Menu

1 Kings 21:14 — Word Study

Depth

WLCוַֽיִּשְׁלְח֖וּ אֶל־ אִיזֶ֣בֶל לֵאמֹ֑ר סֻקַּ֥ל נָב֖וֹת וַיָּמֹֽת׃

BSAThen they sentshâlach [dispatched, commissioned] word toʼêl JezebelʼÎyzebel [the wife of King Ahab, a queen of Israel] NabothNâbôwth [an Israelite who owned a vineyard in Jezreel] has been stonedçâqal [executed by throwing stones, put to death] to deathmûwth [killed, deceased, as a punishment]

Word
Listen & take away1 Kings 21
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 14 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (vai.ya.Mot) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
1 Kings 21:14quick helps
In a sentenceThe messengers inform Jezebel of Naboth's execution.
Who is speakingThe unnamed messengers relay the news to Jezebel.
Where we areThe aftermath of Naboth's wrongful execution.
The hard wordסָקַל
Take awayNaboth has been unjustly killed.
4 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectנָבוֹת verbשָׁלַח The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — 1 Kings 21:14

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Execution of Nabothgenerated

13And the two scoundrels came in and sat opposite Naboth, and these men testified against him before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed both God and the king!” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.
14Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”
15When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, who refused to give it to you for silver. For Naboth is no longer alive, but dead.”
16And when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

1 Kings 21:14 describes the moment after Naboth has been falsely accused and executed. The events lead to a significant turning point for King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, as they plot to take Naboth's vineyard. This incident highlights the themes of injustice and the consequences of greed, as seen in the surrounding verses, particularly in 1 Kings 21:13 and 1 Kings 21:15.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
12 Samuel 11:14–24The next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah.
2Ecclesiastes 5:8If you see the oppression of the poor and the denial of justice and righteousness in the province, do not be astonished at the matter; for one official is watched by a superior, and others higher still are over them.
3Ecclesiastes 8:14There is a futility that is done on the earth: There are righteous men who get what the actions of the wicked deserve, and there are wicked men who get what the actions of the righteous deserve. I say that this too is futile.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word סָקַל, su.Kalgenerated

The verb סָקַל (saqal) means to stone someone to death, a punishment for serious offenses in ancient Israel. It is a Pual form, indicating that the subject (Naboth) has been acted upon, emphasizing his victimization.

This word is used specifically in contexts of execution, reflecting the severity of the punishment. The act of stoning is a communal execution method, highlighting societal involvement in Naboth's death.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main verb in the verse is וַֽיִּשְׁלְח֖וּ (vai.yish.le.Chu), meaning 'and they sent', which governs the entire sentence. This verb is followed by a prepositional phrase indicating the direction of the message and a clause that provides the content of what was said.

The structure emphasizes the action of sending a message, with the subject (the messengers) acting on behalf of Jezebel, highlighting her influence in the narrative.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates וַֽיִּשְׁלְח֖וּ as ἀπέστειλαν, which means 'they sent away.' This choice reflects a similar action of dispatching a message but may carry a slightly different nuance in Greek.

The Greek word λελιθοβόληται is used for סָקַל, indicating the act of being stoned. This translation aligns closely with the original Hebrew, maintaining the gravity of Naboth's death.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

1 Kings 21:14 tells us that messengers sent word to Jezebel, informing her that Naboth had been executed by stoning. This event is part of a larger narrative about injustice and the consequences of greed, as seen in the surrounding verses.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What led to Naboth's execution?

Naboth was falsely accused of cursing God and the king, which led to his stoning as a punishment.

What role did Jezebel play in Naboth's death?

Jezebel orchestrated the events that led to Naboth's wrongful accusation and execution, demonstrating her influence over King Ahab.

Why was stoning a common punishment?

Stoning was a prescribed punishment in the Old Testament for certain offenses, reflecting the severity of the crime and community involvement in justice.

What can we learn from Naboth's story?

Naboth's story serves as a warning against greed and the abuse of power, highlighting the importance of justice and righteousness.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How can we stand up against injustice in our own lives, as Naboth could not?
  2. What lessons can we learn about the consequences of greed from this story?
  3. In what ways do we see similar abuses of power in our society today?
  4. How can we ensure that we are advocates for justice and truth in our communities?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 1 Kings 21:14 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead. Not only stoned, but stoned to death.

