1 Kings 21 9

1 Kings 21:9 kjv

And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:

1 Kings 21:9 nkjv

She wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth with high honor among the people;

1 Kings 21:9 niv

In those letters she wrote: "Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people.

1 Kings 21:9 esv

And she wrote in the letters, "Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people.

1 Kings 21:9 nlt

In her letters she commanded: "Call the citizens together for a time of fasting, and give Naboth a place of honor.

1 Kings 21 verses

1 Kings 21 9 Meaning

This verse reveals Jezebel's nefarious strategy to seize Naboth's vineyard for King Ahab. She dictates official letters instructing the city elders and nobles to orchestrate a public "fast," a solemn religious assembly. This act of feigned piety serves as a deceptive prelude to her main command: to single out Naboth and "set him on high among the people." This prominent placement, seemingly honoring him, is in reality a setup for his public accusation and condemnation on false charges, specifically blasphemy or treason, leading to his judicial murder.

1 Kings 21 9 Context

1 Kings 21:9 is a pivotal moment in the tragic story of Naboth's vineyard. Immediately preceding this verse, King Ahab, sulking over Naboth's refusal to sell his ancestral vineyard (which Naboth rightly deemed unalienable inheritance under Mosaic law, see Lev 25:23), withdraws into a deep funk. Jezebel, seeing her husband's dejection, vows to procure the vineyard for him. This verse outlines the first step of her audacious and unholy plan: to pervert the course of justice and religious ritual to commit judicial murder. The broader historical context is the period of the divided monarchy in Israel, specifically the corrupt and idolatrous reign of Ahab and Jezebel in the Northern Kingdom, Samaria. Jezebel, a Phoenician princess and devotee of Baal, systematically undermined the law of Yahweh, importing foreign religious practices and a concept of absolute monarchical power alien to Israelite tradition. Her actions here are a direct assault on the covenant laws of God regarding land ownership and the administration of justice.

1 Kings 21 9 Word analysis

• And she wrote (וַתִּכְתֹּב֙ - vat·tikh·tōv): This emphasizes Jezebel's active and decisive role. Unlike Ahab's passive pouting, Jezebel is the strategist and executor. The Hebrew verb signifies a deliberate act of inscribing or recording, highlighting her cunning in using formal means (written letters in the king's name) to accomplish her illicit goals.

• in the letters (בַּסְּפָרִ֣ים - bas·sə·p̄ā·rîm): The plural form indicates multiple documents, likely official decrees dispatched to various officials, suggesting a formal, bureaucratic implementation of her evil plot. These were not mere casual notes but authoritative communications meant to command compliance from city elders and nobles.

• saying: Introduces the direct content of her manipulative instructions.

• Proclaim a fast (קִרְאוּ־צוֹם֙ - qir·’ū-tsōm):

  • qir'ū is an imperative verb, "call out" or "proclaim," indicating a strong command to announce a public fast.
  • tsom means "fast." In ancient Israel, public fasts were solemn occasions, typically observed during national distress, for seeking divine favor, or for corporate repentance. By commanding a fast, Jezebel creates a facade of religious urgency and grave communal concern, thereby making Naboth's ensuing public accusation seem legitimate and religiously justified. This is a profound perversion of a sacred ritual, exploiting sincere religious practice for utterly wicked ends, a stark example of hypocrisy.

• and set Naboth (וְהוֹשִׁ֤יבוּ אֶת־נָב֖וֹת - wə·hō·wō·šî·ḇū ’eṯ-nā·ḇō·wṯ):

  • hoshivu is a Hiphil imperative of yashav, meaning "to cause to sit" or "to set/place."

• on high among the people (בְּרֹ֣אשׁ הָעָ֔ם - bə·rōš hā·‘ām):

  • bə·rōš means "at the head" or "at the top." This phrase denotes a position of prominence and visibility, either physically on an elevated platform or metaphorically as the focus of attention. Ironically, what would typically be a place of honor or authority in a genuine judicial proceeding is here designated as the very platform for Naboth's public humiliation, false accusation, and ultimate condemnation. It ensures maximum public exposure for the framed charges, guaranteeing the public witness required for the legal proceedings.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people": This phrase precisely lays out Jezebel's two-pronged attack on Naboth. The first part, "Proclaim a fast," establishes a sacred atmosphere, implying a community deeply distressed by some grave sin or impending judgment—perfect conditions under which to accuse someone of serious offenses against God or the king. The second part, "set Naboth on high among the people," strategically places the innocent victim in the spotlight, not for commendation but for public scrutiny and condemnation. This combination reveals a calculated use of religious theater and public spectacle to create a compelling, yet entirely false, narrative of Naboth's guilt, ensuring his public disgrace and legal downfall. It highlights the cunning nature of evil when disguised by religiosity.

1 Kings 21 9 Bonus section

• Jezebel's actions are a potent example of how corrupt rulers can weaponize the very institutions meant to protect justice and uphold sacred traditions.
• The incident highlights the conflict between two opposing worldviews: the Yahwistic principle of land as God's inalienable gift (Lev 25:23) and the pagan monarchical view that all property belonged to the king, to be seized at will.
• Naboth, by remaining faithful to the Mosaic law regarding his inheritance, unwittingly becomes a martyr for God's truth, resisting ungodly authority unto death. His steadfastness, in stark contrast to the wickedness around him, anticipates the ultimate righteous suffering of Christ.
• The "two or three witnesses" principle (Deut 19:15) would later be manipulated in the accusation of Naboth, showcasing the systematic subversion of justice by the elite in Jezreel, mirroring later abuses of judicial process, including against Jesus (Matt 26:60-61).

1 Kings 21 9 Commentary

This verse chillingly exposes the extent of Jezebel's depravity and cunning, turning religious ceremony into an instrument of murder. Her command to "proclaim a fast" meticulously sets the stage for injustice; it cloaks a vile conspiracy in a veneer of solemn piety, manipulating communal reverence to legitimize an atrocity. Placing Naboth "on high among the people" ensures his maximum visibility, making him the unwitting central figure in his own show trial. This meticulously crafted sequence of events reveals a deep contempt for both God's law and human life, emphasizing the perversion of power when it divorces itself from righteousness. It serves as a stark warning against external displays of religion used to conceal inner wickedness and highlights the vulnerability of justice in the face of absolute tyranny.