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Thursday, July 10th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Christian Standard Bible ®

1 Kings 21:8

So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal. She sent the letters to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Confiscation;   Conspiracy;   Covetousness;   Dishonesty;   Falsehood;   Forgery;   Government;   Indictments;   Jezebel;   Judge;   King;   Naboth;   Perjury;   Seal;   Usurpation;   Women;   Thompson Chain Reference - Elders;   Jezebel;   Leaders;   Letters;   Nobles;   Queens;   Religious;   Seal;   Treachery;   Women;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Murder;   Seals;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Jezebel;   Jezreel;   Justice;   Letters;   Naboth;   Rings;   Seal, Sealing;   Vine;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Ahab;   Jezebel;   King;   Lie;   Ruler;   Steal;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Government;   Leadership;   Punishment;   Seal;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Writing;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Epistle;   Judges;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Book(s);   Esdraelon;   Festivals;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Letter;   Naboth;   Queen;   Seal;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Elder;   Government;   Jezebel;   Justice;   Seal, Signet;   Writing;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Trial-At-Law;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Jezebel ;   Jezreelite, Jezreelitess ;   Naboth ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Naboth;   Seal;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Elijah;   Jezebel;   Seal;   Writing;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Seal;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Rings;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Babylonish Captivity, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Blindness, Judicial;   Epistle;   Jezebel;   Jezreel;   Judge;   Naboth;   Name;   Noble;   Seal;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
So she wrote letters in Ach'av's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the Zakenim and to the nobles who were in his city, [and] who lived with Navot.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and the leaders who lived with Naboth in his city.
New Century Version
So Jezebel wrote some letters, signed Ahab's name to them, and used his own seal to seal them. Then she sent them to the elders and important men who lived in Naboth's town.
New English Translation
She wrote out orders, signed Ahab's name to them, and sealed them with his seal. She then sent the orders to the leaders and to the nobles who lived in Naboth's city.
Amplified Bible
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city.
New American Standard Bible
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and to the nobles who were living with Naboth in his city.
Geneva Bible (1587)
So she wrote letters in Ahabs name, and sealed them with his seale, and sent the letters vnto the Elders, and to the nobles that were in his citie dwelling with Naboth.
Legacy Standard Bible
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, and sent letters to the elders and to the nobles who were living with Naboth in his city.
Contemporary English Version
Jezebel wrote a letter to each of the leaders of the town where Naboth lived. In the letters she said: Call everyone together and tell them to go without eating today. When they come together, give Naboth a seat at the front. Have two liars sit across from him and swear that Naboth has cursed God and the king. Then take Naboth outside and stone him to death! She signed Ahab's name to the letters and sealed them with his seal. Then she sent them to the town leaders.
Complete Jewish Bible
So she wrote letters in Ach'av's name, sealed them with his seal and sent the letters to the leaders and notables of the city where Navot lived.
Darby Translation
And she wrote a letter in Ahab's name, and sealed it with his seal, and sent the letter to the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then Jezebel wrote some letters. She signed Ahab's name to them and used his seal to seal the letters. Then she sent them to the elders and important men who lived in the same town as Naboth.
George Lamsa Translation
So she wrote a letter in Ahabs name and sealed it with his ring, and sent the letter to the elders and to the nobles who dwelt in the city with Naboth.
Good News Translation
Then she wrote some letters, signed Ahab's name to them, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the officials and leading citizens of Jezreel.
Lexham English Bible
So she wrote letters in the name of Ahab and sealed them with his seal. She sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who were dwelling with Naboth in his city.
Literal Translation
And she wrote letters in the name of Ahab, and sealed with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and to the nobles of his city, dwelling with Naboth.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And she wrote a letter vnder Achabs name, and sealed it with his signet, and sent it vnto ye Elders and rulers in his cite, which dwelt aboute Naboth,
American Standard Version
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, and that dwelt with Naboth.
Bible in Basic English
So she sent a letter in Ahab's name, stamped with his stamp, to the responsible men and the chiefs who were in authority with Naboth.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And so she wrote a letter in Ahabs name, and sealed it with his seale, and sent the letter vnto the elders, and to the nobles that were in his citie dwelling with Naboth.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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, and that dwelt with Naboth.
King James Version (1611)
So shee wrote letters in Ahabs name, and sealed them with his seale, and sent the letters vnto the Elders, and to the Nobles that were in his citie dwelling with Naboth.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the elders and all the people said to him, Hearken not, and consent not.
English Revised Version
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, [and] that dwelt with Naboth.
Berean Standard Bible
Then Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab's name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor sche wroot lettris in the name of Achab, and seelide tho with the ryng of hym; and sche sente to the grettere men in birthe, and to the beste men, that weren in the citee of hym, and dwelliden with Naboth.
Young's Literal Translation
And she writeth letters in the name of Ahab, and sealeth with his seal, and sendeth the letters unto the elders, and unto the freemen, who are in his city, those dwelling with Naboth,
Update Bible Version
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, [and] that dwelt with Naboth.
Webster's Bible Translation
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed [them] with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and to the nobles that [were] in his city, dwelling with Naboth.
World English Bible
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and to the nobles who were in his city, [and] who lived with Naboth.
New King James Version
And she wrote letters in Ahab's name, sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who were dwelling in the city with Naboth.
New Living Translation
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and other leaders of the town where Naboth lived.
New Life Bible
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and put the mark of his name on them. She sent letters to the leaders and the king's sons who were living with Naboth in his city.
New Revised Standard
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal; she sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who lived with Naboth in his city.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So she wrote letters, in the name of Ahab, and sealed them with his signet-ring, - and sent the letters unto the elders, and unto the nobles who were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.
Douay-Rheims Bible
So she wrote letters in Achab’s name, and sealed them with his ring, and sent them to the ancients, and the chief men that were in his city, and that dwelt with Naboth.
Revised Standard Version
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who dwelt with Naboth in his city.
THE MESSAGE
She wrote letters over Ahab's signature, stamped them with his official seal, and sent them to the elders in Naboth's city and to the civic leaders. She wrote "Call for a fast day and put Naboth at the head table. Then seat a couple of stool pigeons across from him who, in front of everybody will say, ‘You! You blasphemed God and the king!' Then they'll throw him out and stone him to death."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, and sent letters to the elders and to the nobles who were living with Naboth in his city.

