Chapter 177 1 Kings 21:1-141And 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. 2And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money. 3And Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee. 4And 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. 5But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread? 6And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard. 7And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. 8So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth. 9And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: 10And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die. 11And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them. 12They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. 13And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died. 14Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead. (1 Kings 21:1‑14) Naboth’s Vineyard.
THERE was a man named Naboth who lived in Jezreel and had a vineyard there, very near King Ahab’s palace. It was a very pleasant plot of ground, and the king often looked at it and said, “I wish I had that for my garden.” At last he called Naboth and said to him, “Give me your vineyard. I like it very much. It is near my house and I want it for my garden. I will give you another better vineyard in its place, or, if you prefer, I will give you money.” Naboth was a God-fearing man. He knew the law of Moses forbade the selling of the land because it was the Lord’s. So he answered the king fearlessly, “The Lord forbid it me that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.”
Ahab went home angry and, throwing himself upon his bed, he would speak to no one; when his servants brought him food, he refused to eat, acting more like a spoiled child than like a man and king.
The queen came in to see why Ahab had refused to eat. He told her Naboth had refused to sell his vineyard to him. “Is that all?” Queen Jezebel answered. “Are you not the king of Israel? Arise and eat and be merry. I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth, the Jezrelite.”
The wicked woman, without any fear of displeasing God, wrote letters and sealed them with the king’s seal and sent them to the nobles who lived in Jezreel. “Proclaim a fast,” the letters read, “and bring Naboth before the people and have two lawless men bear witness against him that he has blasphemed God.” Jezebel was a poor heathen herself, but she knew it was a crime to speak against God, and she did not hesitate to bring this lying accusation against an innocent man to gain her desire. “Then carry him out and stone him with stones that he die,” were her instructions.
It was not hard for the nobles of Jezreel to find men to execute the queen’s command. They came forward and declared that Naboth had blasphemed God and the king. The nobles attended to the false witnesses and brought out Naboth and stoned him with stones till he died. Then they sent word to Jezebel, “Naboth is dead.”
Jezebel was glad to hear this. She ran directly and told Ahab to go and take possession of the vineyard, for Naboth was dead.
Had Ahab had any conscience left, he could not have accepted such a gift from his wicked wife. He had married her, a Gentile, but he was an Israelite and knew God was to be feared. He was therefore as guilty as if he had ordered Naboth’s death himself when he went down to the vineyard which he had so recently acquired to take possession of it. Would he be allowed to enjoy it, or would God, whose eyes are in every place beholding the evil and the good, set His face against him that had done this evil? Yes, a day of reckoning was coming for Ahab, as it is for everyone, king or servant, that thinks to do without God, “when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thess. 1: 7, 8.)
ML 04/22/1917