New King James Version
1 Kings 21:25
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.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)(There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited.
- 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 concerning Jezebel the Lord also spoke, saying, ‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ 24The dogs shall eat whoever belongs to Ahab and dies in the city, and the birds of the air shall eat whoever dies in the field.” 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. 26And he behaved very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. 27So it was, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about mourning.
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 21:20So 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 16:30Now Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him.
- 2 Kings 23:25Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him.
- 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 6:19I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.
- Romans 7:14For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
- 1 Kings 21:7Then Jezebel his wife said to him, “You now exercise authority over Israel! Arise, eat food, and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
- 1 Kings 11:1But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites—
- 1 Kings 16:31And it came to pass, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took as wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians; and he went and served Baal and worshiped him.
- 1 Kings 18:4For so it was, while Jezebel massacred the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and had fed them with bread and water.)
- 1 Kings 19:2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.”
- Proverbs 22:14The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; He who is abhorred by the Lord will fall there.
- Ecclesiastes 7:26And I find more bitter than death The woman whose heart is snares and nets, Whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God shall escape from her, But the sinner shall be trapped by her.
- Mark 6:17For Herod himself had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries