HarperCollins Study Bible

by Harold W. Attridge

  20.38 The bandage is sometimes thought to have covered a distinctive mark on the forehead of prophetic guild members.

  20.39–40 This “juridical parable” is designed to trap the hearer into announcing the punishment for his own crime (see also 2 Sam 12.1–12). Talent. See note on 9.14.

  1 KINGS 21

  Naboth’s Vineyard

  1Later the following events took place: Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. 2And Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard, so that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house; I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value in money.” 3But Naboth said to Ahab, “The LORD forbid that I should give you my ancestral inheritance.” 4Ahab went home resentful and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him; for he had said, “I will not give you my ancestral inheritance.” He lay down on his bed, turned away his face, and would not eat.

  5His wife Jezebel came to him and said, “Why are you so depressed that you will not eat?” 6He said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard for it’ but he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’” 7His wife Jezebel said to him, “Do you now govern Israel? Get up, eat some food, and be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

  8So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal; she sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who lived with Naboth in his city. 9She wrote in the letters, “Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth at the head of the assembly; 10seat two scoundrels opposite him, and have them bring a charge against him, saying, ‘You have cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out, and stone him to death.” 11The men of his city, the elders and the nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them. Just as it was written in the letters that she had sent to them, 12they proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the assembly. 13The two scoundrels came in and sat opposite him; and the scoundrels brought a charge against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they took him outside the city, and stoned him to death. 14Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned; he is dead.”

  15As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, “Go, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead.” 16As soon as Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab set out to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

  Elijah Pronounces God’s Sentence

  17Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying: 18Go down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rulesa in Samaria; he is now in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession. 19You shall say to him, “Thus says the LORD: Have you killed, and also taken possession?” You shall say to him, “Thus says the LORD: In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will also lick up your blood.”

  20Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” He answered, “I have found you. Because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the LORD, 21I will bring disaster on you; I will consume you, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel; 22and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have caused Israel to sin. 23Also concerning Jezebel the LORD said, ‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the bounds of Jezreel.’ 24Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat; and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds of the air shall eat.”

  25(Indeed, there was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the LORD, urged on by his wife Jezebel. 26He acted most abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the LORD drove out before the Israelites.)

  27When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth over his bare flesh; he fasted, lay in the sackcloth, and went about dejectedly. 28Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: 29“Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son’s days I will bring the disaster on his house.”

  next chapter

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  a Heb who is

  21.1–16 Like the story of David, Uriah, and Bathsheba (2 Sam 11.1–12.25), this narrative probes the question of the limits of royal power. Unlike the other stories about Elijah and Ahab, where the underlying issue is religious apostasy, this story focuses on the king’s willingness to violate individual rights. Elsewhere in the ancient Near East, monarchs had, or sought to have, absolute control over their subjects. As this story illustrates, however, such control was never an ideal in Israel, where the king was never above the law and was always subject to divine judgment.

  21.1 Jeroboam had built a second palace in the town of Jezreel, where he lived when he was not in the capital in Samaria (see 18.45–46).

  21.3 Israelites normally tried to prevent inherited property from passing out of the family, although there were no legal barriers against land sales. According to some legal traditions, however, land could not be sold in perpetuity but had to revert eventually to its original owner (Lev 25.8–17, 23–25; 27.16–25).

  21.4 Ahab is resentful and sullen not just because he does not get his way but because Naboth’s oath (v. 3) precludes the possibility of further negotiations.

  21.8 This verse seems to imply that Ahab has returned to Samaria.

  21.9 Naboth is to be seated with the leaders of the people, but he is not by himself their head.

  21.10 In Deuteronomic law two witnesses were required for conviction (Deut 17.6–7; 19.15; cf. Num 35.30), and there were severe penalties for giving false testimony (Ex 20.16; Deut 5.20; 19.16–21). For the prohibitions against cursing God or the king, see Ex 22.28; Lev 24.14–16.

  21.15 The property of executed criminals may have been forfeited to the king, or Naboth may have had no relatives to prevent the king from taking the land.

