1 Kings 21:1

And it came to pass, after these things,.... After the two battles with the king of Syria, in which Ahab was victorious, and after he had let Benhadad, a blasphemer, and injurious to him, go free:

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. Naboth ... had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel.

1 KINGS CHAPTER 21 Ahab coveteth to buy Naboth’ s vineyard; which is denied him, and he is grieved, . Jezebel writeth letters against Naboth; he is condemned of blasphemy, and stoned, . Ahab possesseth the vineyard, ,16. Elijah denounceth judgment against Ahab and Jezebel, . He repenting, God deferreth the judgment, . In Jezreel; where one of Ahab’ s palaces was, as the other was in Samaria.

1 Kings 21:1 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.Ver. 1. And it came to pass after these things.] After the two victories over the Syrians; not before, as Josephus will have it. Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard.] But better he had not, as it proved; for it took away the life of the owner thereof. Many a man’ s wealth is his undoing; as it befell the Templars, after whose possessions Philip king of France sorely longed, and wrought their extirpation. Hard by the palace of Ahab.] And so in his eye: hence his covetousness - called by St John the lust of the eye - concerning which Ambrose hath written an excellent Treatise, well worth the reading of all rich men. Into this palace it is probable that wounded Joram was carried to be cured, and that through a window thereof Jezebel was cast down.

(1) Which was in Jezreel.—The LXX. omits these words, and makes the vineyard to be “hard by the threshing-floor of Ahab, king of Samaria”—the word being the same as that rendered “void place” in 1 Kings 22:10—apparently near the palace of Ahab in Samaria, not in Jezreel. The Vulgate renders “who was” instead of “which was” in Jezreel. The question of the position of the vineyard, apparently the scene of Naboth’s murder, is difficult. The “plot of ground” of Naboth, referred to in 2 Kings 9:25-26—not, however, called “a vineyard”—is clearly at Jezreel. where, as a native of the place, Naboth would be likely to hold land. But the vineyard may have been an outlying property near Samaria, which Ahab might naturally suppose Naboth, even for that reason, likely to sell. In favour of this supposition—which is, perhaps, on the whole the more probable—is the very emphatic prediction of 1 Kings 21:19, which in 1 Kings 22:38 is declared to have been fulfilled at the pool of Samaria. Moreover, the whole action of the chapter, as far as Ahab is concerned, seems to have been at Samaria; and, indeed, if we take 1 Kings 21:18 literally, this is actually declared to be the case. On the other side, however, we have the reading of the text, the more obvious interpretation of the words “his city” in 1 Kings 21:8; 1 Kings 21:11; and the reference to the prophecy of Elijah, in connection with the casting of the body of Jehoram into the plot of ground at Jezreel (2 Kings 9:25-26). It is, perhaps, impossible to clear up the discrepancy entirely with our present knowledge. (2–4) And Ahab spake.—The whole history is singularly true to nature. At first, as the desire of Ahab was natural, so his offer was courteous and liberal. The refusal of Naboth—evidently grounded on the illegality, as well as the natural dislike, of alienation of “the inheritance of his fathers” (see Leviticus 25:13-28; Numbers 36:7), and therefore not only allowable, but right—has nevertheless about it a certain tone of harshness, perhaps of unnecessary discourtesy, implying condemnation, as well as rejection, of the offer of the king. It is characteristic of the weak and petulant nature of Ahab, that he neither recognises the legality and justice of Naboth’s action, nor dares to resent the curt defiance of his refusal. Like a spoilt child, he comes back sullen and angry, throws himself on his bed, and will eat no bread. All that he has is as nothing, while the little plot of ground is refused; as to Haman all was worthless, while Mordecai the Jew sat in the king’s gate (Esther 5:13). This temper of sullen, childish discontent is the natural seedplot of crime, under the instigation of more determined wickedness.

CHAPTER XXI Ahab covets the vineyard of Naboth, and wishes to have it either by purchase or exchange, 1, 2. Naboth refuses to alienate it on any account, because it was his inheritance from his fathers, 3. Ahab becomes disconsolate, takes to his bed, and refuses to eat, 4. Jezebel, finding out the cause, promises to give him the vineyard, 5-7. She writes to the nobles of Jezreel to proclaim a fast, to accuse Naboth of blasphemy, carry him out, and stone him to death; which is accordingly done, 8-14. She then tells Ahab to go and take possession of the vineyard; he goes, and is met by Elijah, who denounces on him the heaviest judgments, 15-24. Ahab's abominable character, 25, 26. He humbles himself; and God promises not to bring the threatened public calamities in his days, but in the days of his son, 27-29. NOTES ON CHAP. XXI Verse 1. After these things] This and the twentieth chapter are transposed in the Septuagint; this preceding the account of the Syrian war with Ben-hadad. Josephus gives the history in the same order.

Ch. 1 Kings 21:1-16. Naboth the Jezreelite is stoned to death and Ahab takes possession of his vineyard (Not in Chronicles) 1. This chapter is placed by the LXX. before the preceding, and numbered 20. Josephus also adopts that order of the events. In consequence, the LXX. omits the words ‘after these things’ in 1 Kings 21:1. The LXX. (Alex.) calls Naboth ‘an Israelite’. This of course he was. But Jezreel ιζψςΰμ may easily, especially in ms., be mistaken for Israel ιωׂ ?ψΰμ. Both versions of the LXX. make the vineyard to be not near the palace, but near the threshingfloor of Ahab.

A vineyard ... in Jezreel - The name Jezreel is applied in Scripture, not merely to the town 1 Kings 18:46, but also to the valley or plain which lies below it, between Mount Gilboa and Little Hermon

NABOTH’S , 1 Kings 21:1-16. 1. The Jezreelite — He was so identified with the place where the inheritance of his fathers lay that he was naturally called the Jezreelite.