Read John Gill on 1 Kings 21 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead. No JFB commentary on this verse.

Read Robert Jamieson on 1 Kings 21 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

They sent to Jezebel; by whom they knew the affairs of the kingdom were managed, and this design contrived.

Read Matthew Poole on 1 Kings 21 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1 Kings 21:14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.Ver. 14. Then they sent to Jezebel.] She is certified of by all these servile souls, whose lavishness was wrought upon by her imperiousness. It is likely that the news was no less welcome to her, than was the news of the bishops burnt at Oxford to Stephen Gardiner, who came out rejoicing to the Duke of Norfolk, and said, Now let us go to dinner; but ere he had dined, the sudden stroke of God’ s terrible hand fell upon him, so that he was taken from the table, and soon after died in despair. Act. and Mon., 1611.

Read John Trapp on 1 Kings 21 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned and is dead.”

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”

NETBNew English Translation2006

Then they reported to Jezebel, “Naboth has been stoned to death.”

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Then they sent to Iezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned and is dead.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

And they sent to Jezebel saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

and they send unto Jezebel, saying, 'Naboth was stoned, and is dead.'

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

and they send to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth was stoned, and is dead.”

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

And they sent to Izebel, saying, Naboth hath been stoned, and is dead.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Then the elders sent word to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned and is dead.”

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

And they sent to Jezabel, saying: Naboth is stoned, and is dead.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Then they sent a message to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned. He's dead.”

BBEBible in Basic English1949

And they sent word to Jezebel, saying, Naboth has been stoned and is dead.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

וַֽandclauseverbיִּשְׁלְח֖וּthey.sentprepositional phrase · prepositionalאֶלtoאִיזֶ֣בֶלJezebelprepositional phrase · prepositionalלֵ(cmp)clauseverbאמֹ֑רsayingclauseclauseverbסֻקַּ֥לhe.has.been.stonedsubjectנָב֖וֹתNabothוַandclauseverbיָּמֹֽתhe.has.died

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in the wording of this verse, with all seven words matched. This consistency reinforces the reliability of the account as it has been preserved in both traditions.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

וַֽיִּשְׁלְח֖וּ אֶל־ אִיזֶ֣בֶל לֵאמֹ֑ר סֻקַּ֥ל נָב֖וֹת וַיָּמֹֽת׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
וַֽיִּשְׁלְח֖וּἀπέστειλανאֶל־πρὸςאִיזֶ֣בֶלιεζαβελלֵאמֹ֑רλέγοντεςסֻקַּ֥לλελιθοβόληταιנָב֖וֹתναβουθαιוַיָּמֹֽת׃τέθνηκεν

7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

1 Kings 21:14שָׁלַחand they seand they sentשָׁלַחאֶלtotoאֶלאִיזֶבֶלJezebelJezebelאִיזֶבֶלאָמַרsayingsayingאָמַרסָקַלhe has beenhe has been stoסָקַלנָבוֹתNabothNabothנָבוֹתמוּתand he has and he has diedמוּתאִיnotnotאִינֹבNobNobנֹבחָפְשִׁיfreefreeחָפְשִׁימַלְאָךְmessengermessengerמַלְאָךְפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַליִרְמְיָ֫הJeremiahJeremiahיִרְמְיָ֫הנָבוֹתNabothNabothנָבוֹתכֶּ֫לֶבdogdogכֶּ֫לֶבכֹּהthusthusכֹּהיהוהYHWH/GodYHWH/GodיהוהשׁוֹרcattlecattleשׁוֹריִזְרְעֵאלִיJezreeliteJezreeliteיִזְרְעֵאלִיכֶּרֶםvineyardvineyardכֶּרֶםרָצַחto murderto murderרָצַחקָבַרto buryto buryקָבַר
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in 1 Kings 21:14

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

and they sent to Jezebel saying he has been stoned Naboth and he has died
וַֽיִּשְׁלְח֖וּvai.yish.le.Chu and they sent H7971 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
847× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
To send or depart is the meaning of this Hebrew word, which has various applications in the Bible. It can describe sending someone or something away, or letting something go.
Amplified meaning
dispatched, commissioned
Tyndale gloss
to send: depart
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁלַח (shalach) is a primitive root meaning 'to send' with a wide range of applications. It can refer to sending away, stretching out (especially a hand), or letting go. The entries indicate various forms, including sending off, casting out, and setting free. Notably, it can also imply divorce or being sent away in a marital context.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁלַח 814 vb. send