  21.17–29 Jezebel may be able to conceal her crime from Ahab and the people, but she cannot conceal it from God. For his involvement in the murder and for his theft of Naboth’s land, both the king and his house are condemned. Ironically it is not his apostasy but his willingness to exceed the limits on royal power that brings an end to his rule.

  21.19 The first announcement of judgment applies to Ahab personally and not to his house.

  21.21–24 The second announcement of judgment is virtually identical with the one made to Jeroboam (14.10–11) and is also similar to the one made to Baasha (16.3–4).

  21.22 Ahab’s crime of causing Israel to sin probably refers to his encouragement of illegitimate worship (16.32–33) rather than to his involvement in the Naboth incident.

  21.23 The oracle against Ahab and his house is expanded to include Jezebel, who in the eyes of the narrator was responsible for introducing Baal worship into Israel and was directly involved in Naboth’s murder.

  21.27 Sackcloth, here a sign of mourning and penitence (see note on 20.31).

  21.29 For the motif of penitence leading to a postponement or modification of judgment, see 2 Sam 12.13–14; 2 Kings 22.11–20. The oracle against Ahab’s house is finally fulfilled in 2 Kings 10.17; Jezebel’s death is recorded in 2 Kings 9.30–37. The judgment against Ahab personally occurs more quickly (ch. 22).

  1 KINGS 22

  Joint Campaign with Judah against Aram

  1For three years Aram and Israel continued without war.2But in the third year King Jehoshaphat of Judah came down to the king of Israel. 3The king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, yet we are doing nothing to take it out of the hand of the king of Aram?” 4He said to Jehoshaphat, �
�Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?” Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I am as you are; my people are your people, my horses are your horses.”

  5But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “Inquire first for the word of the LORD.” 6Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred of them, and said to them, “Shall I go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?” They said, “Go up; for the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.” 7But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there no other prophet of the LORD here of whom we may inquire?” 8The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one other by whom we may inquire of the LORD, Micaiah son of Imlah; but I hate him, for he never prophesies anything favorable about me, but only disaster.” Jehoshaphat said, “Let the king not say such a thing.” 9Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, “Bring quickly Micaiah son of Imlah.” 10Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting on their thrones, arrayed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. 11Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made for himself horns of iron, and he said, “Thus says the LORD: With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.” 12All the prophets were prophesying the same and saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph; the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.”

  Micaiah Predicts Failure

  13The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the words of the prophets with one accord are favorable to the king; let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.” 14But Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, whatever the LORD says to me, that I will speak.”

  15When he had come to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?” He answered him, “Go up and triumph; the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.” 16But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?” 17Then Micaiaha said, “I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep that have no shepherd; and the LORD said, ‘These have no master; let each one go home in peace.’” 18The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy anything favorable about me, but only disaster?”

  19Then Micaiahb said, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, with all the host of heaven standing beside him to the right and to the left of him. 20And the LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab, so that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ Then one said one thing, and another said another, 21until a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, saying, ‘I will entice him.’ 22‘How?’ the LORD asked him. He replied, ‘I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then the LORDc said, ‘You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do it.’ 23So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the LORD has decreed disaster for you.”

  24Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah came up to Micaiah, slapped him on the cheek, and said, “Which way did the spirit of the LORD pass from me to speak to you?” 25Micaiah replied, “You will find out on that day when you go in to hide in an inner chamber.” 26The king of Israel then ordered, “Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son, 27and say, ‘Thus says the king: Put this fellow in prison, and feed him on reduced rations of bread and water until I come in peace.’” 28Micaiah said, “If you return in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me.” And he said, “Hear, you peoples, all of you!”

  Defeat and Death of Ahab

  29So the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. 30The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle. 31Now the king of Aram had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, “Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel.” 32When the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “It is surely the king of Israel.” So they turned to fight against him; and Jehoshaphat cried out. 33When the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. 34But a certain man drew his bow and unknowingly struck the king of Israel between the scale armor and the breastplate; so he said to the driver of his chariot, “Turn around, and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded.” 35The battle grew hot that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans, until at evening he died; the blood from the wound had flowed into the bottom of the chariot. 36Then about sunset a shout went through the army, “Every man to his city, and every man to his country!”

