Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself - He did abase himself; he did truly repent him of his sins, and it was such a repentance as was genuine in the sight of God: He humbleth himself Before Me.

The penitent heart ever meets the merciful eye of God; repentance is highly esteemed by the Father of compassion, even where it is comparatively shallow and short-lived. Any measure of godly sorrow has a proportionate measure of God's regard; where it is deep and lasting, the heart of God is set upon it. He that mourns shall be comforted; thus hath God spoken, and though repentance for our past sins can purchase no favor, yet without it God will not grant us his salvation.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

The evil - i. e., the main evil. See 1 Kings 21:19 note; and compare 1 Kings 22:38 with marginal reference.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me?.... Which yet was but an external humiliation, to be seen only with bodily eyes, as were all his actions and postures, before observed. Some Jewish writers^F9Bereshit Rabba in Abarbinel in loc. think his repentance was true and perfect, and his conversion thorough and real: they tell us^F11Pirke Eliezer, c. 43. , that he was in fasting and prayer morning and evening before the Lord, and was studying in the law all his days, and returned not to his evil works any more, and his repentance was accepted: but the contrary appears manifest; we never read that he reproved Jezebel for the murder of Naboth, nor restored the vineyard to his family, which he would have done had he been a true penitent; nor did he leave his idols; we quickly hear of his consulting with the four hundred prophets of the groves, and expressing his hatred of a true prophet of the Lord, 1 Kings 22:6, his humiliation arose from dread of punishment, and not from the true fear of God; however, it was such as was never seen in any of his wicked predecessors, and is taken notice of by the Lord. Luther^F12Mensal. Colloqu. c. 32. p. 360. from these words concluded, and was persuaded, that he was saved:

because he humbled himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days, but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house; this was not a pardon, only a reprieve; the sentence pronounced on him and his family was not taken off, nor countermanded, only the execution of it prolonged; it is promised that the destruction of his family should not be in his lifetime, but after his death, in his son's days, otherwise he himself died a violent death, and the dogs licked his blood, as were foretold; however, this may be an encouragement to those who are truly humbled for their sins, and really repent of them, that they shall receive forgiveness at the hand of God, since he showed so much regard to an outward humiliation and repentance.

Geneva Study Bible

(l) Meaning, in Joram's time, (2 Kings 9:26).

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary

REFLECTIONS

IT is impossible to behold human nature, as represented in such characters as Ahab and Jezebel, but with the most humiliating pain and sorrow, from our connection in the general mass. When I consider that, by nature, we are all alike children of wrath, enemies to God by wicked works; oh! how humbling is the view! But when, through grace, our souls are brought to look at the rock whence we are hewn, and to the hole of the pit from whence we are digged; oh! how precious, how inestimably precious is that mercy, which is so distinguishing. Never, blessed Jesus; never, I beseech thee, dearest Lord and Saviour, suffer me to read of such awful characters in thy sacred word, without feeling the blessedness of that question of thy servant the apostle, applied and brought home to my soul; Who maketh thee to differ from another: and what hast thou which thou didst not receive? And, Lord! suffer me to ask another mercy from thee: while beholding the miseries of our nature, the sufferings of the oppressed, and the cruelty of their oppressors; oh! give me to behold the virtue, the efficacy, the merit, the power, the all sufficiency of thy precious blood, in cleansing from all sin. Here let me gaze on thee and thy cross, until my whole soul goeth forth in the most ardent faith and dependence upon thee. Lord! impress upon my mind, in yet stronger characters, thy eternal excellency. And let my dying moments bear one uniform correspondence with my living conviction; that salvation is in no other; neither is there any other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.

Humbleth himself — His humiliation was real, though not lasting, and accordingly pleasing to God. This discovers the great goodness of God, and his readiness to shew mercy. It teaches us to take notice of that which is good, even in the worst of men. It gives a reason why wicked persons often prosper: God rewards what little good is in them. And it encourages true penitents. If even Ahab goes to his house reprieved, doubtless they shall go to their houses justified.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

1 Kings 21:29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: [but] in his son’s days will I bring the evil upon his house.

Ver. 29. I will not bring the evil.] I will recompense his temporary repentance with a temporary deliverance. Thus noble captains have honoured their enemies that have fought valiantly, to put some spirits into their own soldiers. And thus parents reward their servants’ dutifulness, to provoke their own children.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Before me, i.e. in my presence, and upon my threatening. But this humiliation or repentance of Ahab’s was only external and superficial, arising from the terror of God’s judgments; and not sincere and serious, proceeding from the love of God, or a true sense of his sin, or a solemn purpose of amendment of his life, as appears, because all the particulars of his repentance here, 1 Kings 21:27, are external and ritual only; nor is there the least intimation of any one sign or fruit of his true repentance, as that he restored Naboth’s land, or reproved his infamous wife; but in the very next chapter you find him returning to his former vomit, hating and threatening the Lord’s prophets, &c.

The evil, i.e. the judgment threatened, both that 1 Kings 21:19, which was not inflicted upon Ahab with so much ignominy, and with that particular signature of God’s vengeance, that it was to be done in the same place, as it was upon his son Joram; and especially that 1 Kings 21:21,22, which was wholly suspended until his son’s days.

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments

1 Kings 21:29. Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? — His humiliation was real, though not lasting, and accordingly pleasing to God. This discovers the great goodness of God, and his readiness to show mercy: it teaches us to take notice of that which is good, even in the worst of men: it gives a reason why wicked persons often prosper; God rewards the little good which is in them: and it encourages true penitents. If even Ahab goes to his house reprieved, doubtless they shall go to their houses justified.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

Sake. Hebrew, "before me," publicly. (Haydock) --- The threat of the prophet caused Achab to invest his son with the royal dignity, and Josaphat followed his example. (Salien, the year before Christ 916.) --- But some call this in question. (Haydock)

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

not bring. So the judgment on Solomon was postponed (1 Kings 11:12) for his father"s sake.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(29) How Ahab humbleth himself.—As there is something entirely characteristic of Ahab’s impressible nature in this burst of penitence; so in the acceptance of it there is a remarkable illustration of the Divine mercy. The repentance might seem not only to come too late, but to be the mere offspring of fear—more sensible of the shame of discovery than of the shamefulness of sin. Man’s judgment would despise it; God sees in its imperfection some germs of promise, and His partial remission of penalty shows it to be not disregarded in His sight. Ahab himself is still to suffer the predicted doom; but he is to die in honour, and the utter destruction waits, till Jehoram shall fill up the measure of iniquity.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Seest thou

Jeremiah 7:17; Luke 7:44

Ahab

Exodus 10:3; Psalms 18:44; 66:3; 78:34-37

I will not

Psalms 86:15; Ezekiel 33:10,11; Micah 7:18; Romans 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9

the evil in

in his son's days

2 Kings 9:25,26,33-37; 10:1-7,11 Reciprocal: Exodus 20:5 - visiting;  Leviticus 26:41 - humbled;  1 Kings 11:12 - in thy days;  1 Kings 21:19 - In the place;  1 Kings 22:53 - according to all;  2 Kings 10:10 - the Lord hath done;  2 Kings 10:30 - Because thou hast;  2 Kings 19:1 - covered;  2 Kings 22:19 - humbled;  2 Chronicles 12:7 - the Lord;  2 Chronicles 32:26 - days;  2 Chronicles 34:28 - neither;  Jeremiah 26:3 - that I;  Jeremiah 44:10 - are not;  Daniel 4:27 - if it;  1 Peter 5:6 - Humble

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Bibliographical Information
Torrey, R. A. "Commentary on 1 Kings 21:29". "The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tsk/1-kings-21.html.

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