Qal

send: human subj.

send: subj. י׳ (God)

stretch out, esp. acc. hand

rarely send away: human subj.

let loose

Niph. letters were sent

Pi.

send off, away, human subj.

send away, subj. י׳

give over

cast out

send out, forth

let go, set free

shoot forth branches

let down

shoot

Phrases

Pu. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)

Hiph. and I (י׳) will send

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7971 שָׁלַח send .. send: human subj.

. send: subj. י׳ (God)

. stretch out, esp. acc. hand

. rarely send away: human subj.

. let loose

. letters were sent

. . send off, away, human subj.

. . send away, subj. י׳

. give over

. cast out

. send out, forth

. let go, set free

. shoot forth branches

. let down

. shoot

. Phrases

. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)

. and I (י׳) will send

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7971 shalach shaw-lakh'

a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great

variety of applications):--X any wise, appoint, bring (on the

way), cast (away, out), conduct, X earnestly, forsake, give

(up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose),

push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send

(away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread,

stretch forth (out).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: depart.

: depart/send

1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to send

1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct

1a3) to send away

1a4) to let loose

1b) (Niphal) to be sent

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out

1c2) to let go, set free

1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)

1c4) to let down

1c5) to shoot

1d) (Pual) to be sent off, be put away, be divorced, be impelled

1e) (Hiphil) to send

שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: let go.

: let_go/free

1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to send

1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct

1a3) to send away

1a4) to let loose

1b) (Niphal) to be sent

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out

1c2) to let go, set free

1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)

1c4) to let down

1c5) to shoot

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine plural
Hc/Vqw3mp
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(shalach; apostello): "Sent" in the Old Testament is the translation of shalach, "to send" (of presents, messengers, etc., Ge 32:18; 44:3; Jud 6:14; 1Ki 14:6; Es 3:13; Pr 17:11; Jer 49:14; Eze 3:5; 23:40; Da 10:11; Ob 1:1); of shelach, Aramaic (Ezr 7:14; Da 5:24); of shilluchim, "sending" (

and they sent to Jezebel saying he has been stoned Naboth and he has died
אֶל־'el- to H413 Preposition
5,518× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means 'to' or 'toward', showing direction or movement. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus, to indicate where someone is going. The KJV translates it in various ways, like 'about', 'according to', or 'against'.
Tyndale gloss
to(wards)
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word אֶל (el) is primarily a preposition indicating motion towards or direction to a person or place. It can also imply entering a limit, presence at a location, or a hostile direction (against). Additionally, it may express concepts such as concerning, in addition to, or according to. The entries highlight its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph),

prep. denoting motion to or direction towards (whether physical or mental).of motion to or unto a person or place

Where the limit is actually entered, into

Of direction towards anything

Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

Of rule or standard according to (rare)

Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H413 אֶל (nearly always followed by Makkeph), . of motion to or unto a person or place

. Where the limit is actually entered, into

. Of direction towards anything

. Where the motion or direction implied appears from the context to be of a hostile character, אֶל = against

. Unto sometimes acquires from the context the sense of in addition to

. Metaph. in regard to, concerning, on account of

. Of rule or standard according to (rare)

. Expressing presence at a spot, against, at, by, not merely after verbs implying motion

. Prefixed to other preps. it combines with them the idea of motion or direction to

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

413 'el ale

(but only used in the shortened constructive form sel {el});

a primitive particle; properly, denoting motion towards, but

occasionally used of a quiescent position, i.e. near, with or

among; often in general, to:--about, according to ,after,

against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and,

by, concerning, for, from, X hath, in(- to), near, (out) of,

over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether,

with(-in).

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶל (el) — to(wards).