  37So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; they buried the king in Samaria. 38They washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria; the dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes washed themselves in it,d according to the word of the LORD that he had spoken. 39Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house that he built, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel? 40So Ahab slept with his ancestors; and his son Ahaziah succeeded him.

  Jehoshaphat Reigns over Judah

  41Jehoshaphat son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of King Ahab of Israel. 42Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. 43He walked in all the way of his father Asa; he did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the LORD; yet the high places were not taken away, and the people still sacrificed and offered incense on the high places. 44Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.

  45Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his power that he showed, and how he waged war, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? 46The remnant of the male temple prostitutes who were still in the land in the days of his father Asa, he exterminated.

  47There was no king in Edom; a deputy was king. 48Jehoshaphat made ships of the Tarshish type to go to Ophir for gold; but they did not go, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber. 49Then Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships,” but Jehoshaphat was not willing. 50Jehoshaphat slept with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his father David; his son Jehoram succeeded him.

  Ahaziah Reigns over Israel

  51Ahaziah son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of King Jehoshaphat of Judah; he reigned two years over Israel. 52He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father and mother, and in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. 53He served Baal and worshiped him; he provoked the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger, just as his father had done.

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  a Heb he

  b Heb he

  c Heb he

  d Heb lacks in it

  22.1–12 After the interlude of Naboth’s vineyard, the narrator returns to the subject of Israel’s wars with Aram (see ch. 20).

  22.1 The treaty Ahab made with Ben-hadad of Aram apparently maintained the peace (20.34).

  22.2 During this period the Judean king Jehoshaphat was one of Ahab’s vassals (v. 44), a relationship Ahab sealed by marrying his daughter, Athaliah, to Jehoshaphat’s son, Jehoram (2 Kings 8.18, 26).

  22.3 Ramoth-gilead, a levitical city east of the Jordan that had been one of Solomon’s administrative centers (4.13). Its precise location is unknown.

  22.4 As a vassal of Ahab’s, Jehoshaphat is bound to fight against Israel’s enemies.

  22.5 Throughout the ancient Near East, it was customary before battle to seek a divine oracle or omen to determine whether there would be a favorable outcome (see, e.g., 1 Sam 28.3–19; Ezek 21.21–23).

  22.6–7 The four hundred prophets were part of the royal co
urt, but the Judean king apparently doubted that they were prophets of the Lord.

  22.11 Zedekiah’s prophetic act with the horns was not an illustration of his prophecy; rather, it was believed to have the power to actualize his words.

  22.13–28 Micaiah not only supplies a true oracle for Ahab but also provides a rare glimpse into the inner world of the prophet. The story also furnishes a clear example of the conflicts that could arise when one prophet’s words disagreed with those of another.

  22.13 The messenger apparently wants to avoid the confusion that would result if Micaiah were to go against the prophetic consensus.

  22.15–16 Micaiah’s decision to follow the majority is not credible because his oracle departs from his customary message.

  22.19–23 Micaiah attempts to give more authority to his oracle by describing the circumstances in which he received it. He became an observer of the heavenly court and overheard God discussing events with supernatural advisers (cf. Isa 6.1–13).

  22.22 The spirit is not described as a being who is inherently evil or as a tempter or adversary (cf. Job 1–2; Zech 3.1–2). Rather, the spirit plans to become a lying spirit temporarily in order to deceive Ahab.

  22.24–25 The confrontation between the two prophets indicates that neither prophet was willing to admit that the other might be right.

  22.29–40 In spite of Ahab’s efforts to nullify the prophetic oracles, the words of Elijah (21.19) and Micaiah (22.17) are inevitably fulfilled.

  22.30 Ahab disguises himself so that the enemy will think that the royally attired Jehoshaphat is the king of Israel.

  22.32 Jehoshaphat’s cry may have been a distinctive battle cry that allowed the Arameans to identify him.