Contextual Overview

5Then his wife Jezebel came to him and said to him, “Why are you so upset that you refuse to eat?” 6“Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite,” he replied. “I told him: Give me your vineyard for silver, or if you wish, I will give you a vineyard in its place. But he said, ‘I won’t give you my vineyard!’” 7Then his wife Jezebel said to him, “Now, exercise your royal power over Israel. Get up, eat some food, and be happy. For I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.” 8So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal. She sent the letters to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city. 9In the letters, she wrote: 10Then seat two wicked men opposite him and have them testify against him, saying, “You have cursed God and the king!” Then take him out and stone him to death. 11The men of his city, the elders and nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them, just as it was written in the letters she had sent them. 12They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the people. 13The two wicked men came in and sat opposite him. Then the wicked men testified against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed God and the king!” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones. 14Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

she wrote: 2 Samuel 11:14, 2 Samuel 11:15, 2 Chronicles 32:17, Ezra 4:7, Ezra 4:8, Ezra 4:11, Nehemiah 6:5, Esther 3:12-15, Esther 8:8-13

the elders: Numbers 11:16, Deuteronomy 16:18, Deuteronomy 16:19, Deuteronomy 21:1-9

the nobles: 1 Kings 21:1, 2 Kings 10:1-7, 2 Kings 10:11

Reciprocal: Exodus 24:11 - nobles Deuteronomy 1:17 - ye shall not Ruth 4:2 - the elders 1 Kings 21:12 - General 2 Kings 9:22 - the whoredoms 2 Kings 10:6 - General Esther 8:10 - in the king Jeremiah 29:25 - Because Matthew 26:59 - sought Acts 26:12 - with

Cross-References

Genesis 19:3
But he urged them so strongly that they followed him and went into his house. He prepared a feast and baked unleavened bread for them, and they ate.
Genesis 26:30
So he prepared a banquet for them, and they ate and drank.
Genesis 29:22
So Laban invited all the men of the place and sponsored a feast.
Genesis 40:20
On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he gave a feast for all his servants. He elevated the chief cupbearer and the chief baker among his servants.
Judges 14:10
His father went to visit the woman, and Samson prepared a feast there, as young men were accustomed to do.
Judges 14:12
“Let me tell you a riddle,” Samson said to them. “If you can explain it to me during the seven days of the feast and figure it out, I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty changes of clothes.
1 Samuel 1:22
Hannah did not go and explained to her husband, “After the child is weaned, I’ll take him to appear in the Lord’s presence and to stay there permanently.”
1 Samuel 25:36
Then Abigail went to Nabal, and there he was in his house, holding a feast fit for a king. Nabal’s heart was cheerful, and he was very drunk, so she didn’t say anything to him until morning light.
2 Samuel 3:20
When Abner and twenty men came to David at Hebron, David held a banquet for him and his men.
1 Kings 3:15
Then Solomon woke up and realized it had been a dream. He went to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant, and offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he held a feast for all his servants.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal,.... He giving her leave, no doubt, to take his seal; though she might not communicate her scheme to him, lest he should object to it:

and sent the letters unto the elders, and to the nobles that were in his city dwelling with Naboth: to the chief magistrates of the city of Jezreel, where Naboth dwelt.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Seal - The seal is a very ancient invention. Judah’s signet and Pharaoh’s signet-ring are mentioned in Genesis Genesis 38:18; Genesis 41:42. Signets of Egyptian kings have been found which are referred to about 2000 B.C. Sennacherib’s signet, and an impression of Sargon’s, are still extant. There can be no doubt that in the East, from a very remote antiquity, kings had seals and appended them to all documents which they set forth under their authority. (Compare also Esther 3:12; Esther 8:8; Daniel 6:17). The Hebrew mode of sealing seems to have been by attaching a lump of clay to the document, and impressing the seal thereupon Job 38:14.

His city - i. e., Jezreel 1 Kings 21:1. The mode in which it is spoken of here, and in 1 Kings 21:11, seems to imply that it was not the city from which Jezebel wrote. The court was evidently at this time residing at Samaria 1 Kings 20:43; and Ahab may either have met Naboth there, or have gone down (compare 1 Kings 21:16) to Jezreel to make his request, and then, on being refused, have returned to Samaria. The distance is not more than seven miles.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Kings 21:8. She wrote letters in Ahab's name — She counterfeited his authority by his own consent; and he lent his signet to stamp that authority.


 
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