1) to, toward, unto (of motion)

2) into (limit is actually entered)

2a) in among

3) toward (of direction, not necessarily physical motion)

4) against (motion or direction of a hostile character)

5) in addition to, to

6) concerning, in regard to, in reference to, on account of

7) according to (rule or standard)

8) at, by, against (of one's presence)

9) in between, in within, to within, unto (idea of motion to)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
and they sent to Jezebel saying he has been stoned Naboth and he has died
אִיזֶ֣בֶל'i.Ze.vel Jezebel H348 Noun proper feminine
22× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Jezebel was the wife of King Ahab, a queen of Israel, known for her evil deeds. She appears in 1 Kings 16:31, influencing Ahab to worship Baal and oppose God's prophets, like Elijah. Her story serves as a warning against idolatry and disobedience.
Amplified meaning
the wife of King Ahab, a queen of Israel
Tyndale gloss
Jezebel
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אִיזֶבֶל (i.ze.vel) refers to Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab of Israel, known for her influence during the Divided Monarchy. The name is derived from roots meaning 'Baal exalts' or 'Baal is husband to.' She is first mentioned in 1 Kings 16:31 and is the daughter of Ethbaal, king of Tyre.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אִיזֶבֶל n.pr.f. queen of Ahab, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Tyre

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H348 אִיזֶבֶל

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

348 'Iyzebel ee-zeh'-bel

from 336 and 2083; Izebel, the wife of king Ahab:--Jezebel.

see HEBREW for 0336

see HEBREW for 02083

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אִיזֶבֶל (i.ze.vel) — Jezebel.

A queen of the Kingdom of Israel, living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.16.31;

daughter of: Ethbaal (H0856); married to Ahab (H0256);

mother of: Ahaziah (H0274) and Joram (H3141H)

Also named: Iezabēl (Ἰεζαβήλ "Jezebel" G2403)

§ Jezebel = "Baal exalts" or "Baal is husband to" or "unchaste"

queen of Israel, wife of Ahab, daughter of Ethbaal

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper feminine
HNpf
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

jez'-e-bel 'izebhel, "unexalted," "unhusbanded" (?); Iezabel; see BDB; 1Ki 16:31; 18:4,13,19; 19:1,2; 21:5 ff; 2Ki 9:7 ff,30 ff; Re 2:20): Daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Zidonians, i.e. Phoenicians, and queen of Ahab, king of Northern Israel. Ahab (circa 874-853 BC) carried out a policy, which his father had perhaps started, of making alliances with other states. The alliance with the Phoenicians was cemented by his marriage with Jezebel, and he subsequently gave his daughter Athaliah in marriage to Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. His own union with Jezebel is regarded as a sin in 1Ki 16:31, where the Massoretic Text is difficult, being generally understood as…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Jezebel

Chaste, the daughter of Ethbaal, the king of the Zidonians, and the wife of Ahab, the king of Israel (1 Kings 16:31). This was the “first time that a king of Israel had allied himself by marriage with a heathen princess; and the alliance was in this case of a peculiarly disastrous kind. Jezebel has stamped her name on history as the representative of all that is designing, crafty, malicious, revengeful, and cruel. She is the first great instigator of persecution against the saints of God. Guided by no principle, restrained by no fear of either God or man, passionate in her attachment to her heathen worship, she spared no pains to maintain idolatry around her in all its splendour. Four hundred and fifty prophets ministered under her care to Baal, besides four hundred prophets of the groves [R.V., ’prophets of the Asherah’]…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(chaste), wife of Ahab king of Israel. (B.C. 883.) She was a Phoenician princess, daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians. In her hands her husband became a mere puppet. (1 Kings 21:25) The first effect of her influence was the immediate establishment of the Phoenician worship on a grand scale in the court of Ahab. At her table were supported no less than 450 prophets of Baal and 400 of Eastward. (1 Kings 16:31,21; 18:19) The prophets of Jehovah were attacked by her orders and put to the sword. (1 Kings 18:13; 2 Kings 9:7) At last the people, at the instigation of Elijah, rose against her ministers and slaughtered them at the foot of Carmel. When she found her husband…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Daughter of Ethbaal king of Tyre and Zidon, and wife of Ahab king of Israel, 1Ki 16:31. She spent herself in efforts to establish idolatry in Samaria, and exterminate the worship of God and the lives of his servants. Obadiah saved a hundred of them, at the risk of his own life. Jezebel herself maintained four hundred priests of Astarte. When the prophets of Baal perished at Carmel, at the word of Elijah, she sought to avenge herself on him. Afterwards, she secured the vineyard of Naboth for her husband by perjuries and murder; and her tragical death, the fitting close of a bloody life, took place, according to the prediction of Elijah, near the scene of this crime,

