1 Kings 21 · Verse 9

1 Kings 21:9

And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:
1 Kings 21:9, King James Version

1 Kings 21:9 in other translations

BSBIn the letters she wrote: “Proclaim a fast and give Naboth a seat of honor among the people.
WEBShe wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.
ASVAnd she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:
YLTand she writeth in the letters, saying, ‘Proclaim a fast, and cause Naboth to sit at the head of the people,
DARBYAnd she wrote in the letter saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people;
BBEAnd in the letter she said, Let a time of public sorrow be fixed, and put Naboth at the head of the people;
WebsterAnd she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:

What does 1 Kings 21:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
9. Proclaim a fast, &c.--Those obsequious and unprincipled magistrates did according to orders. Pretending that a heavy guilt lay on one, or some unknown party, who was charged with blaspheming God and the king and that Ahab was threatening vengeance on the whole city unless the culprit were discovered and punished, they assembled the people to observe a solemn fast. Fasts were commanded on extraordinary occasions affecting the public interests of the state (2Ch 20:3; Ezr 8:21; Joe 1:14; 2:15; Jon 3:5). The wicked authorities of Jezreel, by proclaiming the fast, wished to give an external appearance of justice to their proceedings and convey an impression among the people that Naboth's crime amounted to treason against the king's life. set Naboth on high--During a trial the panel, or accused person, was placed on a high seat, in the presence of all the court; but as the guilty person was supposed to be unknown, the setting of Naboth on high among the people must have been owing to his being among the distinguished men of the place.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 Proclaim a fast - Intimate that there is some great calamity coming upon the nation, because of some evil tolerated in it. Set Naboth on high - Bring him to a public trial.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 1 Kings 21:5-16

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…

Read the full comment on 1 Kings 21:5-16 →

1 Kings 21:9 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַתִּכְתֹּ֥בva.tikh.Toand she wroteH3789
בַּסְּפָרִ֖יםba.se.fa.Rimin the lettersH5612
לֵאמֹ֑רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
קִֽרְאוּ\־kir.'u-proclaimH7121
צ֔וֹםTzoma fastH6685
וְהוֹשִׁ֥יבוּve.ho.Shi.vuand make sitH3427
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
נָב֖וֹתna.VotNabothH5022
בְּרֹ֥אשׁbe.Roshat [the] head ofH7218
הָעָֽם\׃ha.'Amthe peopleH5971

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 1 Kings 21:9

  • Isaiah 58:4

    Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.

  • Luke 20:47

    Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.

  • Matthew 2:8

    And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

  • Matthew 23:13

    But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

  • John 18:28

    Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.

  • Genesis 34:13-17

    And the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and Hamor his father deceitfully, and said, because he had defiled Dinah their sister: And they said unto them, We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one that is uncircumcised; for that were a reproach unto us: But in this will we consent unto you: If ye will be as we be, that every male of you be circumcised; Then will we give our daughters unto you, and we will take your daughters to us, and we will dwell with you, and we will become one people. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Proclaim a fast.
Ge 34:13-17; Isa 58:4; Mt 2:8; 23:14; Lu 20:47; Joh 18:28
on high among. Heb. in the top of.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 1 Kings 21:8

    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.

  • 1 Kings 21:9

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

  • 1 Kings 21:10

    And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.

Read all of 1 Kings 21

1 Kings 21:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y las cartas que escribió decían así: Proclamad ayuno, y poned á Naboth á la cabecera del pueblo;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et elle écrivit dans les lettres, disant: Proclamez un jeûne et mettez Naboth en tête du peuple,
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und sie schrieb in den Briefen folgendes: Rufet ein Fasten aus, und setzet Naboth obenan unter dem Volke;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Litterarum autem hæc erat sententia: Prædicate jejunium, et sedere facite Naboth inter primos populi: