Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 1 · 1 Kings · Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI.
IT fell out after this, that Naboth the Iezreeliee had a vineyard in Iezreel near the V. 1. Josephus.houses of Ahab King of Samaria.] Iosephus relateth this as done before the two victories against the Syrians, but by these words it is plain, that this happened after. It is made doubtfull, where this vineyard lay, because the Sept. have it only. Naboth the Iezreelite had a certain vineyard near the floor or house of Ahub, without shewing where it lay. And Hebr. it is a vineyard was to Naboth the Iezreelite, which was in Iezreel; where a doubt may be made, whether the word, which, should be referred to the vineyard, or to him dwelling in Iezreel, but a vineyard he might have lying elsewhere; this hath given occasion to some to place it in Samaria, but to me it seemeth plain that it lay in Iezreel, both by the words of the text, and because he was a Iezreelite that ought it, and his fathers before him, being of the tribe of Issachar; and Samaria lay 16 miles from it, happily in another tribe: wherefore it is the more improbable that Naboth had any part of his inheritance lying there, and another reason appeareth besides this, that it was the inheritance of his fathers; why he would not sell it, viz. because inheritances ought not to passe from one tribe to another. But letting this passe, by the law of God it was forbidden to sell patrimonies Num. ult. Levit. 25.so, as that they might never return again. For it is said, if a man by poverty were constreined to sell, he or a near kinsman for him might at any time redeem it again; and if not, it should return in the year of Iubilee. And the reason is rendred, because the land was the Lords, and all the Israelites were but as tenants to him, and a tenant cannot put away the ground of his Land-Lord any otherwise, then he alloweth. Now the Lord allowed not any of them to put away his inheritance, but in case of poverty driving him to it, and in this case Naboth was not; and he could not without sinning yield to this request: neither because Ahab would have had it in such a manner, that there should have been no liberty of redeeming it again. Some think that Naboth was to blame for answering the king so, and not rather declaring unto him the law of God against it, and putting him in mind, that he was to rule Deut. 17.others according to his lawes. But what else did his answer tend unto, when he said, God forbid that I should sell, &c. He was therefore without doubt a man that feared God, and abhorred greatly from doing against his law, and Ahabs very desiring of this contrary to Gods law was a great sinne, although he would have bought and paid for it. If it be objected, Samuel told the people, that this was the manner of a king to take their olives, and vine-yards, and fields, &c. It is answered, that 1 Sam. 8. 14.he meant thus many kings would do, who were wicked and tyrannicall, and not that thus they might do, for it is contrary to the duty of a king, Deut. 17. 18, 19. We may note here with Martyr, that sometime a man hath possessions in this P. Martyr.world to his hurt, for that his life is endangered hereby, that we be not so much Note. taken with the love and desire hereof.
