A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Commentary on 1 and 2 Kings · Chapter 21
1 Kings CHAP. XXI.
THIS Chapter contains Ahab's miſimprovement of all thoſe Miracles and Mercies that a gracious God had given to him, in his Tyrannical murthering his Innocent Subjects. The two general parts are, 1. His commiſſion of it; and 2. His correction for it.
Remarks upon the firſt part are, 1. The Time when, ver. 1. It was after all thoſe glorious Evidences of God's own Greatneſs above Baal, the Calves, &c. and of his Goodneſs to Ahab and Iſrael. N.B. Tho' the Lord had let him down both Fire and Water from Heaven, which his Baal could not do, chap. 18.39, 45. and had given him two great Victories over the Syrians, chap 20, 21, 29. yet all thoſe demonſtrations of Divine Power and Love made no Impreſſion upon Ahab's obdurate and rocky heart, no more than the great Hammer doth upon cold Iron; after all this his wicked diſpoſition is not altered, but he adds iniquity to iniquity, Pſal. 69.27. No ſooner was he returned home from his glorious Conqueſt over the Syrians, but he is fordidly conquered by ſinful ſelf, his own concupiſcence.
Remark the Second, Is the occaſion what; Naboth had a Vineyard nigh one of Ahab's Palaces, and ſo was oft in Ahab's Eye, which the Devil made a Burning-glaſs to ſet his heart on ſire to cover it; for Covetouſneſs is call'd the luſt of the Eyes, 1 John 2.16. Ahab looked and luſted, as Achan had done before him, Joſh. 7.22. Ahab longed for a Sallet of Herbs out of it, having ſurfeited of thoſe Grapes that grew in it while it was Naboth's. N.B. The contiguity of it was the ground of Ahab's concupiſcence. Some ſuppoſe hence, that Naboth was near of Kin to the King, becauſe his Vineyard lay ſo near the King's Palace: However, better had it been that Naboth had wanted this Vineyard, as it proved; and Riches are not ſo properly called Goods, ſeeing they ſo oft prove a bane to their owners, Eccleſ. 5.13.
Remark the Third is; Tho' Ahab was ſo bad a man▪ as before, yet was he not ſo bad a King, as to pillage his Subjects at his own Royal pleaſure, but he fairly pretendeth to contract for it either by Sale or Exchange, v. 2. Where Erpennius hath an excellent obſervation, ſaying, [From hence it is manifeſt, that Kings by that only Title (becauſe they are Kings) have not a power over the poſſeſſions of their Subjects to ſeize upon them at their Royal will and pleaſure; and tho' it be ſaid of Kings [He will take away your Fields▪ &c.] 1 Sam. 8.14. yet there (ſaith he) it is not to be underſtood of any true or right Royal Right, but of a preſumed Authority, and tyrannical Uſurpation; for there Samuel ſhews the evil manner of a King, to diſſuade them from their deſire of a King. N.B. This caſe of Ahab's not deſiring Naboth's Vineyard without a valuable conſideration, doth clearly condemn our late Court Paraſitical Preachers, who cryed up [That all was the King's, which the Subject had, and that they are not Maſters of ſo much as a Mole-hill, &c.] Whereas God ſaith expreſly [The Prince ſhall not take of the People's Inheritance by oppreſſion to thruſt them out &c.] Ezek. 46.18. They are the King's only tuitione, non fruitione, for his protection in them, but not for his poſſeſſion of them, &c.
Remark the Fourth, Is Naboth's Anſwer to the King's Demand [Chalila li me Jehovah, Heb.] the Lord forbid it me, ver. 3. He was one that feared God in thoſe corrupt times of Apoſtaſie (ſaith P. Martyr) and durſt not break an expreſs Command of God, Levit. 25.15, 23, 25. Numb. 36.7. therefore could not he comply with the King's Requeſt, no not tho' the Alienation of the Land would but by right have laſted until the Jubilee; being jealous, if once it got into the King's hand to be converted into his Garden of Pleaſure, and affixed to his Palace, it would be irrecoverably gone both from him and his, ſo ſhould he both offend God, and wrong his Poſterity, which he, being conſcientious, could not do.
