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these two sons of Belial were suborned to say that Naboth had at the same time
pronounced in their hearing a curse upon Ahab - perhaps also that he had uttered
threats of resistance? Such a solemn curse would be regarded as an act of blasphemy,
not only against the king, but primarily against God, Whose authorized
representative the king was (comp. Exodus 22:28). But blasphemy against God was
to be punished by stoning (Deuteronomy 13:10; 17:5).^60
As in all such cases, the punishment was immediately carried out, and apparently in
Naboth's own vineyard, (Compare 1 Kings 21:19; 2 Kings 9:25,26.) where the
witnesses would, according to our suggestion, have located the "blasphemy" spoken
in reply to the request of the king. It is not necessary to suppose (as some
commentators have done) that the property of a man stoned for such a crime was
treated like that of one on whom the ban was pronounced, since in that case it would
have been laid waste, not given to the king (Deuteronomy 13:16). But it was quite
natural that the property of one who had been found guilty of high treason should be
forfeited to the Crown. And so, when the elders of Jezreel informed Jezebel that
Naboth was stoned, she could tell her royal husband to go and take possession of the
vineyard that had been refused him for purchase by "the Jezreelite," since Naboth
was dead.
There was bitter as well as haughty irony in the words of Jezebel, as if she had felt
herself a queen whose wishes and commands were above all law, human or Divine,
and could not be resisted by God or man (ver. 15). The text gives no indication that
she had informed Ahab of the manner of Naboth's death; nor did the king make
inquiry. But there was far more terrible irony of fact in what followed the words of
Jezebel. On receiving the welcome tidings of Naboth's death, Ahab "rose up" to go
and take possession of the coveted vineyard, - perhaps the very day after the judicial
murder (comp. 2 Kings 9:26). But on that day Jehovah had bidden Elijah arise and
meet Ahab with the Divine message, just as the king thought himself in secure
possession of the fruit of his crime, as if there were no living God in Israel. We can
picture to ourselves the scene. Ahab has come in his chariot from Samaria,
apparently attended by his chief officers (2 Kings 9:25). Before entering his palace at
Jezreel - on the way to it - he has reached the vineyard of Naboth. He is surveying
with satisfaction his new possession, perhaps giving directions how it should be
transformed into "a garden," when of a sudden there stands before him not one of the
sons of the prophets, nor an ordinary seer, but the terrible figure of the Gileadite,
with his burning eyes, clad in the rough cloak of black camel's hair, girt about with a
leathern girdle. It must have recalled to Ahab his first apparition in the midst of
Samaria, when the prophet had announced to his startled hearers the three years'
drought, and then so suddenly and tracelessly vanished from sight.^61
(^)