Monday, July 1, 2013

The descendants of Jabob shall inherit the Vineyards of Naboth Seizure of Naboth's Vineyard

Old Testament 1 KINGS Chapter 21,  Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel next to the palace of  Ahab, king of Samaria, Ahab said to Naboth, "Give me your vineyard to be my vegtable garden, since it is close by, next to my house.  I will give you a better vineyard in exchange, or if you prefer, I will give you it's value in money.  "The Lord forbid," Naboth answered him, "that I should give you my ancestral heritage."  Ahab went home disturbed and angry at the answer Naboth the Jezreelite had made to him; "I will not give you my ancestral heritage."  Lying down on his bed, he turned away from food and would not eat.  His wife Jezebel came to him ans said to him, "Why are you so angry that you will not eat?"  He answered her, "Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, 'Sell me your vineyard, or, if you prefer, I will give you a vineyard in exchange.' But he refused to let me have his vineyard."  "A fine ruler over Israel you are indeed!"  Get up.  Eat and be cheerful.  I will obtain the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you."  So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and, having sealed them with his seal, sent them to the elders and to the nobles who lived in the same city with Naboth.  This is what she wrote in the letters:  "Proclaim a fast and set Naboth at the head of the people.  Next, get two scoundrels to face him and accuse him of having cursed God and king.  Then take him out and stone him to death."  His fellow citizens--the elders and the nobles who dwelt in the city--did as Jezebel had ordered them in writing, through the letters she had sent them.  They proclaimed a fast and placed Naboth at the head of the people.  Two scoundrels came in and confronted him with accusation, "Naboth has cursed God and king."  And they led him out of the city and stoned him to death.  Then they sent the information to Jezebel that Naboth had been stoned to death.