Naboth — Bible person

Fruits, “the Jezreelite,” was the owner of a portion of ground on the eastern slope of the hill of Jezreel (2 Kings 9:25, 26). This small “plat of ground” seems to have been all he possessed. It was a vineyard, and lay “hard by the palace of Ahab” (1 Kings 21:1, 2), who greatly coveted it. Naboth, however, refused on any terms to part with it to the king. He had inherited it from his fathers, and no Israelite could lawfully sell his property (Lev. 25:23). Jezebel, Ahab’s wife, was grievously offended at Naboth’s refusal to part with his vineyard. By a crafty and cruel plot she compassed his death. His sons also shared his fate (2 Kings 9:26; 1 Kings 21:19). She then came to Ahab and said, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard; for Naboth is not alive, but dead.” Ahab arose and went forth into the garden which had so treacherously and cruelly been acquired, seemingly enjoying his new possession, when, lo, Elijah suddenly appeared before him and pronounced against him a fearful doom (1 Kings 21:17-24). Jehu and Bidcar were with Ahab at this time, and so deeply were the words of Elijah imprinted on Jehu’s memory that many years afterwards he refers to them (2 Kings 9:26), and he was the chief instrument in inflicting this sentence on Ahab and Jezebel and all their house (9:30-37). The house of Ahab was extinguished by him. Not one of all his great men and his kinsfolk and his priests did Jehu spare (10:11).

Ahab humbled himself at Elijah’s words (1 Kings 21:28, 29), and therefore the prophecy was fulfilled not in his fate but in that of his son Joram (2 Kings 9:25).

The history of Naboth, compared with that of Ahab and Jezebel, furnishes a remarkable illustration of the law of a retributive providence, a law which runs through all history (comp. Ps. 109:17, 18).

Recorded scripture occurrences (18)

References recorded in the source data; this is not an exhaustive list of mentions.

Show passage in OET: KI1 21:1

OET-RV KI1 21:1

21 ⇔Sometime after that, King Ahav from Shomron (Samaria) was in his palace in Yizre’el (Jezreel) city, and his neighbour was the Yizre’eli Navot with his vineyard.

OET-LV KI1 21:1

21 And_he/it _was after the_things the_these a _vineyard it _belonged to_Nāⱱōt the_Yizrəˊ^ʼēlī/(Jezreelite) which was_in_Yizrəˊ^ʼēl/(Jezreel) beside the _palace _of ʼAḩʼāⱱ the _king _of Shomrōn.

Show passage in OET: KI1 21:2

OET-RV KI1 21:2

2 Ahav pressured Navot, “Give me your vineyard so I can make it into my vegetable garden because it’s right beside my house. I can replace it with a better vineyard, or if you prefer, I can pay you in silver for this one.”

OET-LV KI1 21:2

2 And_ ʼAḩʼāⱱ _he/it _spoke to Nāⱱōt to_say give to/for_me DOM vineyard _of_your and_let _it _be to_me to/for_garden vegetable[s] if/because it is_near beside house _of_my and_I _will _give to/for_yourself(m) in_place _of _it a _vineyard good from_him/it if it_is_good in_eyes _of_your I _will _give to/for_yourself(m) money _of the _price _of this_one.

Show passage in OET: KI1 21:3

OET-RV KI1 21:3

3 But Navot replied, “Far be it for me to disobey Yahweh by giving up the inheritance entrusted to my ancestors.”

OET-LV KI1 21:3

3 And_ Nāⱱōt _he/it _said to ʼAḩʼāⱱ far_be _it to/for_me from_YHWH from_giving_my DOM the _inheritance _of my _ancestors _of_my to/for_you(fs).

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