1 Kings 21:21 This is what the LORD says: 'I will bring calamity on you and consume your descendants; I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both slave and free.

◄ 1 Kings 21:21 ►

New International Version
He says, ‘I am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel—slave or free.

New Living Translation
So now the LORD says, ‘I will bring disaster on you and consume you. I will destroy every one of your male descendants, slave and free alike, anywhere in Israel!

English Standard Version
Behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel.

Berean Standard Bible
This is what the LORD says: ‘I will bring calamity on you and consume your descendants; I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both slave and free.

King James Bible
Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,

New King James Version
‘Behold, I will bring calamity on you. I will take away your posterity, and will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both bond and free.

New American Standard Bible
Behold, I am bringing disaster upon you, and I will utterly sweep you away, and will eliminate from Ahab every male, both bond and free in Israel;

NASB 1995
“Behold, I will bring evil upon you, and will utterly sweep you away, and will cut off from Ahab every male, both bond and free in Israel;

NASB 1977
“Behold, I will bring evil upon you, and will utterly sweep you away, and will cut off from Ahab every male, both bond and free in Israel;

Legacy Standard Bible
Behold, I will bring evil upon you, and will utterly sweep you away, and will cut off from Ahab every male, both bond and free in Israel;

Amplified Bible
Behold [says the LORD], I am bringing evil (catastrophe) on you, and will utterly sweep you away, and will cut off from Ahab every male, both bond and free in Israel;

Christian Standard Bible
This is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to bring disaster on you and will eradicate your descendants: I will wipe out all of Ahab’s males, both slave and free, in Israel;

Holman Christian Standard Bible
This is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to bring disaster on you and will sweep away your descendants: I will eliminate all of Ahab’s males, both slave and free, in Israel;

American Standard Version
Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will utterly sweep thee away and will cut off from Ahab every man-child, and him that is shut up and him that is left at large in Israel:

Contemporary English Version
Now you will be punished. You and every man and boy in your family will die, whether slave or free.

English Revised Version
Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will utterly sweep thee away, and will cut off from Ahab every man child, and him that is shut up and him that is left at large in Israel:

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So I am going to bring evil on you. I will destroy your descendants. I will destroy every male in Ahab's [house], whether slave or freeman in Israel.

Good News Translation
So the LORD says to you, 'I will bring disaster on you. I will do away with you and get rid of every male in your family, young and old alike.

International Standard Version
Now pay attention! I'm going to send evil in your direction! I will completely sweep you away and eliminate from Ahab every male, whether indentured servant or free, throughout Israel.

Majority Standard Bible
This is what the LORD says: ?I will bring calamity on you and consume your descendants; I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both slave and free.

NET Bible
The LORD says, 'Look, I am ready to bring disaster on you. I will destroy you and cut off every last male belonging to Ahab in Israel, including even the weak and incapacitated.

New Heart English Bible
Thus says the LORD, 'Look, I will bring disaster on you, and will utterly sweep you away and will cut off from Ahab everyone, slave or free in Israel.

Webster's Bible Translation
Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab the males, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,

World English Bible
Behold, I will bring evil on you, and will utterly sweep you away and will cut off from Ahab everyone who urinates against a wall, and him who is shut up and him who is left at large in Israel.

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
behold, I am bringing calamity on you, and have taken away your posterity, and cut off from Ahab those sitting on the wall, and restrained, and left, in Israel,

Young's Literal Translation
lo, I am bringing in unto thee evil, and have taken away thy posterity, and cut off to Ahab those sitting on the wall, and restrained, and left, in Israel,

Smith's Literal Translation
Behold me bringing evil to thee, and I took away after thee, and I cut off to Ahab him pissing against a wall and him shut up and left in Israel;

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Behold I will bring evil upon thee, and I will cut down thy posterity, and I will kill of Achab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up, and the last in Israel.

Catholic Public Domain Version
‘Behold, I will lead evil over you. And I will cut down your posterity. And I will put to death of Ahab whatever urinates against a wall, and whatever is lame, and whatever is last in Israel.

New American Bible
I am bringing evil upon you: I will consume you and will cut off every male belonging to Ahab, whether bond or free, in Israel.

New Revised Standard Version
I will bring disaster on you; I will consume you, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel;

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Behold, I will bring evil upon you, and will pluck one by one your posterity, and will cut off from Ahab every male child and every one who has authority in governing Israel,

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Behold, I bring evil upon you, and I shall take away after you, and because of Akhab I shall destroy him who pisses on a wall, and him who binds and looses in Israel.

