The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 506

Iernel who will by no means clear the guilty. And so Elijah, the great restorer of the law, stands forth to avenge the death of No.both, the law-keeper, at the bands of law-brAakers. "Arise, tnke possession of the vineyard of Ne.both, which he refused to give thee for money, for Naboth is not alive, but dead.'' Did the king stop to ask how this death had been brought about 'l Did he know the shameful crime that had been committed in his name, and under hie palace walls? He must have known some- thing of it, if not all. Even if he thought it prudent to ask no questions, still he would remember the significant promise of ver. 7; he wo nld have some suspicions of the purpose for which the royal seal was reguired ; and it would be clear to him, even if he did not know the exact circumstances, that somehow Jezebel had com- passed Naboth's death. It was clear to him that this vineyard was bought at the price of blood. But he will not let such considerations as these hinder hie enjoyment of it. All he thinks of or cares for is this, that the vineyard is hie and he can enter upon it at once. He will enter upon it at once. His chariot shall bear him to the spot. He will view his new property that day; he will begin his garden of herbs forthwith. The citizens of Jezreel, the" elders," and" children of Belial" amongst them, see the royal chariot crossing the plain, breasting the hill, entering the city. They know full well what is its destination. There is hardly a child in the city but guesses the king's errand. It causes them no sw-prise when the chnriot and its escort pass on to the vineyard of N aboth. But they shall learn, and through them all Israel shall learn, that there is a just God in heaven, and that even the king is responsible to a Higher Power ; and they shall know that Goel Himself is against the evildoer, and shall render to every man according to his works (Prov. xxiv. 12 ; Matt. xvi. 27 ; 2 Tim. iv. 14). For who is this that strides up to the king as he stands in the coveted vineyard, and shapes his projects concerning it? It is a prophet-the dress proves that; a glance shows that it is the dreaded, mysterious prophet Elijah. "Behold Elijah " (eh. xviii. 8, 11) is on their lips. Whence has he come? Since the day of Carmel he has been hidden from their view. They had often wondered why he had so suddenly disappeared; whether he was still alive ; whether the Spirit hnd cast him upon some mountain or into some valley (2 Kings ii. 16) ; whether he was hiding among foreigners as he had done before. And now he is amongst them again. And Jehu and Bidkn.r at least (2 Kings ix. 25), and probably others with them, presently understand the reason of hie sudden reappearance. "Hast thou killed," he thunders forth, " o.nd also taken possession?" 'l'hey see the guilty look on A.hab's face ; they note hie ashy paleness; they observe how he trembles helplessly from h1iacl to foot. Then they hear the terrible doom-and their ears tingle, as Elijah's impassioned words fall upon them-'' Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Jezebel shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine." They hear, o.nd Ahab heo.re, that for him a death as cruel and shameful as Naboth's i,; re- served; that, king though he is, he shall come to the dogs at the last But more : they presently learn that for his children, born in the purple a.nd delicately nurtured, there remains a. reckoning; that their blood must be shed, their bodies torn of beasts, like those of Naboth'e sons. Nor shall proud Jezebel, the prime mover in this murder, escape. In the open space before the city wall tho dogs which devoured the flesh of Naboth shall feast upon her deo.d body. All this was spoken in the broad day, before king and retinue, by a prophet whoso words hnd never fallen to the ground. The king is found out; he is to.ken red-handed in the blossoms of bis sin. Yesterday the crime, to-day the sentence. We may compo.re the feelings of that group standing in the vineyard with those of that surging crowd who saw Robespierre standing under the guillotine to which he had consigned so many hundreds of Frenchmen. "Aye, Robespierre, there is a. God." ,vo may imagine liow they stood for a while transfixed to the spot; how, when Elijah had hurled his words at the king, he strode away nnd left them to rankle in hie mind. But the thing was not done in o. corner, o.nd it could not be kept secret. A.s the the.riot returns to Be.maria the townsman in the eh:eet, the peasant in the field,  518 TIIE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. [.:JB. XXI. 1-29.