1 Kings 21:7 kjv
And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
1 Kings 21:7 nkjv
Then 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 21:7 niv
Jezebel his wife said, "Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I'll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."
1 Kings 21:7 esv
And Jezebel his wife said to him, "Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."
1 Kings 21:7 nlt
"Are you the king of Israel or not?" Jezebel demanded. "Get up and eat something, and don't worry about it. I'll get you Naboth's vineyard!"
1 Kings 21 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 20:17 | "You shall not covet your neighbor’s house... anything that is your neighbor’s." | Core command against covetousness (Ahab’s sin). |
| Dt 5:21 | "‘You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife... nor anything that is your neighbor’s.’" | Reiterates the covetousness commandment. |
| Lv 25:23 | "The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine..." | Divine ownership of land (Naboth’s legal basis). |
| Nu 36:7 | "No inheritance... shall be transferred from one tribe to another..." | Prohibits permanent alienation of tribal land. |
| Dt 19:16-19 | If a malicious witness arises to accuse a person of wrongdoing... | Law against false witness (Jezebel’s method). |
| Ps 72:4 | May he defend the cause of the poor... and crush the oppressor! | Godly king's duty contrasted with Ahab/Jezebel. |
| Pr 16:12 | It is an abomination to kings to do evil, for the throne is established by righteousness. | King's reign founded on justice. |
| Pr 28:16 | A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor... | Consequences of oppressive rule. |
| Isa 10:1-2 | Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees... to turn aside the needy from justice... | Denunciation of unjust laws/rulings. |
| Mic 3:1-3 | Is it not for you to know justice? – you who hate the good and love the evil... | Rebuke of corrupt leaders. |
| 1 Kgs 16:31 | He took Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal. | Jezebel’s foreign and idolatrous origin. |
| 1 Kgs 18:4 | For when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took a hundred prophets... | Jezebel’s hostility to Yahweh and His prophets. |
| 1 Kgs 19:1-3 | Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done... Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah... | Jezebel’s vengeful and controlling nature. |
| 2 Kgs 9:30-37 | When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it... | Jezebel’s ultimate judgment and violent end. |
| Pr 31:3 | Do not give your strength to women, your ways to those who destroy kings. | Warning against debilitating influence (Ahab's case). |
| Ecc 3:16 | Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness... | Pervasion of injustice in the world. |
| Mt 15:19 | For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, theft, false witness... | Heart as source of sins leading to such acts. |
| Ro 7:7 | Indeed, I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, "You shall not covet.” | Confirms the sinfulness of covetousness. |
| Ro 13:1 | Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God... | Authority should operate under God's higher law. |
| Ja 2:6-7 | But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you...? | Warning against partiality and oppression of poor. |
| Jas 4:1-2 | What causes quarrels and what causes fights...? You desire and do not have, so you murder. | Desire leading to murder and violence. |
| Jer 22:17 | But your eyes and heart are only on your dishonest gain, for shedding innocent blood, and for doing violence and oppression. | Similar conduct condemned in a king. |
| Ps 94:20-21 | Can wicked rulers be allied with you, those who frame injustice by statute? They band together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. | Wicked rulers twisting law for injustice. |
| Prov 29:2 | When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan. | Contrast to Jezebel’s corrupt influence. |
| Eze 46:18 | The prince shall not take any of the inheritance of the people by extortion... | Principle against unjust royal acquisition. |
1 Kings 21 verses
1 Kings 21 7 Meaning
This verse highlights Jezebel's assertive and cynical character as she confronts Ahab's despair over Naboth's vineyard. She rhetorically challenges his status as king while boldly declaring her intention to acquire the vineyard for him, completely disregarding God's Law and principles of justice. This pivotal statement initiates her wicked plot to unlawfully seize Naboth's inheritance.
1 Kings 21 7 Context
1 Kings 21 begins with King Ahab's strong desire for Naboth's vineyard, located conveniently near his palace in Jezreel. Naboth refused to sell or exchange his ancestral land, upholding the Mosaic Law which prohibited its permanent transfer from a family or tribe. Ahab reacted with childish despondency, retreating to his bed and refusing food, a picture of impotent craving. Verse 7 marks the dramatic entry of Queen Jezebel, who scolds Ahab for his weakness and promises to obtain the vineyard herself. This sets in motion a meticulously crafted plan by Jezebel, involving false accusations, manipulation of legal processes, and ultimately, the murder of Naboth. The narrative swiftly moves from her promise to the execution of her plot (1 Kgs 21:8-14), Ahab's subsequent unjust appropriation of the vineyard (1 Kgs 21:15-16), and the swift divine judgment pronounced by Elijah against Ahab and his house (1 Kgs 21:17-24). The entire chapter vividly illustrates the disastrous consequences of unchecked covetousness, the abuse of royal power, and the profound disregard for Yahweh's covenant laws, orchestrated by a zealous pagan queen.
