1 Kings 21:25 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.
1 Kings 21:25 nkjv
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.
1 Kings 21:25 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.
1 Kings 21:25 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.
1 Kings 21:25 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.
1 Kings 21 25 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Kgs 16:30 | Ahab the son of Omri did more evil in the sight of the LORD than all who were before him. | Ahab's unprecedented wickedness. |
| 1 Kgs 16:33 | Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel who were before him. | Intensification of God's anger. |
| 1 Kgs 21:20 | "Have you found me, O my enemy?" And he answered, "I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the LORD." | Elijah confronts Ahab about selling himself. |
| 2 Kgs 8:18 | He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife... | Ahab's family legacy of evil. |
| Deut 6:14 | You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you. | Commandment against idolatry. |
| Deut 7:4 | For they would turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods; so the anger of the LORD would be kindled against you... | Warning against foreign marriages/idols. |
| Judg 2:11 | The people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals. | Israel's recurring sin of Baal worship. |
| Psa 14:1 | The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. | Connection between godlessness and evil. |
| Isa 5:20 | Woe to those who call evil good and good evil... | Perversion of morality. |
| Rom 1:28-32 | And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done... | Divine abandonment due to moral corruption. |
| Rom 6:16 | Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey...? | Slavery to sin. |
| Rom 6:19 | For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness... | Voluntary submission to sin or righteousness. |
| Rom 7:14 | For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. | Being 'sold under sin' (spiritual bondage). |
| Eph 4:19 | They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. | Abandonment to evil without conscience. |
| 4:18-19, Ps 14:1; Rom 1:28-32, 6:19; 7:14 | Woe to those who call evil good and good evil... They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality... He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife... For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness...For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. | Volitional submission to evil (general). |
| 1 Kgs 22:52 | He walked in the way of his father and in the way of his mother and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. | Sons continue parental wickedness. |
| Jer 2:13 | For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves... | Forsaking God for worthless idols. |
| Jer 32:30 | For the people of Israel and the people of Judah have done nothing but evil in My sight from their youth... | Persistent and generational evil. |
| Hos 4:11 | Wine and new wine take away the understanding. | Intoxication/corruption impairs judgment. |
| Prov 2:16 | So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the foreigner with her smooth words. | Warning against wicked foreign women. |
| 1 Cor 15:33 | Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals." | Harmful influence of corrupting associations. |
| Jam 1:14-15 | But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. | Sin's progression from desire to death. |
| Gal 5:7-8 | You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from Him who calls you. | Hindrance from obeying truth by persuasion. |
| 2 Tim 3:1-5 | But understand this, that in the last days there will be perilous times. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money... | Characteristics of profound moral decay. |
1 Kings 21 verses
1 Kings 21 25 Meaning
1 Kings 21:25 highlights King Ahab's unique and profound level of wickedness among all Israelite kings. It asserts that he willingly surrendered himself to perform evil in the presence of the LORD, and crucially, this moral degradation was instigated and intensified by his wife, Jezebel. The verse portrays Ahab not merely as a perpetrator of evil, but as one who actively "sold himself" to it, signifying a complete and deliberate devotion to unrighteous acts, influenced by idolatry and moral corruption.
1 Kings 21 25 Context
1 Kings chapter 21 immediately precedes a significant shift towards God's judgment on King Ahab. The chapter details the wicked plot concerning Naboth's vineyard. Ahab, coveting Naboth's ancestral land, attempted to acquire it, but Naboth refused to sell as it was his inheritance. Jezebel, Ahab's Phoenician wife, took matters into her own hands, orchestrating a scheme through false witnesses that led to Naboth's unjust accusation of blasphemy and subsequent stoning, enabling Ahab to seize the vineyard. This act of grave injustice and usurpation provoked the LORD, leading to Elijah's direct confrontation with Ahab in verses 19-20, where Elijah pronounces a dire prophecy of Ahab and his household's destruction. Verse 25 serves as the narrator's summary indictment and explanation for the severity of God's impending judgment, placing Ahab's actions in the context of unparalleled, intentional, and influenced depravity among the kings of Israel. Historically, Ahab reigned over the Northern Kingdom (Israel) from approximately 874-853 BC. His rule was marked by the pervasive spread of Baal worship due to his marriage to Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Sidonians and a priest of Baal. This syncretism and active promotion of foreign idolatry directly challenged the foundational covenant relationship between Yahweh and Israel, setting a dangerous precedent and provoking strong prophetic resistance from figures like Elijah.
