3 Kings 21:10
And suborn two men, sons of Belial against him, and let them bear false witness: that he hath blasphemed God and the king: and then carry him out, and stone him, and so let him die.
Open 3 Kings 21:10 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- et submittite duos viros filios Belial contra eum, et falsum testimonium dicant : Benedixit Deum et regem : et educite eum, et lapidate, sicque moriatur.
- Septuagint (Swete) shown from 3 Kings 20:10
- καὶ ἐνκαθίσατε δύο ἄνδρας, υἱοὺς παρανόμων.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וְ֠הוֹשִׁיבוּ שְׁנַ֨יִם אֲנָשִׁ֥ים בְּנֵֽי בְלִיַּעַל֮ נֶגְדּוֹ֒ וִיעִדֻ֣הוּ לֵאמֹ֔ר בֵּרַ֥כְתָּ אֱלֹהִ֖ים וָמֶ֑לֶךְ וְהוֹצִיאֻ֥הוּ וְסִקְלֻ֖הוּ וְיָמֹֽת
Haydock's commentary
Belial, without restraint or conscience.
Blasphemed. Hebrew, "blessed."
Elohim, (Haydock) or god, the gods, magistrates, &c. (Calmet)
Blessing is equally put, to avoid the horrible sound of blaspheming. (Worthington) (Job i. 5., and ii. 9.)
Martin de Roa (i. 9.) maintains, that the word implies to "bid adieu," or quit; as if Naboth had relinquished the service both of God and of the king. He was accused as a traitor. The law did not condemn the person to death who had spoken ill of the prince, Exodus xxii. 28. But the wicked judges complied with the intimation of Jezabel; (Calmet) as she pretended that he had also blasphemed God. (Haydock)
Josephus introduces three witnesses, which was more conformable to the practice of the Jews. (Grotius)
But the text specifies two; and that number would suffice. (Haydock)
All Naboth's family were involved in his ruin; (4 Kings ix. 26.; Tirinus) as it was necessary for Achab's purpose. So Achan's children perished with him, Josue vii. 25. (Haydock)
What a complication of crimes! (Tirinus)
"They proclaim a fast, in order to commit murder." (St. Chrysostom, ser. 68.) Hypocrisy, falsehoods, perjury, perversion of justice, all are employed to take away the life, honour, and property of the innocent. See St. Ambrose, Seneca Benef. ii. 27. (Tirinus)
Where a note speaks of the Jewish people, the Church teaches that the Passion cannot be charged against all the Jews then living, nor against the Jews of today, and that all sinners were its authors (CCC 597, 598).
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Athanasius Apology to the Emperor. (Apologia Ad Constantium.), History of his disobeying it
Now I ask again, whence have my accusers obtained this letter also? I would learn of them who it was that put it into their hands? Do you cause them to answer. By this you may perceive that they have forged this, as they spread abroad also the former letter, which they published against me, with reference to the ill-named Magnentius. And being convicted in this instance also, on what pretence next will they bring me to make my defence? Their only concern is, to throw everything into disorder and confusion; and for this end I perceive they exercise their zeal. Perhaps they think that by frequent repetition of their charges, they will at last exasperate you against me. But you ought to turn away from such persons, and to hate them; for such as themselves are, such also they imagine those to be who listen to them; and they think that their calumnies will prevail even before you. …