The Meaning of 1 Kings 21:10 Explained

1 Kings 21:10

KJV: And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.

YLT: and cause two men -- sons of worthlessness -- to sit over-against him, and they testify of him, saying, Thou hast blessed God and Melech; and they have brought him out, and stoned him, and he dieth.'

Darby: and set two men, sons of Belial, before him, and they shall bear witness against him saying, Thou didst curse God and the king; and carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.

ASV: and set two men, base fellows, before him, and let them bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst curse God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him to death.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And set  two  men,  sons  of Belial,  before him, to bear witness  against him, saying,  Thou didst blaspheme  God  and the king.  And [then] carry him out,  and stone  him, that he may die. 

What does 1 Kings 21:10 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 21:1-29 - Breaking Three Commandments
From a worldly point of view Naboth might have done a good stroke of business by selling his estate to. Ahab. A royal price and assured favor might have been his-but he had a conscience! Above the persuasive tones of the monarch's offer sounded the voice of God: "The land shall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine." See Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7; Ezekiel 46:18.
Ahab knew perfectly well that Jezebel could not give him the property of another except by foul means, but he took pains not to inquire. Though the direct orders for Naboth's death did not come from him, yet, by his silence, he was an accomplice and an accessory; and divine justice penetrates all such specious excuses. God holds us responsible for wrongs which we do not arrest, though we have the power. The crime was blacker because of the pretext of religion, as suggested by a fast. See also 2 Kings 9:26. The blood of murdered innocence cries to God, and his requital, though delayed, is inevitable. See Revelation 6:9-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 21

1  Ahab being denied Naboth's vineyard, is grieved
5  Jezebel writing letters against Naboth, he is condemned of blasphemy
15  Ahab take possession of the vineyard
17  Elijah denounces judgments against Ahab and Jezebel
25  Wicked Ahab repenting, God defers the judgment

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 21:10 mean?

and seat two men sons scoundrels before him to bear witness against him saying You have cursed God and the king And [Then] take him out and stone him that he may die
וְ֠הוֹשִׁיבוּ שְׁנַ֨יִם אֲנָשִׁ֥ים בְּנֵֽי־ בְלִיַּעַל֮ נֶגְדּוֹ֒ וִיעִדֻ֣הוּ לֵאמֹ֔ר בֵּרַ֥כְתָּ אֱלֹהִ֖ים וָמֶ֑לֶךְ וְהוֹצִיאֻ֥הוּ וְסִקְלֻ֖הוּ וְיָמֹֽת

וְ֠הוֹשִׁיבוּ  and  seat 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
שְׁנַ֨יִם  two 
Parse: Number, md
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
אֲנָשִׁ֥ים  men 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱנׄושׁ 
Sense: man, mortal man, person, mankind.
בְּנֵֽי־  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
בְלִיַּעַל֮  scoundrels 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּלִיַּעַל  
Sense: worthlessness.
נֶגְדּוֹ֒  before  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: נֶגֶד  
Sense: what is conspicuous, what is in front of adv.
וִיעִדֻ֣הוּ  to  bear  witness  against  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural, third person masculine singular
Root: עוּד 
Sense: to return, repeat, go about, do again.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
בֵּרַ֥כְתָּ  You  have  cursed 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
אֱלֹהִ֖ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וָמֶ֑לֶךְ  and  the  king 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
וְהוֹצִיאֻ֥הוּ  And  [Then]  take  him  out 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine plural, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
וְסִקְלֻ֖הוּ  and  stone  him 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine plural, third person masculine singular
Root: סָקַל  
Sense: to stone (to death), put to death by stoning.
וְיָמֹֽת  that  he  may  die 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect Jussive, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּת  
Sense: to die, kill, have one executed.