Ahab-Naboth's Vineyard I Kings 21

I Kings 21:1 "And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria."

Well, Ahab is the king and the vineyard is probably in walking distance of his palace. I suppose he looks out his window and gazes at it for days and decides it would make him a nice herb garden. He could just walk out the back door and walk in his garden.

The problem is it belongs to someone else: Naboth.

That is not the only thing that stands in the way of him having it:

Exodus 20:17 "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours' house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbour's.

Ahab offered to buy the property or to trade another property of better value to Naboth for the vineyard he wanted. No way, says Naboth. It's been in my family and is our inheritance. I won't do it.

So Ahab pouts: v4 "And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased 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. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread."

What a site, for the king of Israel to act. Then comes Jezeebel to the rescue. She said she would get the vineyard for him. She forged letters to the elders of the city and lined up two false witnesses against Naboth. She used the kings seal.

Court was in session, Naboth was found guilty of blasphemy and stoned outside the city. Jezeebel has accomplished her mission and tells Ahab to go get his vineyard. But Elijah is informed of the plot by the LORD and Ahab is met in the vineyard by the prophet.

v20 "And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee, because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD."

The dogs would lick the blood of Ahab in the same place where Naboth was killed. It is also told him that Jezeebel would not escape and that the dogs would eat her at the wall of the city. v23

Upon hearing these tidings Ahab put on sackcloth and went away quietly. The LORD noticed that he humbled himself and gave him a stay on the punishment so far as wiping out his posterity until after his death.

v29 "Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house."

I wonder what Ahab would have been like if he had married a different woman. One who respected the law and the God of Ahab's fathers.

Proverbs 14:1 "Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands."

Keywords: Bible Study. Old Testament, Kings, Ahab, Jezeebel, Elijah. Ahab steals Naboth's vineyard an Jezeebel has him killed.