Naboth was a man from Jezreel who owned a vineyard next to King Ahab's palace. He refused to sell or exchange his inheritance in accordance with God's law, and was subsequently killed through an evil conspiracy led by Queen Jezebel. His unjust death triggered God's judgment against Ahab's dynasty.
Nyckelhändelser
Ahab Desires Naboth's Vineyard
King Ahab wanted to buy or exchange for Naboth's vineyard, which was located next to his palace in Jezreel, so that he could turn it into a vegetable garden.
2Ahab said to Naboth, "Give me your vineyard. I want it for a vegetable garden, since it lies so close to my house. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard than this one—or, if you prefer, I will pay you its full value in silver."
Naboth refused to give up his ancestral inheritance to the king, in accordance with the Mosaic Law which forbade the permanent sale of tribal inherited land. He said: "The Lord keep me from giving you my ancestral inheritance!"
28But if he cannot raise enough to repay him, what he sold remains in the hands of the buyer until the Year of Jubilee. In the jubilee it shall be released, and he may return to his property.
Queen Jezebel arranged a false trial against Naboth by sending letters in Ahab's name to the elders of the city, instructing them to procure two false witnesses who would accuse Naboth of blaspheming God and the king.
7Then his wife Jezebel said to him, "Is this how you exercise your kingship over Israel? Get up, eat something, and cheer up. I will get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."
10Seat two scoundrels opposite him, and have them testify against him: 'You have cursed God and the king.' Then take him out and stone him to death.[^1]
[^1]: The Hebrew word here literally means 'blessed,' used as a reverent substitute to avoid writing the words 'cursed God.'
11The men of his city, the elders and nobles who lived there, did just as Jezebel had directed them, exactly as it was written in the letters she had sent them.
Naboth was falsely accused and stoned to death outside the city, based on the lying testimony of false witnesses. He suffered a martyr's death because he held fast to God's law concerning his ancestral inheritance.
13Then the two scoundrels came in and sat down opposite him, and they testified against Naboth in front of the people: "Naboth has cursed God and the king." So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.
The prophet Elijah was sent by God to confront Ahab in Naboth's vineyard with a severe judgment: dogs would lick up Ahab's blood in the same place where they had licked up Naboth's blood, and Jezebel would be devoured by dogs.
19Say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: Have you murdered, and also taken possession?' Then say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: In the place where the dogs licked up Naboth's blood, the dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours.'"
20Ahab said to Elijah, "So you have found me, my enemy!" "I have found you," he answered, "because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the eyes of the LORD.
God's judgment against Ahab's house was fulfilled when Jehu carried out the sentence. Jehu ordered that Joram's body be thrown onto Naboth's plot of land, and Jezebel was thrown from a window and devoured by dogs, just as had been prophesied.
21"Hitch up my chariot," Joram ordered. And when it was hitched up, Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah rode out, each in his own chariot, to meet Jehu. They met him at the plot of ground that had belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite.
25Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, "Pick him up and throw him on the plot of ground that belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite. Remember how you and I were riding together behind his father Ahab when the LORD pronounced this oracle against him:
26'As surely as I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons yesterday, declares the LORD, I will repay you on this plot of ground, declares the LORD.' Now then, pick him up and throw him on that plot, in keeping with the word of the LORD."
36They went back and told Jehu, who said, "This is the word of the LORD that he spoke through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: 'On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs will devour Jezebel's flesh.'