Ahab being denied the vine-yard, which he so earnestly desired, and upon so V. 4.equall terms, for he offered either to give the full price, or a better vine-yard for it, was so stricken, that he fell sick upon this deniall. And herein he excelled many kings, who without price will take from their subjects what they please, or upon request being denied, will presently command them to be slain. Ahab was not so tyrannicall, but thinking now, that he could by no means attain this vine-yard, which lay so conveniently for him, and being vexed at Naboths obstinacie, as thinking it a great indignity to be denied that upon entreaty, which by his regall power he could command, he fell even sick for sorrow. Then Iezabel his wife, when she V. 6, 7.had learned of him the cause, presently meditated revenge by cutting off Naboth, in which kinde of divellish cruelty against the innocent, she had been a long practitioner. And it seemeth, that although the death of Naboth onelyonly be spoken of by and by in this history, yet she meant not to be satisfied with that onelyonly, but of his sonnes also, because 2 King. 9. 26. they are spoken of, as slain with their father. The devillish woman hearing the cause, sought to comfort him immediately, by telling him, that she would give him Naboths vine-yard. And then she wrote Letters to V. 8, 9.the Elders of Iezreel in the kings name, to proclaim a fast, and at the assembly to place Naboth on high in a chief place, &c. Why a fast must be appointed to bring her devillish intent about may well be a question. But it is answered by some, that Vatablus.they used at times of fasting, to enquire out notorious wicked men, and to punish them. By others, that when any notoriously wicked were to be censured and cut Tostatus. L…ra.off, the Iudges kept a fast, that they might not seem to give sentence out of troubbled affections, but maturely, the favour and direction of God being thus first sought for. Martyr, that when a capitall crime was committed in any place, a fast was P. Martyr.appointed, to expiate and to avert the wrath of God from that place, and then the sin was enquired into and punished, which is the most probable. Yet he saith further, that R. Kimhi expounds the word foreign here used, an assembly, for so it also signifieth. And if it be so taken, nothing else is meant here, but that an assembly should be called together, before which Naboth should be accused and judged, and he thinketh it indifferent to follow this or the other. Iosephus hath both, and if there were a fast, it was not without an assembly, according to that, proclaim a fast, call Josephus. Joel 2. 15.a solemne assembly. The same Kimhi yet rendreth it both here, and Ier. 36. 6. an assembly. But the prophet Esay seemeth to allude unto their unjust proceedings against the innocent, as usuall in their fasts, saying, ye fast unto strife and debate and to strike with the fist most wickedly, wherefore it is best to follow the common exposition. Esa. 58. 4.This wicked woman would have an assembly called to fast, and so to proceed against Naboth, as doing herein a thing acceptable unto God. For the place, where Naboth should be set, Iosephus thinketh, that it was the most honourable, according to the dignity of his house, in which she would have him placed, and then upon his conviction pluckt out again, and stript of his honour. Others better, will have the high place, in which he was to be set, to be a place higher then others, in which they used to place the guilty, that were to be tried, that they might be seen and heard of all men, Hebr. it is foreign in the head of the people, that is, on high. Then she would have two sonnes of Belial, that is, two most desperately wicked set over against him; of the word Belial, see more Deut. 13. 13. and these she would have to testifie against him, that he had blasphemed God and the king, that so he might be stoned to death. For this was the punishment of blasheming Levit. 24. 15, 16 Exod. 21. 17. Levit. 20. 9.God, but for the King it is only forbidden to blaspheame him, Ezod. 22. 28. onelyonly as he is the father of the country, and to blaspheame father or mother was death; he might thus also be thought worthy of death. The word rendred blaspheame here is blesse, he hath blessed God, &c. but the same word which signifieth blessing, is put also for cursing, because the Hebrewes saith Martyr, did so farre abhorre from cursing, that they would not once name it, when the cursing of God was to be spoken of. Of the like use of this word, see also Iob. 2. and the cursed hunger of gold, is in latin called auri sacra famos. The vulgar Latin according to the proper signification of the Hebrew word hath it, he blessed God and the King. So likewise the Septuagint; but Theod. saith, that, he blessed, is put for he blaspheamed; Lucifer Calaritanus rendreth it, he cursed; he spake vily of God, or detractingly as Pharaoh sometime did, and Sanneherib afterwards. For thus, or to lift up a mans selfe, as God, is said to be a blaspheaming, as it was judged to be in our Lord, and his Martyr Steven, speaking of him, as at Gods right hand. Whereas the Scripture faith, two false witnesses; Iosephus erroneously hath three; and by these Naboth being convinced, must be stoned to death, wherein what blame could light upon the King or Queen; for no man could now think, but that Naboth suffered worthily, and the King might justly seize upon his vineyard, and all his other goods also, as forfeited to the King.
