Bible Strands
1 Kings 21:12
They proclaimed a fast and gave Naboth a seat of honor among the people.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The elders and nobles of Jezreel act on Jezebel’s written orders by organizing a public fast and placing Naboth in a prominent position before the city’s inhabitants.
The words — קָרְא֖וּ (ka.re.'U) literally means they proclaimed, and בְּ/רֹ֥אשׁ (be./Rosh) means at the head, together describing the forced public positioning of the accused during the civic gathering.
The thread — The ritual of fasting appears in Isaiah 58:4 as a condemned practice of strife, and the command to stage this event originates in 1 Kings 21:8 through Jezebel’s forged letters.
Why it lands — The verse documents a calculated public performance designed to isolate a victim before a predetermined execution, requiring the reader to recognize how civic and religious structures can be orchestrated to manufacture consent for violence.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.
Cross-references
- Isaiah 58:4 You fast with contention and strife to strike viciously with your fist. You cannot fast as you do today and have your voice be heard on high.
- 1 Kings 21:8 Then Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city.