1 Kings 21:1-28

Jezebel Arranges Naboth's Death In Order To Obtain His Vineyard For Ahab Who Is Then Severely Rebuked By Elijah (1 Kings 21:1).

The story of Naboth's Vineyard is introduced here in order to illustrate how grasping and inward-looking Ahab had become, and how greatly he was manipulated by his evil wife Jezebel, leading on to the prophecy by Elijah that proclaims his demise and the demise of his house, something which begins to come about in chapter 21. Central to the story is the right of every Israelite to hold his family's property, given to them by YHWH, in perpetuity. It was one of the cardinal statutes of Israel. And to retain that land gave the family great prestige. The evil of Jezebel is especially illustrated in the setting up at her instigation of false and lying witnesses, followed by the cold-blooded murder of an innocent man, something in which she also involved a number of others causing them also to disobey the Law of YHWH. Her pollution was thus spreading among the leaders of Israel, causing them to ignore the covenant. It is a reminder of the direction in which Baalism was taking Israel, and goes on to explain that this was why YHWH's judgment was coming on Ahab. Despite all YHWH's appeals, and the goodness that He had shown to Ahab, Ahab demonstrates that he was still far from YHWH and His ways in his inner heart.

The chapter therefore closes with Elijah's clear cut condemnation of Ahab, which is the reason why it is placed here. It fills in the detail behind what the earlier prophet had said in 1 Kings 20:42, and pronounces in depth the doom of Ahab's house in conformity with the fate declared on previous kings by earlier prophets. Even the wording of the denunciation is similar, with Elijah clearly taking up the words of the previous prophets. Such judgment is, however, then delayed because Ahab repents and seeks for mercy, a reminder that, as with David, all God's judgments can be avoided where men truly repent. But his repentance did not result in a permanent change of heart towards YHWH (as is demonstrated by his view of the prophet Micaiah in the next chapter). Thus the delay also would only be temporary.

The account of Naboth's vineyard divides up into three parts:

Ahab Craves Naboth's Vineyard And Is Promised It By Jezebel (1 Kings 21:1).

Jezebel Arranges For The Death Of Naboth By A False Accusation (1 Kings 21:8).

Ahab Is Condemned By Elijah For Both His Past Behaviour And For What Jezebel Has Done And Repents Before YHWH (1 Kings 21:16).