1 Kings 21:27

27 It came about when Ahab heard these words, that ¹he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and fasted, and he lay in sackcloth and went about despondently.

1 Kings 21:27 Meaning and Commentary

Ver. 27 And it came to pass when Ahab heard these words
Delivered in ( 1 Kings 21:21-24 ) ,

that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon, his flesh,
tore off his clothes, and stripped himself of all, even of his very shirt, and put sackcloth on his bare flesh, a coarse cloth made of hair, and such as sacks are made with:

and fasted,
how long it is not said:

and lay in sackcloth;
in the night on his bed, would have no linen on him day nor night:

and went softly:
step by step, as persons mourning, grieving, and pensive, do; the Targum renders it "barefoot", and so Jarchi.

1 Kings 21:27 In-Context

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 idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom the LORD cast out before 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 Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days, but I will bring the evil upon his house in his son's days."

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 37:34; 2 Samuel 3:31; 2 Kings 6:30

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "sackcloth on his flesh"
• [b]. Or "softly"