1Ki 19:1-21 21:1-29 2Ki 9:1-37. Her name has become a proverb…

and they sent to Jezebel saying he has been stoned Naboth and he has died
לֵאמֹ֑רle.Mor saying H559 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
5,309× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Tyndale gloss
to say
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say

Qal

Say

Say in the heart (= think)

Promise

Command (esp. late)

Niph. be said, told

Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

Hithp. act proudly, boast

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say

. Say in the heart (= think)

. Promise

. Command (esp. late)

. be said, told

. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)

. act proudly, boast

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

559 'amar aw-mar'

a primitive root; to say (used with great

latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,

certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),

commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X

expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,

publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X

suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),

utter, X verily, X yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.

1) to say, speak, utter

1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend

1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called

1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly

1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch

Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HR/Vqcc — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
and they sent to Jezebel saying he has been stoned Naboth and he has died
סֻקַּ֥לsu.Kal he has been stoned H5619 Verb · Pual · perfect third person masculine singular
22× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to stone someone to death, like in the case of someone who broke the law in the Old Testament. It can also mean to free a place from stones.
Amplified meaning
executed by throwing stones, put to death
Tyndale gloss
to stone
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

סָקַל (saqal) is a Hebrew verb meaning to stone or to be put to death by stoning. It encompasses various forms, including Qal (to pelt with stones), Niphal (to be stoned), and Piel (to stone or free from stones). The entries indicate that it is primarily associated with the act of stoning, with some references to freeing from stones.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[סָקַל] vb. stone, be put to death by stoning, also (Pi.) free from stones

Qal pelt with stones, stone to death

Niph. be stoned to death

Pi.

stone, pelt with stones

free vineyard (acc.) from stones

Pu. be stoned to death

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5619 סָקַל stone, be put to death by stoning, also (Pi.) free from stones

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5619 caqal saw-kal'

a primitive root; properly, to be weighty; but used only in

the sense of lapidation or its contrary (as if a

delapidation):--(cast, gather out, throw) stone(-s), X

surely.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

סָקַל (sa.qal) — to stone.

1) to stone (to death), put to death by stoning

1a) (Qal) to pelt with stones, stone to death

1b) (Niphal) to be stoned to death

1c) (Piel)

1c1) to stone, pelt with stones

1c2) to free from stones (of vineyard, highway)

1d) (Pual) to be stoned to death

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Pual-Perf-3ms — Verb · Pual · perfect third person masculine singular
HVPp3ms
and they sent to Jezebel saying he has been stoned Naboth and he has died
נָב֖וֹתna.Vot Naboth H5022 Noun proper masculine
22× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Naboth was an Israelite who owned a vineyard in Jezreel, and is mentioned in 1 Kings 21:1. He was wrongly accused and killed by Ahab and Jezebel, who wanted to take his vineyard for themselves. His name means fruits, and his story is a notable example of greed and corruption in the Bible.
Amplified meaning
an Israelite who owned a vineyard in Jezreel
Tyndale gloss
Naboth
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָבוֹת (Naboth) refers to a Jezreelite man known for owning a vineyard in Jezreel, who was killed by Ahab and Jezebel. The name is connected to the word for 'fruits,' indicating a possible symbolic meaning. It appears in the context of the Divided Monarchy, specifically mentioned in 1 Kings 21:1.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָבוֹת 22 n.pr.m. a Jezreelite

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5022 נָבוֹת

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5022 Nabowth naw-both'

feminine plural from the same as 5011; fruits; Naboth, an

Israelite:--Naboth.

see HEBREW for 05011

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָבוֹת (na.vot) — Naboth.

