an Israelite of the city of Jezreel, who lived under Ahab, king
of the ten tribes, and had a fine vineyard near the king’s palace. Ahab
coveted his property; but Naboth, according to the law, Lev. xxv, 23,
24, refused to sell it: and beside, it was a disgrace for a Hebrew to
alienate the inheritance of his ancestors. Ahab, returning into his
house, threw himself on his bed, and refused to eat, when Jezebel, his
wife, took upon herself to procure the vineyard. She wrote letters in
Ahab’s name, and sealed them with the king’s seal, and sent them to the
elders of Jezreel, directing them to publish a fast, to place Naboth
among the chief of the people, suborn against him two sons of Belial, or
two false witnesses, who might depose, that Naboth had blasphemed God
and the king. Accordingly, Naboth was condemned and stoned for the
supposed crime, which brought upon Ahab and Jezebel the severest
maledictions, 1 Kings xxi. See AHAB.
of the ten tribes, and had a fine vineyard near the king’s palace. Ahab
coveted his property; but Naboth, according to the law, Lev. xxv, 23,
24, refused to sell it: and beside, it was a disgrace for a Hebrew to
alienate the inheritance of his ancestors. Ahab, returning into his
house, threw himself on his bed, and refused to eat, when Jezebel, his
wife, took upon herself to procure the vineyard. She wrote letters in
Ahab’s name, and sealed them with the king’s seal, and sent them to the
elders of Jezreel, directing them to publish a fast, to place Naboth
among the chief of the people, suborn against him two sons of Belial, or
two false witnesses, who might depose, that Naboth had blasphemed God
and the king. Accordingly, Naboth was condemned and stoned for the
supposed crime, which brought upon Ahab and Jezebel the severest
maledictions, 1 Kings xxi. See AHAB.