Ahab coveted Naboth’s vineyard. It was the sin of covetousness; cf. Luke 12. 15. His request seemed courteous enough, and the offer seemed worthwhile. In his reply Naboth is not afraid to confess his faith in God before the idolatrous king. Naboth refused to sell his vineyard, not because he was trying to be difficult, but he based his refusal on the word of God. Naboth was not open to a bargain. The land of Israel was unique. It was the Lord’s land – He was its true Owner. It had been divided amongst tribes and families at His direction; cf. Lev. 25. 23-28. Every Israelite was a tenant under God and was therefore not free to dispose of land. He could, if he were poor, lease the land until the year of Jubilee, but then it reverted to the original owner. The year of Jubilee meant nothing to Ahab – he would not have returned the land. God’s law and the king’s will came into conflict here; cf. Dan. 3. 14, 15; Acts 4. 18. Loyalty to God took precedence over all other considerations.
Ahab became thoroughly miserable when thwarted of his desire. When desire finds itself in conflict with the rights of other people, and, above all, the law and rights of God, then it needs to be suppressed.
Ahab’s unscrupulous wife, Jezebel, secured the vineyard for him by engineering the murder of Naboth and his heirs. Ahab did not inquire how Jezebel acquired the property, vv. 15, 16, though he must have known that she could not have acquired it by fair means. He kept quiet about it. God holds us responsible for the wrongs which we do not prevent, though we have the power to do so. Ahab had got what he wanted, but the end was not yet. He must have realized this when Elijah the prophet appeared. Elijah’s opening words to him were words of condemnation, v. 19. The last word is always with God. God cannot be outwitted or deceived.
The charge was threefold. Firstly, he had sold himself to do evil in the sight of the Lord, v. 20. Secondly, he had provoked God to anger, v. 22. Thirdly, he had caused Israel to sin, v. 22. As a result the judgment upon Ahab and his house would be threefold, vv. 21-24. God is not mocked. What men sow, they reap.
