17 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite , saying , 18 "Arise , go down to meet Ahab king of Israel , who is in Samaria ; behold , he is in the vineyard of Naboth where e he has gone down to take possession of it. 19 "You shall speak to him, saying , 'Thus says the Lord , " Have you murdered and also taken possession ?"' And you shall speak to him, saying , 'Thus says the Lord , " In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth the dogs will lick up your blood , even yours .""' 20 Ahab said to Elijah , " Have you found me, O my enemy ?" And he answered , "I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord . 21 "Behold , I will bring evil upon you, and will utterly sweep you away , and will cut off from Ahab every male e , both bond and free in Israel ; 22 and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat , and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah , because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger , and because you have made Israel sin . 23 "Of Jezebel also has the Lord spoken , saying , ' The dogs will eat Jezebel in the district of Jezreel .' 24 " The one belonging to Ahab , who dies in the city , the dogs will eat , and the one who dies in the field the birds of heaven will eat ." 25 Surely there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the Lord , because Jezebel his wife incited him. 26 He acted very abominably in following e idols , according to all that the Amorites had done , whom the Lord cast out before e the sons of Israel . 27 It came about when Ahab heard these words , that he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and fasted , and he lay in sackcloth and went about despondently . 28 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite , saying , 29 "Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before e Me? Because e he has humbled himself before e Me, I will not bring the evil in his days , but I will bring the evil upon his house in his son's days ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 21:17-29
Commentary on 1 Kings 21:17-29
(Read 1 Kings 21:17-29)
Blessed Paul complains that he was sold under sin, Romans 7:14, as a poor captive against his will; but Ahab was willing, he sold himself to sin; of choice, and as his own act and deed, he loved the dominion of sin. Jezebel his wife stirred him up to do wickedly. Ahab is reproved, and his sin set before his eyes, by Elijah. That man's condition is very miserable, who has made the word of God his enemy; and very desperate, who reckons the ministers of that word his enemies, because they tell him the truth. Ahab put on the garb and guise of a penitent, yet his heart was unhumbled and unchanged. Ahab's repentance was only what might be seen of men; it was outward only. Let this encourage all that truly repent, and unfeignedly believe the holy gospel, that if a pretending partial penitent shall go to his house reprieved, doubtless, a sincere believing penitent shall go to his house justified.