1 Kings 21:25

But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(25) The dogs shall eat Jezebel.—In all his address to Ahab, Elijah has, as yet, disdained to name the instigator, on whom the coward king, no doubt, threw his guilt. Ahab stands revealed as the true culprit before God, without a shred of subterfuge to veil his ultimate responsibility. Now, briefly and sternly, the prophet notices the bolder criminal, pronouncing against her a doom of shame and horror, seldom falling upon a woman, but rightly visiting one who had forsworn the pity and modesty of her sex. In the “ditch” (see margin) outside the walls, where the refuse of the city gathers the half-wild dogs—the scavengers of Eastern cities—her dead body is to be thrown as offal, and to be torn and devoured.

This verse and the next are evidently the reflection of the compiler, catching its inspiration from the words of Elijah in 1Kings 21:20. There is in them a tone not only of condemnation, but of contempt, for a king most unkingly—thus selling himself to a half-unwilling course of crime, against the warnings of conscience, not disbelieved but neglected, for the sake of a paltry desire—thus moreover, grovelling under the open dominion of a woman, which, to an Eastern mind, familiar enough with female intrigues, but not with female imperiousness, would seem especially monstrous.

Benson Commentary

1 Kings 21:25-26. There was none like unto Ahab — Among all the kings of Israel who had been before him. Whom Jezebel his wife stirred up — This is added to show that temptations to sin are no excuse to the sinner. He did very abominably in following idols, &c. — There was no abomination which the people of Canaan committed, (here called the Amorites, according to their ancient name, Genesis 15:16,) which Ahab did not imitate.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

21:17-29 Blessed Paul complains that he was sold under sin, Ro 7:14, as a poor captive against his will; but Ahab was willing, he sold himself to sin; of choice, and as his own act and deed, he loved the dominion of sin. Jezebel his wife stirred him up to do wickedly. Ahab is reproved, and his sin set before his eyes, by Elijah. That man's condition is very miserable, who has made the word of God his enemy; and very desperate, who reckons the ministers of that word his enemies, because they tell him the truth. Ahab put on the garb and guise of a penitent, yet his heart was unhumbled and unchanged. Ahab's repentance was only what might be seen of men; it was outward only. Let this encourage all that truly repent, and unfeignedly believe the holy gospel, that if a pretending partial penitent shall go to his house reprieved, doubtless, a sincere believing penitent shall go to his house justified.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

whom Jezebel stirred up - The history of Ahab's reign throughout exhibits him as completely governed by his imperious wife. Instances of her influence are seen in 1 Kings 21:7, 1 Kings 21:15, marginal reference, 1 Kings 18:4; 1 Kings 19:2.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

21, 22. will make thine house, &c.—(see on [323]1Ki 15:29 and [324]1Ki 16:3-12). Jezebel, though included among the members of Ahab's house, has her ignominious fate expressly foretold (see 2Ki 9:30).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

There was none like unto Ahab; none among all the kings of Israel which had been before him.

Whom Jezebel his wife stirred up: this is added to show that temptations to sin are no excuse to the sinner.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord,.... Not of any of his predecessors, even those whose families had been destroyed, as his would be, 1 Kings 21:21. See Gill on 1 Kings 21:20.

whom Jezebel his wife stirred up; to idolatry, revenge, and murder, and to whose will he was a slave, and is one instance of his being a captive to sin, and giving up himself to the power of it.

Geneva Study Bible

But there was none like unto Ahab, which did {i} sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

(i) By the wicked counsel of his wife he became a vile idolater, and cruel murderer, as one that gave himself wholly to serve sin.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

25. to work wickedness] R.V. to do that which was evil. See above, 1 Kings 21:20.

Ahab exceeded the wickedness of all the other kings in that he introduced Baal-worship, and allowed his wife to proceed to all lengths in her attempts to destroy any recognition of Jehovah, even such as remained in the corrupted worship of the northern kingdom.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 25. - But [Heb. Only] there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord [as in ver. 20], whom Jezebel his wife stirred up [or as Marg., incited, instigated and urged to sin. Cf. Deuteronomy 13:7 Hebrews 1 Job 36:18]. 1 Kings 21:25

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

1 Kings 21:25, 1 Kings 21:26 contain a reflection on the part of the historian concerning Ahab's ungodly conduct, whereby he brought such an ignominious end upon himself and his house. וגו היה לא רק, "only there has not been (one) like Ahab," i.e., there was no one else like Ahab, "who sold himself," etc. הסתּה for הסיתה, from סוּת, to entice, to seduce or lead astray (cf. Ewald, 114, a., and Ges. 72, Anm. 6). ויּתעב, and he acted abominably. Amorites: for Canaanites, as in Genesis 15:16, etc.