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.21.1

§ Naboth = "fruits"

the vineyard owner of Jezreel who Ahab and Jezebel had killed so that they could have his vineyard

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

na'-both, na'-both (nabhoth, from nubh, "a sprout"; Nabouthai): The owner of a vineyard contiguous to the palace of King Ahab. The king desired, by purchase or exchange, to add the vineyard to his own grounds. Naboth, however, refused to part on any terms with his paternal inheritance. This refusal made Ahab "heavy and displeased" (1Ki 21:4). Jezebel, the king's wife, then took the matter in hand, and by false accusation on an irrelevant charge procured the death of Naboth by stoning (1Ki 21:7-14). As Ahab was on his way to take possession of the vineyard he met Elijah the prophet, who denounced his vile act and pronounced judgment on king and royal house. A temporary respite was given to Ahab because of a repentant mood (1Ki…

Naboth

Fruits, “the Jezreelite,” was the owner of a portion of ground on the eastern slope of the hill of Jezreel (2 Kings 9:25, 26). This small “plat of ground” seems to have been all he possessed. It was a vineyard, and lay “hard by the palace of Ahab” (1 Kings 21:1, 2), who greatly coveted it. Naboth, however, refused on any terms to part with it to the king. He had inherited it from his fathers, and no Israelite could lawfully sell his property (Lev. 25:23). Jezebel, Ahab’s wife, was grievously offended at Naboth’s refusal to part with his vineyard. By a crafty and cruel plot she compassed his death. His sons also shared his fate (2 Kings 9:26;

(fruits), the victim of Ahab and Jezebel, was the owner of a small vineyard at Jezreel, close to the royal palace of Shab. (1 Kings 21:1,2) (B.C. 897.) It thus became an object of desire to the king, who offered an equivalent in money or another vineyard. In exchange for this Naboth, in the independent spirit of a Jewish landholder, refused: "The Lord forbid it me that I should give the inheritance of my father unto thee." Ahab was cowed by this reply; but the proud spirit of Jezebel was aroused. She took the matter into her own hands. A fast was proclaimed, as on the announcement of some impending calamity. Naboth was "set on high" in the public place of Samaria; two men of worthless character accused him of having "cursed God and the king." He and his children, (2 Kings 9:26)…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

An Israelite at Jezreel, who declined selling his ancestral vineyard to Ahab, Le 25:23,24; and was in consequence murdered, on a false charge of blasphemy contrived by Jezebel the queen. Ahab took immediate possession of the coveted vineyard—perhaps as being legally for forfeited to the government, construing blasphemy as treason; or it may be, that the heirs were deterred from asserting their claim by a dread of the unscrupulous arts of Jezebel. Elijah, however, did not fear to denounce against the king and queen the vengeance of One "higher than they," 1Ki 21:1-29 2Ki 9:24-26,36 Ec 5:8.

and they sent to Jezebel saying he has been stoned Naboth and he has died
וַיָּמֹֽת׃vai.ya.Mot and he has died H4191 Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
840× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to die, either literally or as a punishment, and is used in books like Genesis and Exodus. It can also mean to perish or be killed. This concept is seen in the story of Adam and Eve, where death enters the world as a result of sin.
Amplified meaning
killed, deceased, as a punishment
Tyndale gloss
to die
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מוּת (mūth) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to die' or 'to kill.' It encompasses a range of meanings from dying naturally to being executed as a penalty. The word can refer to both humans and animals, and it includes various forms such as causing death or being killed. There is a distinction in usage based on the subject, whether it is a person or God inflicting death.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מוּת vb. die

Qal

die, of natural or other causes

die as a penalty = be put to death

Po‛lel. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)

Hiph.

abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man

subj. God, by inflicting penalty

of animals killing men

bring to a premature death

Hoph. be killed, put to death

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4191 מוּת die .. die, of natural or other causes

. die as a penalty = be put to death

. kill, put to death, despatch (intens.)

. . abs., elsewhere c. acc., subj. man

. subj. God, by inflicting penalty

. of animals killing men

. bring to a premature death

. be killed, put to death

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4191 muwth mooth

a primitive root: to die (literally or figuratively);

causatively, to kill:--X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body,

man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to,

be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-mancer), X must needs,

slay, X surely, X very suddenly, X in (no) wise.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מוּת (mut) — to die.

1) to die, kill, have one executed

1a)(Qal)

1a1) to die

1a2) to die (as penalty), be put to death

1a3) to die, perish (of a nation)

1a4) to die prematurely (by neglect of wise moral conduct)

1b) (Polel) to kill, put to death, dispatch

1c) (Hiphil) to kill, put to death

1d) (Hophal)

1d1) to be killed, be put to death

1d1a) to die prematurely

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singular
Hc/Vqw3ms
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

Everything we make is available for free because of a generous community of supporters.

Donate