Matthew Henry on 1 Kings 21:17–end
In these verses we may observe,
I. The very bad character that is given of Ahab (Kg1 21:25, Kg1 21:26), which comes in here to justify God in the heavy sentence passed upon him, and to show that though it was passed upon occasion of his sin in the matter of Naboth (which David's sin in the matter of Uriah did too much resemble), yet God would not have punished him so severely if he had not been guilty of many other sins, especially idolatry; whereas David, except in that one matter, did that which was right. But, as to Ahab, there was none like him, so ingenious and industrious in sin, and that made a trade of it. He sold himself to work wickedness, that is, he made himself a perfect slave t…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on 1 Kings 21:17
ELIJAH DENOUNCES JUDGMENTS AGAINST AHAB AND JEZEBEL. (Kg1 21:17-29)
Hast thou killed, and also taken possession?--While Ahab was in the act of surveying his ill-gotten possession, Elijah, by divine commission, stood before him. The appearance of the prophet, at such a time, was ominous of evil, but his language was much more so (compare Eze 45:8; Eze 46:16-18). Instead of shrinking with horror from the atrocious crime, Ahab eagerly hastened to his newly acquired property.
Adam Clarke on 1 Kings 21:15
Arise, take possession - By what rites or in what forms this was done, we do not know.
John Gill on 1 Kings 21:17
And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the prophet,.... Where he now was, when this word came to him, is not certain; nor what he had been employed in for some time past, since we hear nothing of him since the unction of Elisha, other prophets of lesser note being employed in messages to Ahab from time to time; perhaps Elijah, while Ahab was engaged in war with the king of Syria, spent his time in founding or reviving the schools of the prophets, and instructing and training up those that were in them for public usefulness, since we afterwards hear of them; the word that came to him is, by the Targum, called the word of prophecy, as indeed it was, foretelling the destruction of Ahab and his…
