1Ki 21:17-29 | NETfull | STEP | The Lord told Elijah the Tishbite:

1 Kings 21:17-29

17 The Lord told Elijah the Tishbite: ^{▼▼ Heb “the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite.”} 18 “Get up, go down and meet King Ahab of Israel who lives in Samaria. He is at the vineyard of Naboth; he has gone down there to take possession of it. 19 Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Haven’t you committed murder and taken possession of the property of the deceased?”’ Then say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “In the spot where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood they will also lick up your blood – yes, yours!”’”

20 When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, ^{▼▼ Heb “and Ahab said to Elijah.” The narrative is elliptical and streamlined. The words “when Elijah arrived” are supplied in the translation for clarification.} “So, you have found me, my enemy!” Elijah ^{▼▼ Heb “he”; the referent (Elijah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} replied, “I have found you, because you are committed ^{▼▼ Heb “you have sold yourself.”} to doing evil in the sight of ^{▼▼ Heb “in the eyes of.”} the Lord. 21 The Lord says, ^{▼▼ The introductory formula “the Lord says” is omitted in the Hebrew text, but supplied in the translation for clarification.} ‘Look, I am ready to bring disaster ^{▼▼ Disaster. There is a wordplay in the Hebrew text. The word translated “disaster” (רָעָה, ra’ah) is similar to the word translated “evil” (v. 20, הָרַע, hara’). Ahab’s sins would receive an appropriate punishment.} on you. I will destroy you ^{▼▼ Heb “I will burn after you.” Some take the verb בָּעַר (ba’ar) to mean here “sweep away.” See the discussion of this verb in the notes at 14:10 and 16:3.} and cut off every last male belonging to Ahab in Israel, including even the weak and incapacitated. ^{▼▼ Heb “and I will cut off from Ahab those who urinate against a wall, [including both those who are] restrained and let free [or “abandoned”] in Israel.” The precise meaning of the idiomatic phrase עָצוּר וְעָזוּב (’atsur v^e’azuv, translated here “weak and incapacitated”) is uncertain. For various options see HALOT 871 s.v. עצר and M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 107. The two terms are usually taken as polar opposites (“slaves and freemen” or “minors and adults”), but Cogan and Tadmor, on the basis of contextual considerations (note the usage with אֶפֶס (’efes), “nothing but”) in Deut 32:36 and 2 Kgs 14:26, argue convincingly that the terms are synonyms, meaning “restrained and abandoned,” and refer to incapable or incapacitated individuals.} 22 I will make your dynasty ^{▼▼ Heb “house.”} like those of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah because you angered me and made Israel sin.’ ^{▼▼ Heb “because of the provocation by which you angered [me], and you caused Israel to sin.”} 23 The Lord says this about Jezebel, ‘Dogs will devour Jezebel by the outer wall ^{▼▼ A few Hebrew mss and some ancient versions agree with 2 Kgs 9:10, 36, which reads, “the plot [of ground] at Jezreel.” The Hebrew words translated “outer wall” (חֵל, khel, defectively written here!) and “plot [of ground]” (חֵלֶק, kheleq) are spelled similarly.} of Jezreel.’ 24 As for Ahab’s family, dogs will eat the ones ^{▼▼ “Dogs will eat the ones who belonging to Ahab who die in the city.”} who die in the city, and the birds of the sky will eat the ones who die in the country.” 25 (There had never been anyone like Ahab, who was firmly committed ^{▼▼ Heb “who sold himself.”} to doing evil in the sight of ^{▼▼ Heb “in the eyes of.”} the Lord, urged on by his wife Jezebel. ^{▼▼ Heb “like Ahab…whom his wife Jezebel incited.”} 26 He was so wicked he worshiped the disgusting idols, ^{▼▼ The Hebrew word used here, גִלּוּלִים (gillulim) is always used as a disdainful reference to idols. It is generally thought to have originally referred to “dung pellets” (cf. KBL 183 s.v. גִלּוּלִים). It is only one of several terms used in this way, such as אֱלִילִים (’elilim, “worthless things”) and הֲבָלִים (havalim, “vanities” or “empty winds”).} just like the Amorites ^{▼▼ Heb “He acted very abominably by walking after the disgusting idols, according to all which the Amorites had done.”} whom the Lord had driven out from before the Israelites.)

27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He slept in sackcloth and walked around dejected. 28 The Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, ^{▼▼ Heb “the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite.”} 29 “Have you noticed how Ahab shows remorse ^{▼▼ Or “humbles himself.” The expression occurs a second time later in this verse.} before me? Because he shows remorse before me, I will not bring disaster on his dynasty during his lifetime, but during the reign of his son.” ^{▼▼ Heb “I will not bring the disaster during his days, [but] in the days of his son I will bring the disaster on his house.”}