The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 498

41, and elsewhere. But "his bed" seems pose of authentice.tion, is of great antiquity. rather to point to his private chamber ; see Some of the Egyptian signets are more the.n on ver. 5], a.nd turned away his face [The 4,000 years old. Their use in the e.ge of the Vulgate adds ad parieteni. Cf. 2 Kings xx. 2 ; patriarchs is attested by Gen. xxxviii. lS from which place it may have been uncon- and xli. 42 ; their importance is proved by sciously introduced here], a.nd would eat no the text, by Esther iii. 10; viii. 2, 8, 10 bread. [Keil contends that " this childish (cf. "Herod," iii. 128); Dan. vi. 17; Jer. mode of giving expression to his displeasure xxxii. 10, 64; Hag. ii. 23, &c. Whether shows very olea.rly that Ahab was a man this seal-which does not necessarily prove sold under sin (ver. 20), who only wanted the that those who used it could not write- requisite energy to display the wickedness was impressed upon the writings themselves of his heart in vigorous action ; " but according to the modern practice of the whether this is a. just inference from these East, or upon a piece of clay (Job xxxviii. words may well be questioned. It rather 14), which was then attached to the letter shows that so little did he meditate evil that by strings, we ho.ve no means of knowing. be accepted the refusal of Naboth as con- The use of Ahab's seal affords a strong pre- clusive, and gave way to childish griel sumption the.t he was privy to her designs Ver. 5.-But Jezebel his wife came to (Biibr), but of this we cannot be absolutely b1m, a.nd said unto him, Why 1s thy spirit certain], a.nd sent the letters unto the so sad [same word as in ver. 4], that thou elders [see Deut. xvi. 18] a.nd to the nobles eatest no bread? [It would seem that the [same word Neh. ii. 16; iv. 13 ; Eccles. queen missed him from the banqueting x. 17] that were 1n his city, dwelling [or ball-he can hardly, therefore, have lain inhabitants, as in ver, 11] with Naboth. down on one of the divans or couches Ver. 9.-And she wrote 1n the letters, therein-and went to bis bedroom to in- saying, Proclaim a fast [The object of this quire the reason.] ordinance was to give the impression that Ver. 6.-And he said unto her, Because I the city w11s labouring under, or threatened ,ipake unto Naboth the Jezreellte, and said with, a curse, because of some undiscovered unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money sin (2 Sam. xxi. 1 ; Josh. ix. 11; Deut. [Heb. saver]; or else, if 1t please [Heb. xxi. 9), which must be removed or averted delight] thee, I will give thee another vine- by public humiliation. Cf. Joel i. 14 ; ii. yard for it : a.nd he answered [Heb. said] , 12; 1 Se.m. vii. 6; 2 Chron. xx. 3)], a.nd set I will not give thee my vineyard. [Ahab Naboth on high among the people. [Heb. does not mention the reason which Naboth at the head of the people. Keil, al. interpret, assigned for his refusal. But Naboth'sreai;ons "bring him into the court of justice, as were nothing to him, and he h.a.d hardly defendant before all the people." And cer- given them a second thought.] tainly ~::i1t?iin here, and in the next verse- Ver. 7.-And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern [Heb. make ; where it is used of the witnesses (cf. ver. LXX. 'JrD!El{; /3aO'tAia] the kingdom of 13)-means, make to sit; which looks as i1 Isra.el? [There is no question expressed in judicial procedure were intended. But "at the Hebrew which stands, " Thou now the head of the people " rather suggests that makest the kingdom over Israel" The com- in the public assembly, which marked the mentators generally, however, understand fast (Joel ii. 15), Naboth we.s assigned tho the words-as the LXX. e.nd the A. V.-as most distinguished place. The reason _for an ironical question, " Art thou ruler in this is obvious, viz., to give a colour of I.DI· aught but name?" though some take it as partiality to the prooeedings. As Grot!us! an imperative : " Do thou now exert Ne odio damna6se ci·ederentur, quem ipsi authority over the kingdom of Israel." honoraverunt. It would also accord with And on :the whole, this latter interpre- the l)Opular idea of retributive justice that tation appears to be preferable. " Do thou Ne.both should be denounced in the very now play the king. ~:i,ke thy power hour of his triumph and exaltation. felt. Give me the reqU1s1te authonty. I Josephus, however, se.ys tho.t it was be- will," &c.] Arise, and eat bread [or food], cause of his high birth that this position a.nd let thine heart be merry [Heb. good; was assigned him.] same words 1 Se.m. xxv. 36] : I [This word Ver. 10.-And set two men [according to iB emphatic. "If thou wilt do thy part, I the provisions of the law (Deut. xvii. 6, 7 ; will do mine."] will give thee [no need to xix. 5; Num. xxxv. 30). "Even Jezebel bears buy it] the vineyard of Naboth the witness to the Pcnto.teuch" (Wordsworth). Jezreellte. Josephus speaks of three witnesses], sons of Ver. 8.-so she wrote letters [Heh. writ- Bellal [i.e., worthless men. This use of i11r1s J 1n Ahab's name, and sealed them with the word "son" (cf. Psa. lxxxix. 22, " eon '11s se.:u ['l'he use of the seal, for the pnr- of wickedness"), which is one of the com•  THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. 509