1 Kings 21 25 Word analysis
- But there was: This opening phrase functions as a strong contrastive connector, signaling an exceptional level of depravity even within a line of mostly unfaithful kings. It sets Ahab apart.
- none like Ahab: Emphasizes Ahab's unparalleled distinction in wickedness. It highlights the depth of his deviation from Yahweh's ways compared to all his predecessors in the Northern Kingdom.
- who did sell himself: The Hebrew word hitmakker (הִתְמַכֵּר, from the root makar מָכַר), a Hithpael conjugation, implies a reflexive action: he "sold himself." This isn't merely being influenced or falling into sin, but a deliberate, active, and willing surrender of his own will, integrity, and being to the pursuit of evil. It suggests a total, unreserved commitment, akin to becoming a slave to sin, for personal gain or satisfaction (as seen in the Naboth's vineyard incident). This contrasts sharply with God's offer of free covenant and relationship.
- to do wickedness: The Hebrew word hara' (הָרַע) means evil, bad, disaster. It's a comprehensive term referring to actions, thoughts, and dispositions that are morally corrupt and in direct opposition to God's revealed will and justice. The implication is systematic and persistent engagement in actions God condemns.
- in the sight of the LORD: This phrase emphasizes that God is an active observer of human deeds. It is a theological statement asserting divine omniscience and judicial oversight. Evil is not hidden from Him, and committing it "in His sight" signifies an audacious disregard for His presence and authority. This underscores the covenantal breaking, as God, the covenant Lord, witnessed Israel's king in flagrant rebellion.
- whom Jezebel his wife stirred up: The Hebrew word hesîṯâ (הֵסִיתָה, a Hiphil form of sûṯ סוּת) means to incite, to entice, to lure, or to lead astray. This verb carries a strong negative connotation, implying malicious and deliberate provocation to evil. Jezebel is portrayed as the driving force behind Ahab's escalated wickedness, particularly in relation to Baal worship and the implementation of idolatrous policies and injustices. This highlights the dangers of negative external influence and the role of leadership in shaping the moral landscape of a nation. This also acts as a polemic, revealing the destructive nature of foreign influence and idolatrous worship entering Israel through the monarchy. It explicitly blames the foreign queen for Israel's moral decline and the adoption of pagan practices.
1 Kings 21 25 Bonus section
The uniqueness of Ahab's evil is not merely in individual wicked acts, but in his systematic promotion of Baalism as a state religion, replacing Yahweh worship with organized idolatry on an unprecedented scale (1 Kgs 16:31-33). While other kings "walked in the sins of Jeroboam," Ahab's deviation involved embracing outright paganism, an anathema to the Mosaic covenant. The concept of "selling oneself" foreshadows spiritual bondage, where one's will becomes enslaved to sin, eventually leading to death (Rom 6:23). It implies a complete transactional exchange where he gave himself over entirely, effectively becoming property of wickedness. His momentary repentance (1 Kgs 21:27-29) did defer judgment, but did not erase his record as the king who "sold himself," illustrating the temporary nature of partial repentance versus a genuine heart transformation. His legacy served as a stark warning to future generations of the Northern Kingdom regarding the ultimate consequences of national apostasy and foreign idolatry, reinforcing the direct causal link between royal unfaithfulness and national disaster.
1 Kings 21 25 Commentary
1 Kings 21:25 provides a stark summary of King Ahab's moral character, distinguishing him as exceptionally evil among Israel's monarchs. The language, "sold himself to do wickedness," indicates a willing and complete surrender to evil, contrasting him with those who might stumble into sin or be merely tempted. This profound choice reflects a heart that embraced iniquity as a master. The explicit mention of Jezebel, his Phoenician wife, "stirring him up," points to a crucial catalyst for his unparalleled apostasy and wickedness, particularly the active promotion of Baal worship and the abandonment of Yahwism. The verse emphasizes that his wickedness was committed "in the sight of the LORD," stressing God's omniscient awareness and setting the stage for divine judgment, demonstrating that no act of rebellion against God's law goes unnoticed or unpunished. The tragedy is amplified by his abdication of covenant responsibility for a foreign, destructive influence.