1Ki 21:3-16 | TNotes

21:4 ^a angry and sullen: Ahab’s reaction was the same when he was rebuked by God’s prophet (20:43 ^b). A sullen attitude can easily arise in a stubborn, self-centered person (21:16 ^c, 20 ^d, 25-26 ^e; see 16:31-32 ^f; 18:10 ^g, 17 ^h; 20:42-43 ⁱ; 22:3 ^j, 27-30 ^k).
21:7 ^l I’ll get you Naboth’s vineyard! With her ruthless disposition and actions, Jezebel displayed her cultural upbringing; Canaanite kings did as they pleased (21:8-10 ^m, 15 ⁿ, 25 ^o; see 19:1-2 ^p; 2 Kgs 9:30-31 ^q).
Summary for 1Kgs 21:8-9: 21:8-9 ^r Call the citizens together: This kind of assembly would normally address sin that could bring divine judgment against the people (see Deut 21:1-9 ^s; Josh 7:10-12 ^t; 1 Sam 7:1-6 ^u). Jezebel convened it to bring false charges against an innocent person.
21:10 ^v scoundrels (literally sons of Belial): The Hebrew expression refers to totally evil reprobates (Deut 13:13 ^w; Judg 19:22 ^x; 1 Sam 10:27 ^y; Prov 6:12 ^z). Later Jewish writings attributed the name Belial to Satan, a use reflected by Paul in the New Testament (2 Cor 6:15 ^aa).

• Legally, two witnesses were needed to establish a charge against a person (Deut 19:15 ^ab; Matt 18:16 ^ac). The twofold charge of Naboth’s blasphemy against God and against the king carried a penalty of death by stoning outside the city (Deut 17:5-6 ^ad; 22:24 ^ae). Naboth was apparently put to death on his own land (see 2 Kgs 9:21-26 ^af).
Summary for 1Kgs 21:13-14: 21:13-14 ^ag As with Achan (Josh 7:24-26 ^ah), Naboth’s sons were killed at the same time (see 2 Kgs 9:26 ^ai), in this case to prevent the property from passing on to them. Because the charge carried the penalty of state execution (Deut 13:10-11 ^aj; 17:5 ^ak) and because Naboth no longer had male heirs, Ahab exercised the royal prerogative of confiscating the property (see 1 Sam 8:14 ^al).