And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.

1 KINGS 21:13KJV
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1 Kings 21:13 (KJV)

What does 1 Kings 21:13 mean?

1 Kings 21:13 describes how two men, called "children of Belial," falsely accused Naboth of blaspheming God and the king in front of the people. Because of their testimony, Naboth was taken outside the city and killed by stoning.

This verse takes place during King Ahab’s reign in Israel. Jezebel, Ahab’s wife, arranged for these false witnesses to accuse Naboth so that Ahab could take Naboth’s vineyard. The phrase "children of Belial" means wicked or worthless men, showing that these witnesses were corrupt and their testimony was a lie. The public accusation and execution were meant to make the killing seem lawful, even though it was a grave injustice.

The Hebrew behind 1 Kings 21:13

  • בְּנֵי בְּלִיַּעַל (benei beliya‘al) — "children of Belial": This phrase means "worthless" or "lawless" men. In this context, it underlines that the accusers had no moral integrity and were willing to lie for personal gain.
  • בֵּרֵךְ (barekh) — translated here as "blaspheme": This word can mean "to bless," but in certain contexts, especially legal ones, it is used as a euphemism for "curse" or "blaspheme." This shows the seriousness of the charge against Naboth, as blasphemy was a capital offense.
  • סָקַל (saqal) — "stoned": This verb means to execute someone by throwing stones, a common form of capital punishment in ancient Israel for serious crimes like blasphemy.

Why 1 Kings 21:13 matters

  • 1 Kings 21:13 highlights how legal procedures could be twisted by those in power to commit injustice while appearing to follow the law.
  • The verse shows the seriousness of false witness in Israelite society, especially when it leads to someone’s death.
  • This event sets up the rest of the chapter, where God responds to this injustice through the prophet Elijah, showing that such evil does not go unnoticed.

Where else these words appear

“Naboth” Hebrew H5022 · used in 18 verses

  • 1 Kings 21:1 And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
  • 1 Kings 21:7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
  • 1 Kings 21:16 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

“stoned” Hebrew H5619 · used in 20 verses

  • Exodus 8:26 And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?
  • Deuteronomy 13:10 And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die; because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.
  • 2 Samuel 16:6 And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.

“Belial” Hebrew H1100 · used in 26 verses

  • Deuteronomy 13:13 Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known;
  • 1 Samuel 25:25 Let not my lord, I pray thee, regard this man of Belial, even Nabal: for as his name is, so is he; Nabal is his name, and folly is with him: but I thine handmaid saw not the young men of my lord, whom thou didst send.
  • Job 34:18 Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly?

“witnessed” Hebrew H5749 · used in 40 verses

  • Genesis 43:3 And Judah spake unto him, saying, The man did solemnly protest unto us, saying, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be with you.
  • 2 Kings 17:15 And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them.
  • Psalms 146:9 The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.