1 Kings 21:12

They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

21:5-16 When, instead of a help meet, a man has an agent for Satan, in the form of an artful, unprincipled, yet beloved wife, fatal effects may be expected. Never were more wicked orders given by any prince, than those Jezebel sent to the rulers of Jezreel. Naboth must be murdered under colour of religion. There is no wickedness so vile, so horrid, but religion has sometimes been made a cover for it. Also, it must be done under colour of justice, and with the formalities of legal process. Let us, from this sad story, be amazed at the wickedness of the wicked, and the power of Satan in the children of disobedience. Let us commit the keeping of our lives and comforts to God, for innocence will not always be our security; and let us rejoice in the knowledge that all will be set to rights in the great day.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The ready submission of the elders and nobles implies a deep moral degradation among the Israelites, the fruit of their lapse into idolatry.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

9. Proclaim a fast, &c.—Those obsequious and unprincipled magistrates did according to orders. Pretending that a heavy guilt lay on one, or some unknown party, who was charged with blaspheming God and the king and that Ahab was threatening vengeance on the whole city unless the culprit were discovered and punished, they assembled the people to observe a solemn fast. Fasts were commanded on extraordinary occasions affecting the public interests of the state (2Ch 20:3; Ezr 8:21; Joe 1:14; 2:15; Jon 3:5). The wicked authorities of Jezreel, by proclaiming the fast, wished to give an external appearance of justice to their proceedings and convey an impression among the people that Naboth's crime amounted to treason against the king's life.

set Naboth on high—During a trial the panel, or accused person, was placed on a high seat, in the presence of all the court; but as the guilty person was supposed to be unknown, the setting of Naboth on high among the people must have been owing to his being among the distinguished men of the place.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

They proclaimed a fast,.... Or called a court; see Gill on 1 Kings 21:9.

and set Naboth on high among the people; placed him at the bar as a criminal; see Gill on 1 Kings 21:9, though Josephus (c) thinks he was set on an high place in the court, because he was of an illustrious birth.

(c) Antiqu. l. 3. c. 13. sect. 8.

Geneva Study Bible

They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 12. - They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. 1 Kings 21:12

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The elders of Jezreel executed this command without delay; a striking proof both of deep moral corruption and of slavish fear of the tyranny of the ruthless queen.