Remark the Fifth; Ahab takes this denial of his Demand as a moſt heinous and unbearable Affront, ver. 4. The diſpleaſure of Kings croſſed in their deſires (ſaith Peter Martyr) are moſtly very vehement. Ahab falls ſick of the ſullens here; lays him down on his Bed; the diſquietneſs of his mind having (ſaith Sanctius) diſcompoſed his body, he turned away his face, as not caring to ſee any, or to be ſeen of any, and would eat no bread, as if he reſolved to ſtarve himſelf, being weary of his life, becauſe Naboth grounded his denial upon God's command, and would not gratifie the King's covetous and ambitious humour. N.B. Here we have a moſt conſpicuous Specimen of that vexing Vanity (Solomon mentions) which moſtly attends the greateſt Grandees and Darlings of the World; ſomething they muſt meet with (by God's All-ruling Providence) that ſhall give an unſavoury Verdure to all their other ſweeteſt Morſels and Grandeur. One inſtance is this of Ahab, whoſe heart was more vexed with the want of this ſmall ſpot of Earth, (Naboth's Vineyard) than the enjoyment of ſo ſpacious a Kingdom (tho' it was the glory of all Kingdoms. Ezek. 20.6.) could now counter-comfort him; but he will needs lay down and dye in the pet. Another inſtance is Haman, one advanced to be a King's-fellow-companion, and bleſt with a prodigious multitude of Riches, Honours and Children; yet the want of one bowing knee of Mordecai damped all his Jollity, crying out, [All this avails me nothing] Eſth. 5.11, 12, 13.
Remark the Sixth is, The Devil, that had cauſed Ahab's Diſeaſe, ſends him a Phyſician to cure his Gall of Grief, and his Spleen of Anger: Jezebel comes to him, ver. 5. So far this was well enough, for God gave him the Woman to be her Husband's Comforter, and if ſometimes to be a Counſellor, yet never to be a Controuler, as this wicked Woman took upon her to be, v. 6. moſt imperiouſly upbraiding Ahab as a King of Clouts. 'Tis not fit for a King (as Vatablus interprets her words) either to beg, or buy, but to command and call for what he pleaſeth without controul. Tho' Ahab wanted neither wit, nor wickedneſs, yet is he (ſaith Dr. Hall) but a Novice to this Zidonian Dame; ſhe caſts cold Water upon his face, and pours into him Spirits of her own Extracting; ſhe bids him caſt away all care, and chear up, promiſing to out-do him, and what he could not himſelf do, ſhe would effectually do it for him, &c.
Remark the Seventh; Jezebel contrives Naboth's Deſtruction, ver. 8, 9, 10. ſhe procures both the Secretary and Signet of this Ʋxorious King, writes Letters in Ahab's name to the Magiſtrates of Jezreel, &c. ſo ſhe was King, and he only Queen; and becauſe he knew not how to make the beſt Improvement of Kingly Power, ſhe would do it through ſtitch for him. Oh how prompt here is the wit of the weaker Sex to project wickedneſs at a pinch! Jezebel needs nothing but Abab's name and Seal, let her alone with the reſt: She frames a Letter in the King's name, ſends it to thoſe Senators, whom ſhe had (ſaith Vatablus) raiſed up to that Dignity in Jezreel, well knowing that thoſe her own Creatures would be enough morigerous, ſhe commands them to proclaim a Faſt, ſuborn Witneſſes, two Sons of Belial, againſt Naboth, to charge him with Blaſphemy againſt God and the King, then ſtone him to death; and was not this (ſaith Dr. Hall) a ready payment for ſo Rich a Vineyard? N.B. 1. There is no Villany of ſo deep a Dye, as that which is cloaked with Piety. Diſſembled Sanctity is double Iniquity: Oh what damnable Diſſimulation was it in this foul Hell-Hag, to do her Deviliſh Feat under the fair polliation of an holy Faſt! Herod like, who pretended to worſhip Chriſt, but intended to worry him. N.B. 2. The Reaſons why ſhe proclaimed a Faſt, are rendred by Vatablus, Junius and Piſcator, &c. becauſe ſhe would make the People believe, that all this miſchief was acted with a pious mind, that Ahab had got good by his Affliction, and now was become Zealous of his God's Honour, and of Iſrael's Welfare, and therefore was ſearching after all the God-provoking ſins, more eſpecially Blaſphemy; and ſeeing they were wont to execute heinous Offenders upon Faſt-days, whereby they might recover their Reconciliation with God, Numb. 25.7, 8. Pſal, 106.30. then Naboth muſt be ſtoned, as if God had been conſulted, &c. N.B. 3. This Honourable and Religious Perſon Naboth, muſt not ſeem to be murthered out of envy, but in a ſee…ing due courſe of Law, which required two Witneſſes at the leaſt, Deut. 19.15. So dealt they with Chriſt, Matth. 26.60. and ſo with Stephen, Act. 6.13. her Witneſſes ſhe picked out were two Belialiſts, Knights of the Poſt▪ Incarnate Devils, &c.
