1st Kings Chapter 21 verse 9 Holy Bible
And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:
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And in the letter she said, Let a time of public sorrow be fixed, and put Naboth at the head of the people;
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And she wrote in the letter saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people;
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And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:
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And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:
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She wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:
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and she writeth in the letters, saying, `Proclaim a fast, and cause Naboth to sit at the head of the people,
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Pulpit Commentary
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 9. - And she wrote in the letters, saying Proclaim a fast [The object of this ordinance was to give the impression that the city was labouring under, or threatened with, a curse, because of some undiscovered sin (2 Samuel 21:1; Joshua 9:11; Deuteronomy 21:9), which must be removed or averted by public humiliation. Cf. Joel 1:14; Joel 2:12; 1 Samuel 7:6; 2 Chronicles 20:3)], and set Naboth on high among the people. [Heb. at the head of the people. Keil, al. interpret, bring him into the court of justice, as defendant before all the people." And certainly הושִׁיבוּ here, and in the next verse - where it is used of the witnesses (cf. ver. 13) - means, make to sit; which looks as if judicial procedure were intended. But "at the head of the people "rather suggests that in the public assembly, which marked the fast (Joel 2:15), Naboth was assigned the most distinguished place. The reason for this is obvious, viz., to give a colour of impartiality to the proceedings. As Grotius, Ne odio damnasse crederentur, quem ipsi honoraverunt. It would also accord with the popular idea of retributive justice that Naboth should be denounced in the very hour of his triumph and exaltation. Josephus, however, says that it was because of his high birth that this position was assigned him.]
Ellicott's Commentary
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(9) Proclaim a fast.--This might be only to cover all that was to be so foully done with a cloak of religious observance, or, perhaps more probably, to imply that some secret sin had been committed, which would draw down vengeance on the whole city, and so to prepare for the false accusation. There is a like ambiguity as to the explanation of the command, "set Naboth on high," as either an exaltation of pretended honour, or the "lifting up his head" (Genesis 40:20) for accusation. It may be noted that the whole scheme implies a return of the people to at least the outward observance of the Law of the Lord.
