Bible Strands
1 Kings 21:20
When 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.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Ahab greets Elijah upon his arrival, declaring him his enemy. Elijah answers the king, stating his presence confirms Ahab has sold himself to do evil before the LORD.
The words — מָצָאתִי (ma.Tza.ti) means "I have found [you]" and repeats Ahab’s own use of the root מִצְאָ (H4672) in his opening charge. The verb frames the encounter as a divine exposure of a settled condition rather than a casual meeting.
The thread — The concept of being "sold to sin" reappears in Romans 7:14, while the pattern of prophetic confrontation matches 1 Kings 18:17. The warning of covenant judgment links this moment to the national apostasy detailed in 2 Kings 17:17.
Why it lands — The text states that persistent evil becomes a voluntary bondage that invites direct divine confrontation. It requires the reader to acknowledge that God’s judgment addresses a chosen allegiance, not merely isolated actions.
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
And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the Lord.
Cross-references
- 2 Kings 17:17 They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and soothsaying. They devoted themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.
- Romans 7:14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin.
- 1 Kings 18:17 When Ahab saw Elijah, he said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?”
- 1 Kings 21:25 (Surely there was never one like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, incited by his wife Jezebel.
- Isaiah 52:3 For this is what the LORD says: “You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed.”
- Revelation 11:10 And those who dwell on the earth will gloat over them and celebrate and send one another gifts, because these two prophets had tormented them.
- 1 Kings 16:30 However, Ahab son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD, more than all who were before him.
- 1 Kings 22:8 The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.
- 2 Kings 21:2 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD by following the abominations of the nations that the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.
- 2 Chronicles 18:7 The king of Israel answered, “There is still one man through whom we can inquire of the LORD, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good for me, but only bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say that!” Jehoshaphat replied.