New King James Version
1 Kings 21:8
8And 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and other leaders of the town where Naboth lived.
Context of 1 Kings 21:8
6He said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite, and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if it pleases you, I will give you another vineyard for it.’ And he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’ ” 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.” 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. 9She wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth with high honor among the people; 10and 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.
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 it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah.
- 2 Chronicles 32:17He also wrote letters to revile the Lord God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, “As the gods of the nations of other lands have not delivered their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my hand.”
- Ezra 4:7In the days of Artaxerxes also, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabel, and the rest of their companions wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the letter was written in Aramaic script, and translated into the Aramaic language.
- Nehemiah 6:5Then Sanballat sent his servant to me as before, the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand.
- Esther 3:12Then the king’s scribes were called on the thirteenth day of the first month, and a decree was written according to all that Haman commanded—to the king’s satraps, to the governors who were over each province, to the officials of all people, to every province according to its script, and to every people in their language. In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written, and sealed with the king’s signet ring.
- Esther 8:8You yourselves write a decree concerning the Jews, as you please, in the king’s name, and seal it with the king’s signet ring; for whatever is written in the king’s name and sealed with the king’s signet ring no one can revoke.”
- Numbers 11:16So the Lord said to Moses: “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you.
- Deuteronomy 16:18“You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the Lord your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment.
- Deuteronomy 21:1“If anyone is found slain, lying in the field in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess, and it is not known who killed him,
- 1 Kings 21:1And it came to pass after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel, next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
- 2 Kings 10:1Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote and sent letters to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to those who reared Ahab’s sons, saying:
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries