I Kings 21, Jezebel and a Vineyard

Ahab remains king of Israel, despite the instructions to Elijah to anoint Jehu.

1 Kings 21: 1-4, Ahab wants a garden

Some time later there was an incident involving a vineyard belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. The vineyard was in Jezreel, close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. Ahab said to Naboth, "Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth."

But Naboth replied, "The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers."

So Ahab went home, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers." He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat.

In verse 1 the northern kingdom is here called Samaria. The king of Samaria, Ahab, wants Naboth's garden, a vineyard close to his Jezreel palace. But Naboth does not want to sell, as the vineyard is part of his family heritage. (See Leviticus 23: 25-28 and Numbers 36: 7-9 for the emphasis on keeping one's family land.) So Ahab returns to the palace and sulks.

1 Kings 21: 5-10, Jezebel has a solution

His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, "Why are you so sullen? Why won't you eat?"

He answered her, "Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, `Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.' But he said, `I will not give you my vineyard.'"

Jezebel his wife said, "Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I'll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."

So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, placed his seal on them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth's city with him. In those letters she wrote: "Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people. But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify that he has cursed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death."

Jezebel's solution is that of any dictator -- take the garden by force.  Here, as in many places that have blasphemy laws, the easy solution is to accuse one's opponent of blasphemy.  The blasphemy laws will be applied here against Naboth.

1 Kings 21: 11-16, Murder

So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth's city did as Jezebel directed in the letters she had written to them. They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth in a prominent place among the people. Then two scoundrels came and sat opposite him and brought charges against Naboth before the people, saying, "Naboth has cursed both God and the king." So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.

Then they sent word to Jezebel: "Naboth has been stoned and is dead."

As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, "Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite that he refused to sell you. He is no longer alive, but dead." 

When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of Naboth's vineyard.

Jezebel's plan works. With false witnesses, Jezebel has Naboth accused of blasphemy and stoned. 2 Kings 9: 26 implies that even Naboth's sons were killed, so no one inherits the property. With the land freed by the murders, Ahab takes over. 

1 Kings 21: 17-19, YHWH's response

Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: "Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He is now in Naboth's vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it. Say to him, `This is what the LORD says: Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?' Then say to him, `This is what the LORD says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth's blood, dogs will lick up your blood--yes, yours!'"

Like David's murder of Uriah, a response from YHWH comes quickly.  This time the response comes via Elijah. In the place where Naboth was stoned and the dogs licked up his blood, the dogs will lick up the blood of Ahab.

1 Kings 21: 20-24, Elijah's prophecy

Ahab said to Elijah, "So you have found me, my enemy!" 

"I have found you," he answered, "because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD. `I am going to bring disaster on you. I will consume your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel--slave or free.  I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have caused Israel to sin.'

"And also concerning Jezebel the LORD says: `Dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.'

 Dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds of the air will feed on those who die in the country."

Ahab correctly views Elijah as an enemy.  Elijah's prophecy continues -- Jezebel will also die and her body will be devoured by the dogs! The predicted events will occur in 2 Kings 9: 14-10: 17.

The phrase "every last male" in verse 22 is one of six places in the Old Testament, noted earlier, where the term for males is "one who pisseth against the wall" (KJV.)

(NIV footnotes: There are differences among the ancient texts as to where Jezebel will die.)

1 Kings 21: 25-26, Evil

(There was never a man like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the LORD drove out before Israel.)

A parenthetical comment makes it clear that Ahab is the epitome of evil. His wife, Jezebel, is also evil and urged Ahab on to greater depths of wickedness.

1 Kings 21: 27-29, Disaster postponed

When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.

Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: "Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son."

After Ahab humbles himself, God tells Elijah that the coming disaster will be postponed.

Ahab is really a person of mixed character -- he abuses power, flirts with Baal and Ashterah, follows his wicked queen, yet at times wakes up for a moment and recognizes his danger.