1 Kings 21:25-29

D. THE CONTRITION OF AHAB 21:25-29

TRANSLATION

(25) But there was none like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. (26) He erred exceedingly in going after the idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the LORD had driven out from before the children of Israel. (27) And it came to pass when Ahab heard these words, that he tore his garments and put sackcloth upon his flesh and fasted, and lay in the sackcloth and went about softly. (28) And the word of the LORD came unto Elijah the Tishbite, saying, (29) Have you seen that Ahab humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days; in the days of his son I will bring the evil upon his house.

COMMENTS

1 Kings 21:25-26 seem to be in the nature of a parenthetical remark which is intended to further justify the harsh sentence pronounced against Ahab and his wife. No Northern predecessor had so completely abandoned the ways of the Lord as had Ahab. His gross apostasy is explained by the fact that his wife, a devotee of a pagan deity, stirred him up or incited him to sin (1 Kings 21:25). Ahab tolerated, condoned and engaged in the idolatrous practices of the nations[489] which God had driven out before the mighty armies of Joshua (1 Kings 21:26). Canaanite Baal worship survived among the Sidonians and by means of Jezebel was reintroduced in the kingdom of Samaria.

[489] Technically, the term Amorite refers to those peoples dwelling in the mountain regions of Palestine as opposed to Canaanite which refers to the inhabitants of the valleys. Here, as frequently in the Old Testament, the Amorite is used as a general name for the seven nations which possessed Canaan prior to the Israelite invasion under Joshua. Cf. Genesis 15:16; Ezekiel 16:3; Amos 2:9-10.

Ahab was deeply affected by the dire predictions of Elijah. By several outward signs he manifested his inward repentance for the crimes he had committed. He rent his garments, put on sackcloth,[490] fasted and even slept in his sackcloth. He also went about softly (1 Kings 21:27), which may mean he walked barefoot, or, to take the expression in a more figurative way, humbly, contritely. Taking note of this royal repentance, the Lord sent an important word to Elijah (1 Kings 21:28) which in effect cancelled the threat against Ahab. It is not clear whether or not this mitigation of the sentence was ever announced to Ahab himself, but there is no reason to think that it was not. The merciful Lord regarded the repentance of the king as sincere, and because of it, deferred the execution of the sentence unto the days of Ahab's son (1 Kings 21:29). This is no example of the innocent suffering for the guilty, for God knew what the son of Ahab would be. Furthermore, that son would have the option of repentance by which still further reprieve could be granted (cf. Ezekiel 18:14 ff.). Judgment was deferred to give the house of Ahab another chance. How marvelous is the divine patience!

[490] Mourners seem to have worn sackcloth on the outside where it could be seen; but penitents wore it under the clothes as a form of self-affliction.