1 Kings 21 23

1 Kings 21:23 kjv

And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.

1 Kings 21:23 nkjv

And concerning Jezebel the LORD also spoke, saying, 'The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.'

1 Kings 21:23 niv

"And also concerning Jezebel the LORD says: 'Dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.'

1 Kings 21:23 esv

And of Jezebel the LORD also said, 'The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the walls of Jezreel.'

1 Kings 21:23 nlt

"And regarding Jezebel, the LORD says, 'Dogs will eat Jezebel's body at the plot of land in Jezreel. '

1 Kings 21 verses

1 Kings 21 23 Meaning

This verse pronounces a specific divine judgment upon Jezebel, Queen of Israel, delivered by the prophet Elijah. It declares that she, too, like her husband Ahab, will meet a gruesome end. Her body will be devoured by dogs by the wall of Jezreel, symbolizing a dishonorable death, lack of burial, and complete obliteration as a public spectacle, directly correlating with her extreme wickedness, particularly her orchestration of Naboth's murder. It signifies God's absolute sovereignty and unerring justice against severe sin.

1 Kings 21 23 Context

The verse, 1 Kings 21:23, is a specific prophetic pronouncement by Elijah against Queen Jezebel. It is embedded within the tragic narrative of Naboth's vineyard in 1 Kings Chapter 21. Ahab, coveting Naboth's vineyard in Jezreel, became dejected when Naboth refused to sell it, citing ancestral inheritance. Jezebel, observing her husband's sulking, scorned his inaction and took matters into her own hands. Through a deceptive scheme involving false witnesses and a staged blasphemy charge, she orchestrated Naboth's wrongful death by stoning. Following Naboth's murder, Ahab unjustly seized the vineyard. This heinous act of covetousness, deceit, and murder of an innocent man provoked divine wrath. The LORD, through Elijah, then declared severe judgment upon Ahab, his household, and specifically, upon Jezebel. Historically, this period was marked by rampant idolatry (especially Baal worship introduced by Jezebel), moral decay, and injustice within the northern kingdom of Israel, highlighting a sharp conflict between the worship of Yahweh and Baalism.

1 Kings 21 23 Word analysis

• And of Jezebel also: This phrase highlights that Jezebel, though a queen, was not exempt from God's judgment and, in fact, shared the same fate as Ahab's household (v. 21-22). "Jezebel" (Hebrew: ’Izevel or ’Izabel) is derived from words meaning "where is the prince?" (referring to Baal) or "chaste" / "unexalted" – the latter being highly ironic given her infamous character. She was a Phoenician princess, an ardent worshiper and promoter of Baal, whose influence corrupted Israel significantly, leading to state-sponsored idolatry and severe persecution of God's prophets. Her name became synonymous with evil.
• spake the LORD: (Hebrew: waydabber Yĕhovāh). This emphasizes divine authority. It's not a human opinion or curse, but a direct decree from Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. It underscores the certainty of the prophecy and God's absolute control over earthly events.
• saying: Introduces the precise terms of the divine decree.
• The dogs shall eat: (Hebrew: hakkelabim tokheku - literally "the dogs shall eat"). Dogs in ancient Near Eastern culture, particularly stray or wild ones, were generally viewed as unclean scavengers. Unlike the more esteemed hunting or shepherding dogs, these scavengers were associated with squalor and the consumption of carrion. To have one's body eaten by dogs was considered the ultimate degradation, signifying a deeply dishonorable death and the lack of proper burial – a horrific fate for anyone, especially royalty. This act of dismemberment and scattering of remains was a severe curse. This imagery strongly reflects ancient Near Eastern practices of denigrating enemies or criminals by leaving their bodies unburied.
• Jezebel: Reiteration of the specific subject of judgment.
• by the wall: (Hebrew: bĕḥel-ḥomat - "by the wall" or "within the precinct"). This implies a public or visible location near the fortifications of Jezreel, where her unburied remains would be exposed. It accentuates the shame and public nature of her judgment, associating it with the very seat of her power and where her crime was committed.
• of Jezreel: This refers to the city where Naboth’s vineyard was located, the site of the specific crime that precipitated this severe judgment. It connects the punishment directly to the location of the transgression, highlighting divine precision in judgment. Jezreel was also a key royal residence for Ahab and Jezebel, making it the poetic setting for her ultimate downfall.

Words-group Analysis:

• "of Jezebel also spake the LORD": Highlights God's specific targeting of Jezebel, underscoring her prominent role in wickedness and her responsibility alongside Ahab. It underscores divine directness and personal accountability.
• "The dogs shall eat Jezebel": This phrase paints a vivid picture of extreme disgrace. It signifies a complete lack of dignity in death, contrasting sharply with the customary reverence for royal burial. The consumption by dogs represented the antithesis of a peaceful end, often signifying being cut off from one's lineage and heritage. This aligns with broader biblical motifs of a dishonorable death for the exceedingly wicked, emphasizing utter annihilation and rejection.
• "by the wall of Jezreel": This specifies the precise location, making the prophecy highly verifiable when fulfilled. It implies public display of her demise, serving as a chilling deterrent and a clear manifestation of divine justice to any witnesses. Jezreel, as a royal stronghold, becomes the place of ultimate shame, connecting the punishment directly to the scene of her crime (Naboth's vineyard was nearby).

1 Kings 21 23 Bonus section

The curse upon Jezebel in 1 Kgs 21:23 forms a significant contrast to Ahab's temporary reprieve from immediate judgment due to his partial humility (1 Kgs 21:27-29). While Ahab's demise was postponed for his lifetime, Jezebel received no such mercy, emphasizing her deep-seated impenitence and the severity of her role in leading Israel astray. The fulfillment of this prophecy in 2 Kgs 9:30-37 is remarkably precise, validating Elijah's divine commission and God's absolute sovereignty over kings and nations. Furthermore, the name "Jezebel" became an enduring symbol of spiritual corruption and moral depravity in later biblical literature, notably echoed in Rev 2:20-23, where a false prophetess misleading the church at Thyatira is metaphorically named "Jezebel." This highlights that her original wickedness had far-reaching symbolic resonance, warning against idolatry and immoral compromise within God's people.

1 Kings 21 23 Commentary

1 Kings 21:23 delivers a stark prophecy of divine judgment against Jezebel, reflecting God's absolute intolerance for unrepentant wickedness, idolatry, and grave injustice. The gruesome nature of her prophesied death—being devoured by dogs by the wall of Jezreel—underscores a profound dishonor, a lack of burial, and a public spectacle of divine retribution. This was a fate reserved for the vilest of criminals or enemies, marking the ultimate humiliation in ancient culture. Jezebel's pervasive influence on Ahab, her relentless persecution of God's prophets, and especially her cruel orchestration of Naboth's murder solidified her place as an archetype of profound evil and spiritual apostasy. This prophecy serves as a powerful declaration that no human power, no matter how elevated or cruel, can escape the righteous judgment of Yahweh, and that divine word, once spoken, will unfailingly come to pass. Her end, fully recounted in 2 Kings 9, confirms the perfect accuracy and certainty of God's judgments.