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will utterly sweep thee away, and will cut off from Ahab every man-child, and him that is shut up and him that is left at large in Israel.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
behold, I bring evil upon thee: and I will kindle a fire after thee, and I will utterly destroy every male of Achaab, and him that is shut up and him that is left in Israel.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Elijah Denounces Ahab and Jezebel
…20When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So you have found me out, my enemy.” He replied, “I have found you out because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD. 21This is what the LORD says: ‘I will bring calamity on you and consume your descendants; I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both slave and free. 22I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked My anger and caused Israel to sin.’…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

2 Kings 9:7-10
And you are to strike down the house of your master Ahab, so that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets and the blood of all the servants of the LORD shed by the hand of Jezebel. / The whole house of Ahab will perish, and I will cut off from Ahab every male, both slave and free, in Israel. / I will make the house of Ahab like the houses of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah. ...

1 Kings 14:10
Because of all this, behold, I am bringing disaster on the house of Jeroboam: I will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both slave and free, in Israel; I will burn up the house of Jeroboam as one burns up dung until it is gone!

1 Kings 16:3
So now I will consume Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat:

2 Kings 10:10-11
Know, then, that not a word the LORD has spoken against the house of Ahab will fail, for the LORD has done what He promised through His servant Elijah.” / So Jehu killed everyone in Jezreel who remained of the house of Ahab, as well as all his great men and close friends and priests, leaving him without a single survivor.

2 Kings 21:12-13
this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I am bringing such calamity upon Jerusalem and Judah that the news will reverberate in the ears of all who hear it. / I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab, and I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes out a bowl—wiping it and turning it upside down.

2 Kings 23:27
For the LORD had said, “I will remove Judah from My sight, just as I removed Israel. I will reject this city Jerusalem, which I chose, and the temple of which I said, ‘My Name shall be there.’”

1 Kings 15:29
As soon as Baasha became king, he struck down the entire household of Jeroboam. He did not leave to Jeroboam anyone who breathed, but destroyed them all according to the word that the LORD had spoken through His servant Ahijah the Shilonite,

2 Kings 9:36-37
So they went back and told Jehu, who replied, “This is the word of the LORD, which He spoke through His servant Elijah the Tishbite: ‘On the plot of ground at Jezreel the dogs will devour the flesh of Jezebel. / And Jezebel’s body will lie like dung in the field on the plot of ground at Jezreel, so that no one can say: This is Jezebel.’”

2 Kings 24:3-4
Surely this happened to Judah at the LORD’s command, to remove them from His presence because of the sins of Manasseh and all that he had done, / and also for the innocent blood he had shed. For he had filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD was unwilling to forgive.

Jeremiah 15:3-4
I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, declares the LORD: the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the air and beasts of the earth to devour and destroy. / I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah did in Jerusalem.

2 Chronicles 22:7-9
Ahaziah’s downfall came from God when he went to visit Joram. When Ahaziah arrived, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab. / So while Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he found the rulers of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers who were serving Ahaziah, and he killed them. / Then Jehu looked for Ahaziah, and Jehu’s soldiers captured him while he was hiding in Samaria. So Ahaziah was brought to Jehu and put to death. They buried him, for they said, “He is the grandson of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.” So no one was left from the house of Ahaziah with the strength to rule the kingdom.

Hosea 1:4
Then the LORD said to Hosea, “Name him Jezreel, for soon I will bring the bloodshed of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel.

Amos 7:9
The high places of Isaac will be deserted, and the sanctuaries of Israel will be laid waste; and I will rise up against the house of Jeroboam with My sword.”

Matthew 23:35-36
And so upon you will come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. / Truly I tell you, all these things will come upon this generation.

Luke 11:50-51
As a result, this generation will be charged with the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the foundation of the world, / from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, all of it will be charged to this generation.

Treasury of Scripture

Behold, I will bring evil on you, and will take away your posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that urinates against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,

Behold

1 Kings 14:10
Therefore, behold, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone.

Exodus 20:5,6
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; …

2 Kings 9:7-9
And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel…

him that pisseth

1 Samuel 25:22,34
So and more also do God unto the enemies of David, if I leave of all that pertain to him by the morning light any that pisseth against the wall…

him that is shut up

Deuteronomy 32:36
For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.

