The Meaning of 1 Kings 21:8 Explained

1 Kings 21:8

KJV: So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.

YLT: And she writeth letters in the name of Ahab, and sealeth with his seal, and sendeth the letters unto the elders, and unto the freemen, who are in his city, those dwelling with Naboth,

Darby: And she wrote a letter in Ahab's name, and sealed it with his seal, and sent the letter to the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.

ASV: So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, and that dwelt with Naboth.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So she wrote  letters  in Ahab's  name,  and sealed  [them] with his seal,  and sent  the letters  unto the elders  and to the nobles  that [were] in his city,  dwelling  with Naboth. 

What does 1 Kings 21:8 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 21:8 mean?

And she wrote letters in name of Ahab and sealed [them] with his seal and sent - the letters to the elders and the nobles who in the city [were] dwelling with Naboth
וַתִּכְתֹּ֤ב סְפָרִים֙ בְּשֵׁ֣ם אַחְאָ֔ב וַתַּחְתֹּ֖ם בְּחֹתָמ֑וֹ וַתִּשְׁלַ֣ח [הספרים] (סְפָרִ֗ים) אֶל־ הַזְקֵנִ֤ים‪‬ וְאֶל־ הַֽחֹרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּעִיר֔וֹ הַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים אֶת־ נָבֽוֹת

וַתִּכְתֹּ֤ב  And  she  wrote 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: כָּתַב  
Sense: to write, record, enrol.
סְפָרִים֙  letters 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: סֵפֶר 
Sense: book.
בְּשֵׁ֣ם  in  name 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
אַחְאָ֔ב  of  Ahab 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַחְאָב 
Sense: king of Israel, son of Omri, husband of Jezebel.
וַתַּחְתֹּ֖ם  and  sealed  [them] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: חֹותָם  
Sense: seal, signet, signet-ring.
בְּחֹתָמ֑וֹ  with  his  seal 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חָתַם  
Sense: to seal, seal up, affix a seal.
וַתִּשְׁלַ֣ח  and  sent 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
[הספרים]  - 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
(סְפָרִ֗ים)  the  letters 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: סֵפֶר 
Sense: book.
הַזְקֵנִ֤ים‪‬  the  elders 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: זָקֵן  
Sense: old.
הַֽחֹרִים֙  the  nobles 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: חֹר  
Sense: a noble, freeborn one.
בְּעִיר֔וֹ  in  the  city 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
הַיֹּשְׁבִ֖ים  [were]  dwelling 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
נָבֽוֹת  Naboth 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: נָבֹות  
Sense: the vineyard owner of Jezreel who Ahab and Jezebel had killed so that they could have his vineyard.