According to this devillish proposition of Iezabel, there were both elders and V. 11.false witnesses ready in Iezreel to execute her will, which sheweth the miserable estate of those times, and whensoever the highest authority is corrupted; for then the wicked only rise and are promoted to the order of elders and senatours, and they only have favour, who are more ready to observe the King or Queen then God. Of Naboths speaking for himselfe we read nothing, not of any for him; for it was vain when the witnesses had spoken, for any to speak; and his silence shewed his patience in suffering to his greater glory. Ambrose to honour him the more, saith Ambtos.that he was a Martyr, and that not untruly, because he suffered for the law of God. Naboth being dead by stoning without the city, to shew a detestation of blasphemers, as unworthy to breath in that holy place, Iezabel is soon certified of it, because V. 14.she and not Ahab was knowne to be the plotter of it, although the letters were written in his name. For they knew well enough, that she ruled, and did In Ambrose and some Greek copies, it is said that Ahab hearing it tent his clothes, and put on sackcloth, but the best Greek, Hebrew, Cald. and Latin, have no such words. P. Martyr.what she listed. Then she told Ahab, and she without enquiring; yea happily shee told him the manner also, went to take possession of his vineyard. For if he were dead, unlesse for some capitall crime, whereby his estate was forfeited to the king, his kindred or nearest kinsman should have had the inheritance after him. Martyr saith, that some hold Naboth to have been Ahabs uncle, which seemeth the more probable both for the honourable place, wherein he was set at the assembly; and because his vineyard lay so near. Ahabs house, and therefore he and his children being slain, which is here concealed, but remembred by Iehu, 2 Kings 9. 26. it now of right fell to him. And of rejecting this conjecture I see no cause, and if hee came not thus to the vineyard, it must either be because no other man durst chalenge it, knowing that it was the Kings desire, and it would be dangerous to withstand him; or because the judges that condemned Naboth and his children, gave it to the king for the blaspheamy, whereby Naboth was pretended to blaspheame him. For if they would without respect to Gods law, punish children for the sinne of the father, it is not to be thought incredible, that in other things they would also do what they pleased, to humour the king. And both these opinions saith Lyra, are of the Hebrew Rabbins, let the reader follow whither he pleaseth, but he subscribeth to Lyra.to the first as most probable.
Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah, &c.] Ahab having committed such a V. 17.crying sin, which was worthy the sharpest censure of the most thundering and couragious prophet, Elijah the most zealous father of the prophets, is again sent unto him to threaten him with death, and the licking of his blood by dogs, in the place where Naboths was licked; which maketh it manifest, that Ahab was ignorant of Iezabels plot, but liked well of it, and so became as guilty as shee; for to him Elijah saith, thou hast killed, &c. Tostatus also noteth, that Elijah came unto Ahab Tostatus.the day after Naboths death, because 2 King. 9. 26. it is said, I have seen yesterday. &c. and the evening also is there added, for they avoided the light when they slew his sonnes, lest some uproare should have been among the people upon so heinous a fact. This indeed proveth, that Ahab delayed no time, but went to Iezreel the next day, and it is not unlike but that Elijah came upon him at the instant. Whereas he saith, [in the same place the dogs shall lick] the event sheweth, that it is not to be understood of Ahabs person but of his sonne. For his bloud was licked 1 King. 22. 38. Lyra. In this place, saith Hugo, that is, in this countrey.at the pool of Samaria, and his sonnes in that place, 2 King. 9. 25. so Lyra. Or by that place, according to others, may be understood the place in common extending from Samaria to Iezreel, where this murther was plotted and acted. But by the speech of Iehu, the portion of Naboth seemeth to be meant in particular, and when his sonnes bleeding body was cast there, his bloud was there to be licked; but then it must be yielded, that the licking of the bloud of his person is not to be excluded, his bloud should be licked by the dogs then it is meant, and his bloud running in the veines of his son in that very vine-yard. Martyr and Junius without rendring foreign by the word place, expound it onelyonly [because that] and so hold, that the shedding of his bloud onelyonly is meant, and the licking of it by dogs, as he had done to Naboth. But why then did Iehu, who best knew the meaning, cause his sonne to be cast into the portion of Naboth, when he had slain him? Wherefore the place was particularly denoted in the prophesie, and not the thing onelyonly.