Remark the Eighth; This whole Intrigue of Jezebel's, is put into practice in Jezreel, ver. 11, 12, 13, 14. Naboth is ſummoned and ſet on high before the Judges; the two Belialiſts charge him with Blaſphemy, tho' they were not preſent to hear what diſcourſe paſſed betwixt Ahab and Naboth; 'twas enough, Jezebel ſaid, he was too ſawcy with the King. They ſaid truly, as it is in the Hebrew [Barakta, thou did't bleſs, &c.] they meant, thou didſt curſe God and the King. The Hebrews (ſaith P. Martyr) did ſo far abominate Blaſphemy, that they would not once name it, when the Blaſpheming of God was to be ſpoken of. So Job 2.9. 'tis bleſs God Hebr. Jezebel's ſervile Judges paſs the Sentence right or wrong; Naboth is carried out as a publick Peſt, and ſtoned without Jezreel, as not fit to breathe out his laſt breath within his own City; yea and his Sons with him, 2 Kings 9.26. that no Heir he left of the Vineyard.
The ſecond part of this Chapter, is Abab's Correction for the commiſſion of this Murder, partly Divine, and partly Humane, from ver. 14, to the end.
Remark the Firſt, Upon the Divine part of his Correction; As, 1. No ſooner are Naboth and his Sons ſtoned, but this welcome news is ſent to Jezebel by her Mercenary Souls, ver. 14. ſhe now in a tranſport run to Ahab, and tells him the glad Tidings, that Naboth and all his Heirs were dead; therefore there was a Confiſcation of his whole Eſtate, and now his Vineyard was Eſcheated to the King, ver. 15. and hereupon bids him riſe up and take Poſſeſſion of the Vineyard: Here Peter Martyr argues excellently: By what Title muſt Ahab take Poſſeſſion? Had Naboth no Kindred (though his Sons were ſtoned) to Heir it? He was (ſaith He and Lyra) Ahab's Ʋncle and a Nobleman, becauſe he was place in the nobleſt Place above the People, ver. 9. and though this had ſome colour of Religion, to involve Relations in Guilt and Puniſhment, as in the Caſe of Dathan, &c. Numb. 16.32. and in the Caſe of Achan, Joſh. 7.24. yet theſe were extraordinary Examples of Divine Vengeance, and by a ſpecial warrant from God himſelf: But ſuppoſe Naboth had been really guilty of Blaſphemy againſt God, and Treaſon againſt the King, yet his Sons ought not to have died for their Father's Sin (as indeed they did, 2 Kings 9.26.) for that was poſitively againſt the Law of God, which expreſly ſaith [That Children ſhall not be put to Death for their Father] Deut. 24.16. ſuppoſe Ahab was his next Kinſman, becauſe his Land lay next the King's, no doubt but his Sons were removed, that his Claim to it might be Clearer, or if not, unjuſt Jezebel little regarded either the Rule of God's Law, or the right of Succeſſion, ſhe reſolves to have it per fas & nefas, by right or wrong, and which of Naboth's Kindred durſt challenge it under ſuch Tyrannical Violence? She quickly heals her Husband of Heavineſs; He riſeth up, never enquiring (ſaith Peter Martyr) of the Manner and Cauſe of his Death, but goes and takes Poſſeſſion both for Him and His, ver. 16. Joſephus ſaith, that he went leaping for Joy at the good News, but better had it been had he ſitten ſtill, than to riſe up and Fall, &c.
