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1 Kings 21-22
One day it struck Ahab, that the garden at this place would be greatly improved by an enlargement which would take in an adjoining vineyard. He therefore caused application to be made to the owner, whose name was Naboth, stating his wish to turn this vineyard into “a garden of herbs;” and, as became a king, offered him another vineyard in exchange for it, or any price that he might choose to ask for it. But Naboth, strong in his indefeasible right of property, declined—somewhat bluntly, it seems—to part with it at all, on any terms, on the ground that he could not, and would not, alienate a property which he had derived from his fathers, and which it behooved him to transmit to his descendants. In fact, Naboth seems to have regarded the proposal with a kind of religious horror, and did not mind letting the king see that he did so. There was ground for this in the peculiar tenure by which land was held in Israel.
At the original occupation of Canaan, every family had a portion of land assigned it by lot, the size of which was proportioned to the numbers in the family. These portions remained in the family, and could not legally be alienated but for a term of years, ending at the next jubilee year, when all the lands that had been thus leased reverted to the original owners, or to their heirs. We know that the observance of the sabbatic years had fallen into disuse, and so, doubtless, had the jubilee years. Yet the solemnity of the distribution, and its unalterable character, coupled with its beneficent object, in securing to every family an indefeasible right to the land originally bestowed from the Lord himself—who insisted on being regarded as the sovereign proprietor of the soil—must have fixed in the public mind a feeling of something like a religious duty, in retaining possession of inherited property. Yet the disuse of the jubilee as a solemnity, must have contributed to loosen the force of this obligation in the minds of weak or careless persons; and it is likely that many sold their lands in perpetuity. It is true, this would be illegal; but Britain is not the only country where possession constitutes nine points of the law; and few heirs probably would, at the jubilee year, stand forth to assert their claim to lands held by kings and other high personages. In this way, and by means of the estates of persons attainted of treason, which lapsed to the king, the crown was eventually enabled to acquire a considerable landed property, which would have been impossible had due attention been paid to the law of Moses, by which the land was so strictly tied up in private hands, in order that none should have too much, nor any too little. These practices, by which “field was added to field,” are severely reprehended by the prophets, whose reprehension of them proves their existence.
It is creditable to Ahab, unless it be the mere result of his passive character, that he, of himself, thought not of securing, by any tyrannous or violent act, the land which Naboth had so steadily refused to sell. But his own garden, in which he had hitherto taken much pleasure, lost all value and beauty in his eyes, since the nice plan he had framed for its improvement was balked by the churlishness of his neighbor. We should not wonder if he decapitated with his staff half the flowers in his garden, while this fit of ill-humor was upon him. It gathered strength with indulgence, till at last he betook himself to his bed, and lay with his face to the wall, refusing to take any food. This pitiable display of childish fretfulness, is something more than we should have expected, even from Ahab. No wonder such a man as this was a mere tool in the hands of his wife. It is not unlikely that, relying upon her power of action, and her fertility of resource, he indulged his ill-humor on purpose to draw her attention to the matter, that she might learn, in answer to her inquiries, that which he was unwilling to carry to her spontaneously as a matter of complaint.
She came to him as soon as she heard of his strange behavior, and soon learned the cause of his affliction, when she exclaims, with indignant surprise—“Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel?” But she did not belie confidence in her resources; for she immediately added—“Arise and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry, for I will give thee the vineyard.” She—how? Ahab did not care to inquire; he only knew she had said it, and would do it; and that was enough for him. He gave her authority to act as she pleased in the matter, by entrusting to her his signet, which gave her the power of issuing in his name whatever orders she liked. It will be remembered, that in giving validity to documents, names were not in those days, nor are they now in the East, signed by the hand in writing, but impressed by a seal on which the name is engraved. Hence the importance which is attached to the signet throughout the sacred books.
Thus armed, Jezebel sent orders into the city, that two lawless men should be provided, who at a public assembly should stand up and accuse Naboth of cursing God and the king; and that they should forthwith proceed to execute judgment upon him. Dreading Jezebel’s resentment, and their consciences seared by corrupting idolatries, the elders of Jezreel obeyed this atrocious mandate; and soon Jezebel was enabled to come and tell her husband that she had accomplished her task; and that he might go down and take possession of the coveted vineyard, for the owner was stoned and dead. The estate of Naboth had lapsed to the crown by his execution on the charge of treason, consisting in cursing the king; for which reason that charge had doubtless been added to the other, which was of itself capital. Instead of shrinking with horror from the deed, Ahab, now that it was done, accepted it with all its consequences, by hasting to take possession of his blood-stained acquisition—probably not without a secret, or even declared, admiration of his wife’s decision of character and hardihood—qualities which inspire such souls as his with deep reverence.
But One whom Ahab had forgotten had noted all this, and when he went to the vineyard, he found there—Elijah! and from his mouth received his doom—the overthrow and ruin of his house—and that “where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.”
Ahab was not, like his wife, hardened. These words struck him down, and humbled him completely. He rent his clothes, he assumed the habit of a mourner, he “fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.” His misery was real, and the Lord had some compassion on him; for the destruction of his house was deferred, that his eye might be spared that doleful sight. But his personal doom was accomplished three years after, when he was slain in battle against Benhadad. His body was brought to Samaria, and when his chariot and armor were washed in the pool of Samaria, the dogs licked up the blood as they had done that of Naboth at Jezreel. Note: The words of Elijah, “Where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood,” were literally accomplished in his son, to whom his doom was in some sense transferred on his humiliation: and it was virtually thus accomplished in Ahab. The words may mean no more than that dogs should lick his blood, every as they had licked the blood of Naboth. His death was kingly, and became him better than his life. When mortally wounded, he directed his chariot to be quietly driven aside to have his wounds dressed; and then returned to the battle, supported in his chariot, until the evening, when he died.