211 Now it came about after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria . 2 Ahab spoke to Naboth , saying , " Give me your vineyard , that I may have it for a vegetable garden because it is close beside my house , and I will give you a better vineyard than it in its place ; if you like e , I will give you the price of it in money ." 3 But Naboth said to Ahab , "The Lord forbid me that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers ." 4 So Ahab came into his house sullen and vexed because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he said , "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers ." And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and ate no food .
5 But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, "How is it that your spirit is so sullen that you are not eating food ?" 6 So he said to her, "Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, 'Give me your vineyard for money ; or else, if it pleases you, I will give you a vineyard in its place .' But he said , 'I will not give you my vineyard .' " 7 Jezebel his wife said to him, " Do you now reign e over Israel ? Arise , eat bread , and let your heart be joyful ; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite ." 8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal , and sent letters to the elders and to the nobles who were living with Naboth in his city . 9 Now she wrote in the letters , saying , "Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth at the head of the people ; 10 and seat two worthless men before him, and let them testify against him, saying , ' You cursed God and the king .' Then take him out and stone him to death ." 11 So the men of his city , the elders and the nobles who lived in his city , did as Jezebel had sent word to them, just as it was written in the letters which she had sent them. 12 They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the people . 13 Then the two worthless men came in and sat before him; and the worthless men testified against him, even against Naboth , before the people , saying , "Naboth cursed God and the king ." So they took him outside e the city and stoned him to death with stones . 14 Then they sent word to Jezebel , saying , "Naboth has been stoned and is dead ." 15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead , Jezebel said to Ahab , "Arise , take possession of the vineyard of Naboth , the Jezreelite , which he refused to give you for money ; for Naboth is not alive , but dead ." 16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead , Ahab arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite , to take possession of it.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 1 Kings 21:1-16
Commentary on 1 Kings 21:1-4
(Read 1 Kings 21:1-4)
Naboth, perhaps, had been pleased that he had a vineyard situated so near the palace, but the situation proved fatal to him; many a man's possessions have been his snare, and his neighbourhood to greatness, of bad consequence. Discontent is a sin that is its own punishment, and makes men torment themselves. It is a sin that is its own parent; it arises not from the condition, but from the mind: as we find Paul contented in a prison, so Ahab was discontented in a palace. He had all the delights of Canaan, that pleasant land, at command; the wealth of a kingdom, the pleasures of a court, and the honours and powers of a throne; yet all avails him nothing without Naboth's vineyard. Wrong desires expose men to continual vexations, and those that are disposed to fret, however well off, may always find something or other to fret at.
Commentary on 1 Kings 21:5-16
(Read 1 Kings 21:5-16)
When, instead of a help meet, a man has an agent for Satan, in the form of an artful, unprincipled, yet beloved wife, fatal effects may be expected. Never were more wicked orders given by any prince, than those Jezebel sent to the rulers of Jezreel. Naboth must be murdered under colour of religion. There is no wickedness so vile, so horrid, but religion has sometimes been made a cover for it. Also, it must be done under colour of justice, and with the formalities of legal process. Let us, from this sad story, be amazed at the wickedness of the wicked, and the power of Satan in the children of disobedience. Let us commit the keeping of our lives and comforts to God, for innocence will not always be our security; and let us rejoice in the knowledge that all will be set to rights in the great day.