2 Kings 9:8,9
For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel: …

Jump to Previous

Ahab Bond Child Completely Consume Cut Cutting Descendants Disaster End Evil Free Goes Israel Large Male Males Man-Child Pisseth Posterity Restrained Shut Sitting Sweep Urinates Utterly Wall

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Ahab Bond Child Completely Consume Cut Cutting Descendants Disaster End Evil Free Goes Israel Large Male Males Man-Child Pisseth Posterity Restrained Shut Sitting Sweep Urinates Utterly Wall

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

Berean Study Bible

This is what the LORD says
This phrase underscores the authority and divine origin of the message. In Hebrew, "LORD" is "YHWH," the sacred name of God, emphasizing His covenant relationship with Israel. The phrase indicates that the following message is not from a human prophet's imagination but directly from God, carrying the weight of divine judgment and truth.

I am about to bring disaster on you
The Hebrew word for "disaster" is "רָעָה" (ra'ah), which can mean evil, calamity, or misfortune. This indicates a severe judgment from God, reflecting His righteousness and justice. Historically, this pronouncement is a response to King Ahab's idolatry and injustice, particularly his role in the murder of Naboth to seize his vineyard. It serves as a reminder of the consequences of sin and the certainty of divine retribution.

I will consume your descendants
The word "consume" in Hebrew is "בָּעַר" (ba'ar), meaning to burn or destroy completely. This signifies the totality of the judgment against Ahab's lineage. In the ancient Near Eastern context, a king's legacy and dynasty were of utmost importance. The eradication of Ahab's descendants symbolizes the end of his influence and the divine rejection of his house due to his persistent disobedience and idolatry.

and cut off from Ahab every male in Israel
The phrase "cut off" translates from the Hebrew "כָּרַת" (karat), meaning to sever or eliminate. This is a common biblical expression for divine judgment, often involving the removal of individuals from the community or life itself. The specificity of "every male" highlights the thoroughness of the judgment, ensuring that no potential heir remains to continue Ahab's line, thus fulfilling God's justice.

both slave and free
This phrase indicates the comprehensive nature of the judgment, affecting all social strata within Ahab's household. In ancient Israel, the distinction between slave and free was significant, yet God's judgment transcends human social divisions. This serves as a sobering reminder that divine justice is impartial and all-encompassing, holding everyone accountable regardless of their status.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(21-24) Behold, I will bring evil.--Distinct from that message of personal judgment is the doom of utter destruction pronounced on the dynasty of Omri--the same in substance, and almost in word, as that already pronounced in 1Kings 14:10-11; 1Kings 16:3-4. It is, indeed, called forth by the last sin of Ahab, but the ground assigned for it (1Kings 21:22) extends to the whole course of idolatry and apostasy, "making Israel to sin." It is only this more general sentence which is postponed by the repentance of Ahab (1Kings 21:29).

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 21. - Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity [Heb. exterminate after thee. See note on 1 Kings 14:10. Ahab knew well the meaning of these words. He had before him the examples of Baasha and Zimri], and will cut off from Ahab [Heb. to Ahab] him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel [see on 1 Kings 14:10].

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

[This is what the LORD says]:
הִנְנִ֨י (hin·nî)
Interjection | first person common singular
Strong's 2005: Lo! behold!

‘I will bring
מֵבִ֤יא (mê·ḇî)
Verb - Hifil - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

calamity
רָעָ֔ה (rā·‘āh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

on you
אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ (’ê·le·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

and consume
וּבִעַרְתִּ֖י (ū·ḇi·‘ar·tî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 1197: To kindle, consume, to be, brutish

your descendants;
אַחֲרֶ֑יךָ (’a·ḥă·re·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's 310: The hind or following part

I will cut off
וְהִכְרַתִּ֤י (wə·hiḵ·rat·tî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular
Strong's 3772: To cut, to destroy, consume, to covenant

from Ahab
לְאַחְאָב֙ (lə·’aḥ·’āḇ)
Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 256: Ahab -- 'father's brother', a king of Israel, also a false prophet

every male
מַשְׁתִּ֣ין (maš·tîn)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 8366: To make water, urinate

in Israel,
בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (bə·yiś·rā·’êl)
Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc

both slave
וְעָצ֥וּר (wə·‘ā·ṣūr)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 6113: To inclose, to hold back, to maintain, rule, assemble

and free.
וְעָז֖וּב (wə·‘ā·zūḇ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - QalPassParticiple - masculine singular
Strong's 5800: To loosen, relinquish, permit

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OT History: 1 Kings 21:21 Behold I will bring evil on you (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)