I Kings 21:1-16
“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.
And 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.
And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.” (I Kings 21:1-3)
Jahab’s father, Omri, had built the city of Samaria as the capitol but for time Jezreel had been the capitol, and Ahab still had a pal;ace there. Close to his palace was a vinyard belonging to Naboth, one of the local men. Ahab thought it would make him a nice family garden and asked naboth to trade it for a better piece of land or to buy it at the going rate.
Naboth refused to sell because the land had been given to their family at God’s instruction in Joshua’s day, about seven hundred years before. Years had been spent planting and growing the trees and vines that provided his family’s living and Naboth had no desire to start over. He was well within his rights to take that position.
Under the law, a family could never give up title to a piece of land. They could sell the right to use it, what we know as a lease, for what ever time remained until the year of Jubilee, but at that time it automatically reverted to the original owners. If at any time they chose to resume use of their land, they could do so by simply paying off what still remained of the lease term on a prorated basis. Leviticus 25:23-28 is the relevant law.
“The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me. And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption for the land. If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold.
And if the man have none to redeem it, and himself be able to redeem it; Then let him count the years of the sale thereof, and restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it; that he may return unto his possession. But if he be not able to restore it to him, then that which is sold shall remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until the year of jubilee: and in the jubilee it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession.” (Leviticus 25:23-28)
There were no eminent Domain laws or legal ways to force Naboth to give up his land, regardless who wanted it. It was God’s way of ensuring that every family had an equal chance, because no one, including the government could get a monopoly on the land. Like our constitution, God's law was intended to protect the individual from those in power, not the leaders from the people.
“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.” (I Kings 21:4)
Ahab’s reaction to Naboth’s refusal to sell him th eland was like spoiled child who is used to always getting his way. He went home and crawled into bed to sulk and feel sorry for himself. He wouldn’t eat or talk to anyone.
"But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?
And 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.
And 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.” (I Kings 21:5-7)
Jezebel acted very much like the mother of such a spoiled child, agreeing that it was unfair for Naboth not to give it to him since he was the king, and promising that she would get it for him.
“So 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. And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: And 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.” (I Kings 21:8-10)
Both Ahab and Jezebel knew there was no legal way to force Naboth to give up his land. Ahab wanted the land and he didn’t care what she had to do to get it as ling as he didn’t know so he didn’t have to feel guilty about it. Jezebel didn’t care what the law said, but she wanted a little more power and saw this as a way of getting it.
She wrote letters purporting to be from Ahab and forged his signature, directing the leaders of Jezreel to make a big feast to honor Naboth so he and his friends would be off guard. Then while it was going on they were to have two men make false accusations against him of having said treasonable things against God and against the king, framing him. With no warning or time to mount a defense, and sufficient evidence against him, he could be railroaded and executed as quickly as possible. The Law required at least two witnesses to convict a person.
“And 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.
They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. And 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.
Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.” (I Kings 21:11-14)
By his own disregard for the law and for what was right, Ahab had established a disregard for the law in the nation. The men of the city were more concerned with currying favor with Ahab than with what was right. They proceeded to frame Naboth and execute him just as the letter Jezebel had forged in Ahab’s name asked.
Even a set of laws designed by God offer no protection when those responsible for administering them do not respect them. They can distort those laws to violate the very things the laws are meant to prevent while giving an appearance of following the law. Unfortunately, leaders’ attitudes are often ignored in selecting them.
“And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.
And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.” (I Kings 21:15-16)
When Naboth had been executed, Jezebel came and told Ahab he could take the vineyard and do whatever he wanted because there was no one to claim it. Ahab didn’t ask any questions because he didn’t want to know how it was done. He just wanted to take over the land. As long as he didn’t know he could pretend it wasn’t his fault.
“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.
And 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.
And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.” (I Kings 21:1-3)
Jahab’s father, Omri, had built the city of Samaria as the capitol but for time Jezreel had been the capitol, and Ahab still had a pal;ace there. Close to his palace was a vinyard belonging to Naboth, one of the local men. Ahab thought it would make him a nice family garden and asked naboth to trade it for a better piece of land or to buy it at the going rate.
Naboth refused to sell because the land had been given to their family at God’s instruction in Joshua’s day, about seven hundred years before. Years had been spent planting and growing the trees and vines that provided his family’s living and Naboth had no desire to start over. He was well within his rights to take that position.
Under the law, a family could never give up title to a piece of land. They could sell the right to use it, what we know as a lease, for what ever time remained until the year of Jubilee, but at that time it automatically reverted to the original owners. If at any time they chose to resume use of their land, they could do so by simply paying off what still remained of the lease term on a prorated basis. Leviticus 25:23-28 is the relevant law.
“The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me. And in all the land of your possession ye shall grant a redemption for the land. If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold.
And if the man have none to redeem it, and himself be able to redeem it; Then let him count the years of the sale thereof, and restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it; that he may return unto his possession. But if he be not able to restore it to him, then that which is sold shall remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until the year of jubilee: and in the jubilee it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession.” (Leviticus 25:23-28)
There were no eminent Domain laws or legal ways to force Naboth to give up his land, regardless who wanted it. It was God’s way of ensuring that every family had an equal chance, because no one, including the government could get a monopoly on the land. Like our constitution, God's law was intended to protect the individual from those in power, not the leaders from the people.
“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.” (I Kings 21:4)
Ahab’s reaction to Naboth’s refusal to sell him th eland was like spoiled child who is used to always getting his way. He went home and crawled into bed to sulk and feel sorry for himself. He wouldn’t eat or talk to anyone.
"But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?
And 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.
And 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.” (I Kings 21:5-7)
Jezebel acted very much like the mother of such a spoiled child, agreeing that it was unfair for Naboth not to give it to him since he was the king, and promising that she would get it for him.
“So 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. And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people: And 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.” (I Kings 21:8-10)
Both Ahab and Jezebel knew there was no legal way to force Naboth to give up his land. Ahab wanted the land and he didn’t care what she had to do to get it as ling as he didn’t know so he didn’t have to feel guilty about it. Jezebel didn’t care what the law said, but she wanted a little more power and saw this as a way of getting it.
She wrote letters purporting to be from Ahab and forged his signature, directing the leaders of Jezreel to make a big feast to honor Naboth so he and his friends would be off guard. Then while it was going on they were to have two men make false accusations against him of having said treasonable things against God and against the king, framing him. With no warning or time to mount a defense, and sufficient evidence against him, he could be railroaded and executed as quickly as possible. The Law required at least two witnesses to convict a person.
“And 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.
They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. And 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.
Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.” (I Kings 21:11-14)
By his own disregard for the law and for what was right, Ahab had established a disregard for the law in the nation. The men of the city were more concerned with currying favor with Ahab than with what was right. They proceeded to frame Naboth and execute him just as the letter Jezebel had forged in Ahab’s name asked.
Even a set of laws designed by God offer no protection when those responsible for administering them do not respect them. They can distort those laws to violate the very things the laws are meant to prevent while giving an appearance of following the law. Unfortunately, leaders’ attitudes are often ignored in selecting them.
“And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.
And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.” (I Kings 21:15-16)
When Naboth had been executed, Jezebel came and told Ahab he could take the vineyard and do whatever he wanted because there was no one to claim it. Ahab didn’t ask any questions because he didn’t want to know how it was done. He just wanted to take over the land. As long as he didn’t know he could pretend it wasn’t his fault.
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