Remark the Second, Oh how ſhort is the Triumph of the Wicked, and the Joy of Hypocrites but for a Moment, Job 20.5. while Ahab was paſſing in Jollity from Samaria to Jezreel, the Lord lays his Command upon Elijah, to meet him with a Divine Meſſage, ver. 17, 18. N.B. All the time that Jezebel was plotting and practiſing her Deviliſh Deſign, God is altogether ſilent, as if no way concern'd for his Name and Glory: She proſper'd in her impious Project, as if both Heaven and Earth conſpired together in a friendly promoting it: But now, when Jezebel is active in ſtirring up Ahab to take Poſſeſſion: Then God is as Active in haſtening his Propher to meet him there with heavy Tidings from Heaven: No reckoning is brought in with publick Hoſts at the midſt of a Meal. 'Tis the Concluſion of Junketting Collations, that calls for the reckoning Bill: And then the end pays for All. N.B. Two Inſtances of God's long ſilence we have in the two Herod's (long after this of Ahab and Jezebel) the former Herod had his Herodias like a ſecond Jezebel, who prompts her Husband and prevails with Him to behead John Baptiſt, the Execution is done, and God kept ſilence all the while as unconcerned, yet afterwards the ſame Herod hearing of the ſame of Jeſus, God ſtrikes him with horrour of Conſcience for his Murder of John: He was perplexed [foreign] Luke 9.7 he ſtuck faſt in the Mud (as it were) and could find no way out; and if the Leaven of Herod were Sadduciſme, his horrour made him deny his own Sadducaical Principles, and to think that John the Baptiſt (whom he had Beheaded) was riſen from the Dead. The ſecond Inſtance was the other Herod, who Beheaded the Apoſtle James, and becauſe this Tyrant's Trick (he ſaw) pleaſed the People, he would have done as much to the Apoſtle Peter; and though God ſat ſtill in Heaven (as it were) and unconcern'd in the firſt Execution, yet he ſends his Angel from Heaven to prevent the ſecond, Peter, deſigned by the Murderer for the like Butchery, is delivered by a Miracle; and whatever became of the former Herod, we are told how this Tyrant (before that time twelve Month) came to a moſt miraculous and diſmal End: He was eaten up with Lice (as 'tis ſaid his Grandfather was before him) becauſe he did not give God the glory, Acts 12.1, 2, 3, 23. the End paid for all in both thoſe Inſtances, and ſo it did in Ahab here; no ſooner is he got rejoycing into his new Garden plat, promiſing to himſelf great contentment in his commodious Court-Enlargement, but God poſts in Elijah with a cooler of threatned Vengeance; Ahab was in Samaria, when God gave his Charge to Elijah, but he was got to Jezreel when Elijah met him.