Then Ahab said, hast thou found me (O mine enemy.) Lyra following the vulgar V. 20. Lyra.Latin, Hast thou found me an enemy to thee?] As if it were meant, did I ever any enemy-like act against thee, that thou shouldst thus threaten me? But the Hebr. and Greek have it, O mine enemy. Wherefore Ahab did not expostulate with him, as rendring unto him evill, when he had not deserved it, but shewed the malice of his own heart against Elijah, as against one that he accounted his deadly enemy. And so do all desperate wicked men all the faithfull servants of God, which reprove Note. and threaten them for their wickednesse.
The prophet replied, I have found thee, for thou hast sold thy self to do wickedly V. 21.in the sight of the Lord.] Meaning, that he wholly gave himself to wickednesse, as a thing sold for any purpose is wholly employed that way, and was altogether in the power of sin, as that is in the buyers power, so Tostatus and Martyr. Thus the Israelites Tostatus. P. Martyr.are said to be sold to sinning Esa. 50. And St. Paul saith of himself, Sold under sin Rom. 7. In the sight of the Lord is added to shew, that all the evill which he did, was taken speciall notice of by the Lord, and therefore by him he should be judged accordingly.
I will bring evill upon thee, and cut off from Ahab him that pisseth, &c.] For the meaning, see before upon the like threatning against Ieroboam, chap. 14. And the dogs shall eat Iezabel in the ditch or between the walles, or in the field of Iezreel, in the Hebr. it is foreign, which signifieth, according to Pagninus, a fore-wall, so called because it is a lesser before the greater, which Martyr followeth and Iunius, calling it praemunitio, or a ditch between wals, or compassing the wall of a city, or according to Ioseph Kimhi a field, for he will have it to come of foreign a field, the last letter being taken away. And this seemeth to be the best, because 2 King. 9. 36. Iohn recounting this prophesie, hath it, foreign, and there it is shewed to have been fulfilled. And this was a greater punishment then that of Ahab, as her sinne was greater: for he had a buriall, she none, he fell in the warres, she by her own attendants, being thrown down through a window as most base, and trampled under the feet of horses, to deterre all from being authours and insligatours of others to evill. *V. 24. The vulgar Latin contrary to the Hebr. If Ahab shall dye in the city, the dogs shall eat him, &c. neither is it true by the history because Ahab was buried. Whereas Tostatus to salve all saith, that for his penitency this was remitted, he is taxed by one of his own side, Sallianus who goeth from the vulgar Lat. and followeth the Hebrew herein.That which followeth of the dogs eating such of his, as should dye in the citie, &c. is the same, that was threatned against Baasha, chap. 16. 4. and that which is added v. 25. of his sinning more then any, that went before him, was also spoken before chap. 16. 30. OnelyOnly it is made a question by Martyr, whether these be the words of the historian, or of Elijah? but concludeth them against many other Expositours, to be the words of Elijah, whereas it seemeth to me rather, according to other Expositours, to be plainly the speech of the historian, because it is in the third person, but Elijah spake in the second, unto v. 23, 24. which these words follow as an inference justifying the Lord in his proceedings against him, made not Elijah, for then he should have repeated something spoken before, but by another man, who also compareth him in his idolatries to the Amorites, who were cast out of the land; intimating that likewise both he and all his should be but justly dealt withall in being thus spued out also.
