Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 21:10
Verse 10. Set two men] For life could not be attainted but on the evidence of two witnesses at least. Sons of Belial] Men who will not scruple to tell lies and take a false oath.
Thou didst blaspheme God and the king.] Thou art an atheist and a rebel.
Thou hast spoken words injurious to the perfections and nature of God; and thou hast spoken words against the crown and dignity of the king. The words literally are, Naboth hath BLESSED Clod and the king; or, as Parkhurst contends, "Thou hast blessed the false gods and Molech," ûlmw µyhla And though Jezebel was herself an abominable idolatress; yet, as the law of Moses still continued in force, she seems to have been wicked enough to have destroyed Naboth, upon the false accusation of blessing the heathen Aleim and Molech, which subjected him to death by Deut. xii. 6; xvii. 2-7. The first meaning appears the most simple.
Many think that the word ûrb barach signifies both to bless and curse; and so it is interpreted in most Lexicons: it is passing strange that out of the same word proceedeth blessing and cursing; and to give such opposite and self-destructive meanings to any word is very dangerous. Parkhurst denies that it ever has the meaning of cursing, and examines all the texts where it is said to occur with this meaning; and shows that blessing, not cursing, is to be understood in all those places: see him under ûrb , sec. vi.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 10. And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him , etc.] Worthless wretches, that have cast off the yoke of the law, as Belial signifies, lawless abandoned creatures, that have no conscience of anything; “knights of the post”, as we call them, that will swear anything; these were to be set before Naboth, right against him to confront him, and accuse him to his face, and charge him with crimes next mentioned: saying, thou didst blaspheme God and the king : and so was guilty of death for the former, if not for both, and of confiscation of estate for the latter, which was the thing aimed at; and Jezebel was willing to make sure work of it, and therefore would have him accused of both: and then carry him out, and stone him, that he die ; immediately, without requiring the witnesses to give proof of their charge, and without giving Naboth leave to answer for himself.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 5-16 - When, instead of a help meet, a man has an agent for Satan, in the for of an artful, unprincipled, yet beloved wife, fatal effects may be expected. Never were more wicked orders given by any prince, than thos Jezebel sent to the rulers of Jezreel. Naboth must be murdered unde colour of religion. There is no wickedness so vile, so horrid, but religion has sometimes been made a cover for it. Also, it must be don under colour of justice, and with the formalities of legal process. Le us, from this sad story, be amazed at the wickedness of the wicked, an the power of Satan in the children of disobedience. Let us commit the keeping of our lives and comforts to God, for innocence will not alway be our security; and let us rejoice in the knowledge that all will be set to rights in the great day.
Original Hebrew
והושׁיבו 3427 שׁנים 8147 אנשׁים 582 בני 1121 בליעל 1100 נגדו 5048 ויעדהו 5749 לאמר 559 ברכת 1288 אלהים 430 ומלך 4428 והוציאהו 3318 וסקלהו 5619 וימת׃ 4191
