with Naboth.
Context of 1 Kings 21:8
6He answered her, “While I was talking to Naboth the Jezreelite, I said to him, ‘Sell me your vineyard for silver, or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not sell you my vineyard.’” 7His wife Jezebel said to him, “You are the king of Israel! Get up, eat some food, and have a good time. I will get the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you.” She wrote out orders, signed Ahab’s name to them, and sealed them with his seal. She then sent the orders to the leaders and to the nobles who lived in Naboth’s city. 9This is what she wrote: “Observe a time of fasting and seat Naboth in front of the people. 10Also seat two villains opposite him and have them testify, ‘You cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
Read all of 1 Kings 211 Kings 21:8 word by word
וַתִּכְתֹּ֤ב סְפָרִים֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם אַחְאָ֔ב וַתַּחְתֹּ֖ם בְּחֹתָמ֑וֹ וַתִּשְׁלַ֣ח סְפָרִ֗ים אֶל־הַזְקֵנִ֤ים וְאֶל־הַֽחֹרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּעִיר֔וֹ הַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים אֶת־נָבֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- So she wroteכָּתַבkâthab · to writeH3789
- lettersסֵ֫פֶרsêpher siphrâh · scroll: documentH5612
- in Ahab’sאַחְאָב'ach'âb 'echâb · AhabH256
- nameשֵׁםshêm · nameH8034
- and sealedחָתַםchâtham · to sealH2856
- with his sealחֹתָםchôthâm chôthâm · signetH2368
- and sentשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- unto the eldersזָקֵןzâqên · old: elderH2205
- and to the noblesחֹרchôr chôr · nobleH2715
- in his cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
- dwellingיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- with Nabothנָבוֹתnâbôth · NabothH5022
Cross-references for 1 Kings 21:8
- 2 Samuel 11:14In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah.
- 2 Chronicles 32:17He wrote letters mocking the Lord God of Israel and insulting him with these words: “The gods of the surrounding nations could not rescue their people from my power. Neither can Hezekiah’s god rescue his people from my power.”
- Ezra 4:7And during the reign of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues wrote to King Artaxerxes of Persia. This letter was first written in Aramaic but then translated. [Aramaic:]
- Nehemiah 6:5The fifth time that Sanballat sent his assistant to me in this way, he had an open letter in his hand.
- Esther 3:12So the royal scribes were summoned in the first month, on the thirteenth day of the month. Everything Haman commanded was written to the king’s satraps and governors who were in every province and to the officials of every people, province by province according to its script and people by people according to its language. In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written and sealed with the king’s signet ring.
- Esther 8:8Now you write in the king’s name whatever in your opinion is appropriate concerning the Jews and seal it with the king’s signet ring. Any decree that is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring cannot be rescinded.
- Numbers 11:16The Lord said to Moses, “Gather to me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know are elders of the people and officials over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting; let them take their position there with you.
- Deuteronomy 16:18You must appoint judges and civil servants for each tribe in all your villages that the Lord your God is giving you, and they must judge the people fairly.
- Deuteronomy 21:1If a homicide victim should be found lying in a field in the land the Lord your God is giving you, and no one knows who killed him,
- 1 Kings 21:1After this the following episode took place. Naboth the Jezreelite owned a vineyard in Jezreel adjacent to the palace of King Ahab of Samaria.
- 2 Kings 10:1Ahab had seventy sons living in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the leading officials of Jezreel and to the guardians of Ahab’s dynasty. This is what the letters said,
Commentaries on 1 Kings 21:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8She wrote letters in Ahab's name - She counterfeited his authority by his own consent; and he lent his signet to stamp that authority.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Seal - The seal is a very ancient invention. Judah‘s signet and Pharaoh‘s signet-ring are mentioned in Genesis Genesis 38:18; Genesis 41:42. Signets of Egyptian kings have been found which are referred to about 2000 B.C. Sennacherib‘s signet, and an impression of Sargon‘s, are still extant. There can be no doubt that in the East, from a very remote antiquity, kings had seals and appended them to all documents which they set forth under their authority…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. 8-9among the people: This type of meeting usually dealt with sin that might lead to divine punishment (see Deuteronomy 21:1–9; Joshua 7:10–12; 1 Samuel 7:1–6). Jezebel called it to falsely accuse an innocent person.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal--The seal-ring contained the name of the king and gave validity to the documents to which it was affixed (Es 8:8; Da 6:17). By allowing her the use of his signet-ring, Ahab passively consented to Jezebel's proceeding. Being written in the king's name, it had the character of a royal mandate. sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city--They were the civic…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 21:8
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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