When Ahab heard this he rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth, and fasted, and V. 27.went softly.] The Chaldee and vulgar Latin bare-footed, others hanging his head. By his going softly as the Hebrew hath it, is meant, after the manner of mourners. It strook him more to hear of the cruel destruction of his wife & family, then of the loss of his own life before; or to feel the hand of God in the long continued drought, or to see the miracle of fire sent down upon Elijah his sacrifice, or any thing else, which the Lord did miraculously for him. For he was now even overcome with terrors, this being added to the rest, & he could not but believe that it should verily come thus to passe, because he threatned it, of the truth of whose prophesies he had had experience formerly. Yet his wicked heart could not be moved to true repentance, only for the fear of these judgements he sorrowed, and humbled himselfe before the Lord, as is said, v. 29. whereby is intimated, that in this mournfull manner he sought mercy and pardon at his hands, or according to Martyr, believing what was threatned from the Lord by Elijah. For by his malice against Michaiah, a prophet of the Lord declared, ch. 22. he shewed that this sorrow was not godly to repentance never to bee repented of, as it is called, 2 Cor. 7. 10. but worldly; not arising out of the love and feare of God, and hatred of his sinnes, for then he would not so soon have added more sinne to his former, by imprisoning Gods prophet for telling him the truth, but only from this, that he was now like to suffer most grievous things for his wickednesse, which yet he thought happily might thus be prevented, so Theoderet, Procopius, Theoderet. Procopius. Martyr. Pellican. Lyra.and Martyr and Pellican, call it hypocrisie. Augustine a temporany repentance. Lyra saith, it is commonly held, that it was only a sorrow arising from from fear of judgements, and whereas it may seem true repentance, because God accepted of it so far as to deferre these judgements that were temporany, therefore he saith it was not, for then it would have been of force to exempt him from eternall. Others, amongst whom is S. Augustine, that it was true repentance, but temporany; and therefore prevailed only for the deferring, not the taking away of the Gregor. in Ezek. 10. Chrysost. de repar. laps. Tostatus. Ambros. in ipso perfido Ahab, gemitus invenisset gratiam, nisi manens invidia cumulasset offensam.punishments threatned. Gregory exhorting to repentauce saith, if Ahab pleased God because he repented for temporall judgements threatned, how much more shall they please him, who repent for that they are threatned with eternall. But Chrysostome goeth further then any, saying, that for this he had all his sinnes pardoned; of which, there is no probability for the reason before going. Yet Tostatus following him, saith it was true repentance, although he soon returned to his former vomit. To conclude, Ambrose saith rightly, even in treacherous Ahab mourning had found grace, if envie remaining had not more heaped up sin; and Gratian saith, that by the instigation of his wife, he by and by returned to his old condition and wickednesses. De paenit. distinct. 3.
For this his repentance arising from feare of judgemets, which lasted not; the V. 29.Lord was so moved, that he promised to deferre the calamities that should come upon his house till after his death, which sheweth his pronenesse to merey, where there is sorrow for sin unto amendment of life. For otherwise the benefit is little, as unto Ahab, a deferring, but not a taking away of future judgements. And if sorrow to amendment may be wrought upon terrours or any cause, they are happy tertours; as to the jaylour, Acts 16.
Naboth by interpretation is possession; Iezreel, the seed of God, according to the The Allegory.ordinary glosse, figuring out the sonne of God. His vineyard the Church Ahab coveted, that is, the brother of the father, as the word signifieth, and by him the Iew the brother of Christ according to the flesh is set forth to make a garden of hearbs, that is, to plant in it the weeds of traditions; & when Christ withstood this, Iezabel, that is, the Synagogue plotted his destruction; and then the Iew possessed the Church by extirping justification by faith, and planting that by the works of the law, thus far the Ord. Gloss. But their end therefore was, as of Ahab and Iezzabel, to be rooted out of that land, and to be most ignominious, as sinning in this execrable fact of theirs, viz. murthering the Lord of life, more, then any that were before them, and this judgement stayed not here, but extended to their posterity also, from generation to generation. Morally, saith Lyra, mighty men with their evill counsellours are here taxed, which seek unjustly the possessions of others. Against such the preacher ought to inveigh, and this will be the ruine of their houses, yet such as repent shall have their punishment changed from eternall to temporall.