Remark the Third, Elijah now fears not the Face of a King, having God's immediate Call and Command, he thunders out his moſt dreadful Divine Meſſage of Commination to him, accuſing him of bloody Tyranny, added to his notorious Idolatry, ver. 19. [Haſt thou killed and taken Poſſeſſion? the Dogs ſhall lick up thy Blood, as they have done Naboth's, &c.] the Prophet chargeth Ahab with the murther of Naboth, though it was Jezebel's Act: For 1. He was the firſt occaſion of it, by coveting his Vineyard. 2. 'Tis probable, he was privy to the Project of managing the Matter. 3. He puniſh'd not the Actors of it. 4. He approved of the Tragedy in his taking Poſſeſſion. 5. Peter Martyr adds, Wives faults are fixed upon Husbands not hindring them: Thus God chaſtized Adam, for the fault of Eve firſt in the Sin: God ſaid to Abraham, why did Sarah laugh, Gen. 18.13. N.B. It may eaſily be ſuppoſed, what a Mar-mirth Elijah was to Ahab, when he met him here, in the midſt of his golden Dreams: And how was his Coxcomb cut, and how did his Creſt fall at the upleaſing proſpect of ſo unwelcome a Gueſt: No doubt, but the King's Countenance was wofully caſt down, when he ſaid [Haſt thou found me, O my Enemy?] ver. 20. but why an Enemy? They two parted Friends, as Lord and Lacquey at their laſt Meeting, Chap. 18.46. Indeed Ahab was Elijah's Enemy, and hated him as he did Micaiah, Chap. 22.8. but Elijah only was his Enemy, becauſe he told Him the Truth, Gal. 4.16. and his Words would have done him good, had he walk'd uprightly, Mic. 2.7, 8. Auguſtin ſaith, He was an Enemy to none, but to ſuch as were worſe Enemies to themſelves. N.B. A guilty Conſcience is like the troubled Sea, foaming forth Mire and Dirt, Iſa. 57.20, 21. Elijah Anſwers [the Hand of God hath found thee out in thy very Act of Sin, and ſeeing thou haſt wilfully and wholly made thy ſelf a bondſlave to Baal, to Jezebel, and to Beelzebub himſelf; ſelling thy ſelf totally to be acted by their Power, and ſetting thy wickedneſs not only in the ſight, but alſo in deſpight of an All-ſeeing God, as thou haſt made a match with murther, and all manner of Iniquity, ſo ſhalt thou be ſure to rue thy Bargain, and have thy Belly full of it; The backſlider ſhall be filled with the evil of his own ways, Prov. 14.14.] Elijah threatens Ahab in the Name of the Lord, ver. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26. That God will retaliate bleeding for bleeding, and not only himſelf, but all his ſeventy Sons ſhall bleed for it, 2 Kings 10.6. yea not only they, but alſo their wicked Mother Jezebel ſhall be made Dogs Meat, and becauſe he would not take Example from Jeroboam and Baaſha, he ſhall be made an Example to Succeſſors; as he was a none-ſuch in Sinning, ſo he ſhall be a none-ſuch in Suffering. N.B. Oh Happy Naboth, that had now chang'd his Vineyard on Earth, into a Kingdom in Heaven; but oh miſerable Ahab, the Murtherer▪ is far more miſerable than Naboth the Martyr, all thoſe direful Judgments were yet to come upon him and his for ſending Naboth to Heaven.
The ſecond Part of Ahab's Correction is Humane, ver. 27, 28, 29. Wherein
Remark the Firſt, Ahab corrects himſelf for his Sin, and though a bad Man yet reviles he not God's Prophet, but fears his Predictions would prove as true, as thoſe about the Rain and Fire, &c. had done, and therefore is moved to put himſelf into the manner of a Mourner, the loſs of his own Life not troubling him ſo much, as the utter Extirpation of his proud Dame and Poſterity.
Remark the Second, Though all this Humiliation of Ahab was only External, Superficial, and Temporary, ariſing more from the Terrour of God's Judgments, than from any true Love to God, or hatred of his Sin without a Reſolution for Reformation, yet God ſoon ſaw it, was ſo far pleaſed with it, as to ſend Words of Comfort to him for it: Elijah who had even now denounced thoſe heavy Tidings, muſt immediately haſten with a Lenitive Meſſage. N.B. That God will recompence his Temporary Repentance with a Temporary Deliverance: The Judgment threatned in the particular Signatures of God's Vengeance, are ſuſpended from him, and prorogu'd to his Sons, who were of his Blood, John 1.13. Acts 17.26. Surely, if the Leaves of Repentance be ſo Medicinal, much more the Fruit, if the Shadow of it be thus Soveraign, what is the Subſtance in Sincere Souls?
Remark the Third, Grief is not ever a ſign of Grace: Ahab rent not his Heart with his Garment, nor reform'd he his Life, He reſtor'd not the ſtoln Vineyard, nor reproved, much leſs removed his wicked Wife, &c. but he returns to his former Vomit, hating and threatning the Lord's Prophets, Chap. 22.8. conſulting with the Prophets of Baal, ver. 6. of the next Chapter, therefore Ahab ſhall Bleed by the Shafts of the Syrians, as Naboth had done by the Stones of the Jezreelites.