1 Kings 21 7 Word analysis
"And Jezebel his wife":
- Jezebel: (אִיזֶבֶל, ’Iyzevel). Her name, of Phoenician origin, is strongly associated with idolatry. She was a princess from Sidon, given to Ahab by his father, and actively promoted Baal worship throughout Israel (1 Kgs 16:31). She represents the antithesis of Yahwistic faith and Israelite covenantal ethics, embodying pagan absolutism where a king’s power is unchecked and divine laws are irrelevant.
- his wife: Emphasizes the deep, intimate nature of her influence on Ahab. Their shared marital bond highlights how corrupting counsel from a trusted, yet ungodly, source can lead to profound evil.
"said to him, "Are you now exercising authority over Israel?"":
- Are you now exercising authority...: This is a deeply cutting and sarcastic rhetorical question. The Hebrew word for "exercising authority" is מוֹשֵׁל (mošēl), which conveys the idea of ruling, reigning, or dominating. Jezebel is not asking for information but rather contemptuously challenging Ahab’s perceived weakness and kingly inaction. In her pagan worldview, a king's desire should be absolute, and for Ahab to be deterred by a commoner was an affront to his kingship. This statement both ridicules Ahab and asserts her own superior decisiveness and capacity for tyrannical action.
"Arise, eat bread, and let your heart be cheerful;":
- Arise (קוּם, qum): An imperative verb, a direct command to shake off his despondency and reclaim his royal bearing. It implies disdain for his current, childlike state.
- eat bread (אָכֹל לֶחֶם, ’akhol-lehem): A further command to end his sulking refusal of food, which signified his inner turmoil (1 Kgs 21:4). Eating bread represents a return to normal life and well-being, which she promises to restore through her own actions.
- let your heart be cheerful (וִיחַד לִבֶּךָ, viy’chad libb'kha): A final command concerning his emotional state. She implies that his problem is trivial and easily solvable by her, dismissing his despondency and demonstrating her emotional control over him.
"I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.":
- I will give you (אָנֹכִי אֶתֵּן, 'anokhi etten): This is a powerful and assertive declaration. The use of the independent pronoun "I" (anokhi) is emphatic, highlighting her personal resolve, initiative, and conviction that she can obtain the vineyard, regardless of the ethical or legal constraints that troubled Ahab. This phrase showcases her willingness to overstep royal authority and divine law.
- the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite: Clearly identifies the coveted object and its rightful, resistant owner, whose life would be forfeited by Jezebel’s plan. This chilling promise foreshadows the criminal events to follow, revealing her complete disregard for justice and human life in pursuit of a king's desire.
1 Kings 21 7 Bonus section
The dynamic presented in 1 Kings 21:7, with a weaker party (Ahab) desiring what is unlawful and a stronger, malevolent party (Jezebel) ensuring its acquisition through wicked means, is a classic biblical archetype of unholy counsel leading to ruin. Jezebel's actions reveal the inherent clash between the pagan notion of a king's absolute will and the covenantal principle of God's Law being supreme over even the monarch. This episode serves as a powerful biblical warning against the subtle, yet potent, dangers of covetousness allowed to fester, especially when fueled by those who have no regard for divine statutes or the sanctity of life. The willingness to compromise God's standards for earthly desires ultimately invites His righteous judgment.
1 Kings 21 7 Commentary
1 Kings 21:7 is a crucial turning point, exposing the deep spiritual and moral decay within the Israelite monarchy under Ahab and Jezebel. Jezebel, driven by a pagan belief in absolute royal power and a profound disdain for Yahweh’s Law, contemptuously mocks her husband’s weakness, who is despondent over a vineyard unobtainable through lawful means. Her swift and assertive intervention, characterized by the command to "arise, eat bread, and let your heart be cheerful," effectively takes charge, reducing Ahab to a passive recipient of her evil plan. The chilling promise, "I will give you the vineyard," is the ultimate display of her hubris, showcasing her readiness to pervert justice, orchestrate false accusations, and commit murder to satisfy a covetous desire. This verse perfectly encapsulates the theme of unchecked power leading to grievous sin and illustrates the devastating impact of ungodly influence within intimate relationships.