And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.
Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? While Ahab was in the act of surveying his ill-gotten Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? While Ahab was in the act of surveying his ill-gotten possession, Elijah, by divine commission stood before him. The appearance of the prophet at such a time, was ominous of evil, but his language was much more so (cf. Ezekiel 45:8; Ezekiel 46:16-18).
In the place where dogs licked ... Dogs in the East being allowed to run wild, and in packs, are ravenous, and hence, it is a common phrase to give the carcass of an enemy or a worthless person to the dogs, as Achilles consigned the lacerated body of Hector. A righteous retribution of Providence. The prediction was accomplished, not in Jezreel, but in Samaria; and not on Ahab personally, in consequence of his repentance (1 Kings 21:29), but on his son (2 Kings 9:25). The words "in the place where" might be rendered 'in like manner as.'