New King James Version
1 Kings 21:20
20So 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:
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 Living Translation (NLT)“So, my enemy, you have found me!” Ahab exclaimed to Elijah. “Yes,” Elijah answered, “I have come because you have sold yourself to what is evil in the Lord’s sight.
Context of 1 Kings 21:20
18“Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who lives in Samaria. There he is, in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone down to take possession of it. 19You shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Have you murdered and also taken possession?” ’ And you shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, dogs shall lick your blood, even yours.” ’ ” 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: 21‘Behold, I will bring calamity on you. I will take away your posterity, and will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both bond and free. 22I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger, and made 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 18:17Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”
- 1 Kings 22:8So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things!”
- 2 Chronicles 18:7So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man by whom we may inquire of the Lord; but I hate him, because he never prophesies good concerning me, but always evil. He is Micaiah the son of Imla.” And Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say such things!”
- Amos 5:10They hate the one who rebukes in the gate, And they abhor the one who speaks uprightly.
- Mark 12:12And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.
- Galatians 4:16Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?
- Revelation 11:10And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.
- 1 Kings 21:25But 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.
- 2 Kings 17:17And they caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and soothsaying, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger.
- Isaiah 50:1Thus says the Lord: “Where is the certificate of your mother’s divorce, Whom I have put away? Or which of My creditors is it to whom I have sold you? For your iniquities you have sold yourselves, And for your transgressions your mother has been put away.
- Isaiah 52:3For thus says the Lord: “You have sold yourselves for nothing, And you shall be redeemed without money.”
- Romans 7:14For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
- 1 Kings 16:30Now Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him.
- 2 Kings 21:2And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.
- 2 Chronicles 33:6Also he caused his sons to pass through the fire in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom; he practiced soothsaying, used witchcraft and sorcery, and consulted mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger.
- Ephesians 4:19who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries