1 Kings 21:4

“And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased, etc.] Just in the same humour he was after the prophet had delivered his message to him, (<112043>1 Kings 20:43), where the same words are used as here: because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him, for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers, neither by way of exchange nor of purchase: and such a denial he could not bear, since it looked like treating him with contempt, and taxing him with imprudence at least, if not with injustice, or both: and he laid him down upon his bed; or couch, which might be not in his bedchamber, but in one of his halls, where his courtiers were: and turned away his…”

“turned away his face--either to conceal from his attendants the vexation of spirit he felt, or, by the affectation of great sorrow, rouse them to devise some means of gratifying his wishes.”

“Upon his bed - That is, “upon his couch.” The Jews, like other Orientals, reclined upon couches at their meals (Amos 6:4; Ezekiel 23:41, etc.). Ahab turns his face toward the back of the couch, rejecting all converse with others, and so remains, after the banquet is served, refusing to partake of it. Such an open manifestation of ill temper is thoroughly characteristic of an Oriental king. return to 'Top of Page'”

“21:4 angry and sullen: Ahab’s reaction was the same when he was rebuked by God’s prophet (20:43). A sullen attitude can easily arise in a stubborn, self-centered person (21:16, 20, 25-26; see 16:31-32; 18:10, 17; 20:42-43; 22:3, 27-30).”

“heavy: Kg1 20:43; Job 5:2; Isa 57:20, Isa 57:21; Jon 4:1, Jon 4:9; Hab 2:9-12 I will not: Kg1 21:3; Num 22:13, Num 22:14 And he laid him: Gen 4:5-8; Sa2 13:2, Sa2 13:4; Ecc 6:9, Ecc 7:8, Ecc 7:9; Eph 4:27; Jam 1:14 3 Kings (1 Kings) 21:5”