I randomly opened my Bible today (09/04/21) to 1 Kings 19:1 “Elijah’s Escape from Jezebel,” and started reading it aloud. An interesting chapter, Elijah seems to be emotionally exhausted with his life and requests to die. An angel appears and brings him a cake to nourish him back to continue on with his journey. I’ve read 1 Kings previously and 1 Kings 20:34 never really jumped out at me until now, especially given my last blog. Link Here
1 Kings 20:34 KJV) And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took from thy father, I will restore; and thou shalt make streets for thee in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send thee away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away.
The word for “covenant” in strongs H1285 “Zixa” pronounced, “ber-eeth” Link to Definition Covenant, alliance, pledge, treaty, alliance, league (man to man), constitution, ordinance (monarch to subjects), between God and man, alliance of friendship, covenant (divine ordinance with signs or pledges), covenant making, covenant keeping, covenant violation.
1 Kings 21 Ahab is interested in purchasing Naboth’s vineyard for money to make an herb garden near his house and Naboth states the Lord forbids him to sell because the vineyard is an inheritance of his fathers. Interesting to me is the response of Ahab’s wife Jezebel when he comes home displeased by Naboth’s refusal in 1 Kings 21:8-11 (KJV).
- So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.
9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:
10 And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.
11 And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them.
12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.
13 And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.
14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.
15 And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.
16 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.
After reading 1 King 21:8-11, I was thinking about the power that Jezebel possessed by pretending to write a letter in the name and seal of her husband Ahab. The power was significant enough to lead a group of men to lie against Naboth, wrongfully convict him of blaspheme of God and the King which ultimately led to him being stoned to death. An innocent man underwent all this pain and suffering, to the extent of an excruciating death so that Ahab could take his vineyard and plant an herb garden.
Isaiah 8:12 Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.