The Meaning of 1 Kings 21:27 Explained

1 Kings 21:27

KJV: And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.

YLT: And it cometh to pass, at Ahab's hearing these words, that he rendeth his garments, and putteth sackcloth on his flesh, and fasteth, and lieth in sackcloth, and goeth gently.

Darby: And it came to pass when Ahab heard these words, that he rent his garments, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.

ASV: And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass, when Ahab  heard  those words,  that he rent  his clothes,  and put  sackcloth  upon his flesh,  and fasted,  and lay  in sackcloth,  and went  softly. 

What does 1 Kings 21:27 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 21:17-29 - Humbled By The Prophet's Rebuke
Once before, when his presence had been urgently needed, Elijah had fled for his life. But there was no vacillation now. He dared face not only Ahab, but his two ruthless captains. He acted as an incarnate conscience. Ahab had perhaps solaced himself with the idea that he was not a murderer. How should he know what Jezebel had done with his seal! But the crime was not Jezebel's alone; it was his also. "Thus saith the Lord, Thou hast killed."
Though the king knew it not, Elijah was his best friend, while Jezebel was his direst foe. Sin distorts everything. Let us not be surprised if men hate us and count us their enemies when we charge them with their sins! "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you"¦ and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely." Each of the woes which the prophet foretold came true. Ahab postponed their fulfillment for some three years by a partial repentance; but at the end of that time he went back to his evil ways, and every item was fulfilled. God is faithful. He bears witness to His witnesses. His mills grind slowly, but they grind to powder!
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 21:27 mean?

So it was when heard Ahab - words these that he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about mourning -
וַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ אַחְאָ֜ב אֶת־ הַדְּבָרִ֤ים הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙ וַיִּקְרַ֣ע בְּגָדָ֔יו וַיָּֽשֶׂם־ שַׂ֥ק עַל־ בְּשָׂר֖וֹ וַיָּצ֑וֹם וַיִּשְׁכַּ֣ב בַּשָּׂ֔ק וַיְהַלֵּ֖ךְ אַֽט ס

וַיְהִי֩  So  it  was 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ  when  heard 
Parse: Preposition-k, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
אַחְאָ֜ב  Ahab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַחְאָב 
Sense: king of Israel, son of Omri, husband of Jezebel.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַדְּבָרִ֤ים  words 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
הָאֵ֙לֶּה֙  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
וַיִּקְרַ֣ע  that  he  tore 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָרַע  
Sense: to tear, tear in pieces.
בְּגָדָ֔יו  his  clothes 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בֶּגֶד 
Sense: treachery, deceit.
וַיָּֽשֶׂם־  and  put 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
שַׂ֥ק  sackcloth 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: שַׂק  
Sense: mesh, sackcloth, sack, sacking.
בְּשָׂר֖וֹ  his  body 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּשָׂר  
Sense: flesh.
וַיָּצ֑וֹם  and  fasted 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צוּם  
Sense: (Qal) to abstain from food, fast.
וַיִּשְׁכַּ֣ב  and  lay 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁכַב  
Sense: to lie down.
בַּשָּׂ֔ק  in  sackcloth 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שַׂק  
Sense: mesh, sackcloth, sack, sacking.
וַיְהַלֵּ֖ךְ  and  went 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
אַֽט  about  mourning 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַט 
Sense: gentleness, softness.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation