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Now there was one Naboth, of the city Izar, [Jezreel,] who had a
field adjoining to that of the king: the king would have persuaded him
to sell him that his field, which lay so near to his own lands, at what
price he pleased, that he might join them together, and make them one farm;
and if he would not accept of money for it, he gave him leave to choose
any of his other fields in its stead. But Naboth said he would not do so,
but would keep the possession of that land of his own, which he had by
inheritance from his father. Upon this the king was grieved, as if he had
received an injury, when he could not get another man's possession, and
he would neither wash himself, nor take any food: and when Jezebel asked
him what it was that troubled him, and why he would neither wash himself,
nor eat either dinner or supper, he related to her the perverseness of
Naboth, and how, when he had made use of gentle words to him, and such
as were beneath the royal authority, he had been affronted, and had not
obtained what he desired. However, she persuaded him not to be cast down
at this accident, but to leave off his grief, and return to the usual care
of his body, for that she would take care to have Naboth punished; and
she immediately sent letters to the rulers of the Israelites [Jezreelites]
in Ahab's name, and commanded them to fast and to assemble a congregation,
and to set Naboth at the head of them, because he was of an illustrious
family, and to have three bold men ready to bear witness that he had blasphemed
God and the king, and then to stone him, and slay him in that manner. Accordingly,
when Naboth had been thus testified against, as the queen had written to
them, that he had blasphemed against God and Ahab the king, she desired
him to take possession of Naboth's vineyard on free cost. So Ahab was glad
at what had been done, and rose up immediately from the bed whereon he
lay to go to see Naboth's vineyard; but God had great indignation at it,
and sent Elijah the prophet to the field of Naboth, to speak to Ahab, and
to say to him, that he had slain the true owner of that field unjustly.
And as soon as he came to him, and the king had said that he might do with
him what he pleased, (for he thought it a reproach to him to be thus caught
in his sin,) Elijah said, that in that very place in which the dead body
of Naboth was eaten by dogs both his own blood and that of his wife's should
be shed, and that all his family should perish, because he had been so
insolently wicked, and had slain a citizen unjustly, and contrary to the
laws of his country. Hereupon Ahab began to be sorry for the things he
had done, and to repent of them; and he put on sackcloth, and went barefoot
1 and
would not touch any food; he also confessed his sins, and endeavored
thus to appease God. But God said to the prophet, that while Ahab was living
he would put off the punishment of his family, because he repented of those
insolent crimes he had been guilty of, but that still he would fulfill
his threatening under Ahab's son; which message the prophet delivered to
the king.