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Tuesday, July 15th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Easy-to-Read Version

1 Kings 21:8

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.

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

Christian Standard Bible®
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.
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.
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

5 His wife Jezebel went to him and asked him, "Why are you upset? Why do you refuse to eat?" 6 Ahab answered, "I asked Naboth from Jezreel to give me his vineyard. I told him that I would pay him the full price. Or, if he preferred, I would give him another vineyard. But he refused to give it to me." 7 Jezebel answered, "But you are the king over Israel! Get out of bed and eat something, and you will feel better. I will get Naboth's vineyard for you." 8 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. 9 This is what the letter said: "Announce that there will be a day of fasting when the people will eat nothing. Then call all the people of the town together for a meeting. At the meeting we will talk about Naboth. 10 Find some men who will tell lies about Naboth. They should say that they heard Naboth speak against the king and against God. Then take Naboth out of the city and kill him with stones." 11 So the elders and important men of Jezreel obeyed the command. 12 The leaders announced that there would be a day when all the people would eat nothing. On that day they called all the people together for a meeting. They put Naboth in a special place before the people. 13 Then two men told the people that they heard Naboth speak against God and the king. So the people carried Naboth out of the city and killed him with stones. 14 Then the leaders sent a message to Jezebel that said: "Naboth has been killed."

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 Lot continued to ask them to come to his house, so they agreed and went with him. Lot gave them something to drink. He baked some bread for them, and they ate it.
Genesis 26:30
So Isaac gave a party for them. They all ate and drank.
Genesis 29:22
So Laban gave a party for all the people in that place.
Genesis 40:20
Three days later it was Pharaoh's birthday. He gave a party for all his servants. At the party Pharaoh allowed the wine server and the baker to leave the prison.
Judges 14:10
Samson's father went down to see the Philistine woman. The custom was for the bridegroom to give a party. So Samson gave a party.
Judges 14:12
Then Samson said to the 30 men, "I want to tell you a story. This party will last for seven days. Try to find the answer during that time. If you can answer the riddle in that time, I will give you 30 linen shirts and 30 changes of clothes.
1 Samuel 1:22
But Hannah did not go. She told Elkanah, "When the boy is old enough to eat solid food, I will take him to Shiloh. Then I will give him to the Lord . He will become a Nazirite. He will stay there at Shiloh."
1 Samuel 25:36
Abigail went back to Nabal, who was in the house. He had been eating like a king, and he was drunk and feeling good. So Abigail told Nabal nothing until the next morning.
2 Samuel 3:20
Then Abner came up to David at Hebron. Abner brought 20 men with him. David gave a party for Abner and for all the men who came with him.
1 Kings 3:15
Solomon woke up and knew that God had spoken to him in the dream. Then Solomon went to Jerusalem and stood before the Box of the Lord 's Agreement. He offered a burnt offering and fellowship offerings to the Lord and then gave a party for all of his officials.

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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