1 Kings 21:25 (KJV)

What does 1 Kings 21:25 mean?

1 Kings 21:25 says that there was no one like Ahab, who gave himself over completely to doing evil in the LORD’s sight, pushed on by his wife Jezebel. The verse highlights how Ahab’s actions were unusually bad, and that Jezebel played a major role in encouraging him toward wickedness.

This verse is a summary comment in the story of King Ahab of Israel, made by the writer of 1 Kings. It comes after the account of Ahab’s involvement in the death of Naboth and the taking of Naboth’s vineyard. The statement emphasizes both Ahab’s personal responsibility and Jezebel’s influence, showing how their partnership led to extreme wrongdoing from the perspective of the biblical author.

The Hebrew behind 1 Kings 21:25

• "Sell" (מָכַר, mākar) means to hand oneself over or to give oneself up, often for a price. Here, it paints a picture of Ahab willingly surrendering himself to evil, as if he made a deal to do wrong.
• "Wickedness" (רַע, ra‘) refers to what is evil or morally bad. The word stresses the seriousness of Ahab’s actions, not just mistakes but deliberate wrongdoing.
• "Stirred up" (סוּת, sūth) means to incite, provoke, or push someone into action. The verse uses this to show that Jezebel was not just a passive partner but actively encouraged Ahab’s choices.

Why 1 Kings 21:25 matters

• This verse clarifies that Ahab’s reputation for evil was not just due to his own choices, but also because of Jezebel’s strong influence on him.
• It connects the events of Naboth’s vineyard and other stories about Ahab to a bigger pattern of behavior, not just isolated incidents.
• The verse helps explain why later biblical writers and traditions remember Ahab and Jezebel as examples of extreme wickedness in Israel’s history.