Q16. Naboth

[Pastor Ralph]

Q16. (1 Kings 21:1-3) Why does Ahab want Naboth’s vineyard? Is there anything wrong with his proposal to Naboth? Why does Naboth refuse his offer?

[Krissi]

This story reminds me of David and Bathsheba: Here Ahab coveted/lusted-for what was not his to have ... as did David. 

Ahab could have tendered his offer, been rebuffed, and then walked away -- David could have peeked and then looked away, but both succumbed to the temptation of taking what was not theirs. This was a backhanded form of stealing.

It wasn't that the object of their coveting was so desirable to Ahab. Surely, there were many plots of land that were as good, if not better, than Naboth's vineyard. I'm sure, too, that Ahab had enough land around his residence to create his own vineyard or courtyard garden. So, he wasn't tempted by the thing-in-itself, but by the idea that there was something out there he couldn't possess, that there were things in the world that were potentially not to be conquered, bought or taken.

Ahab knew the role of land in Israel, that land was passed down generationally, and yet, he asked to buy it. Ahab's proposal was wrong. Sinful. Against the Jewish law and custom. It was wrong to ask Naboth to do something that was contrary to his belief system, particularly since the Israelite way of looking at the world was one Ahab shared, or should have shared. Ahab knew it would have been wrong to buy the land inherited by another family.

He did it anyway.

Naboth is the noble character in this story. He persisted in keeping the law as he understood it to be, not selling the land at even an exorbitant price, but passing it down through his family-lineage.

(As an aside, isn't it interesting the Elijah, in an earlier chapter, asked the widow for her last meal? Like Ahab, Elijah asked for the outrageous ...)

--

I'm back ...

So, I was just reading about Jeremiah and how Jeremiah's cousin (?) came to him, right before Jerusalem was to fall to the Babylonians, to sell his family's field. Jeremiah bought it -- the field symbolized how the Israelites would return and reclaim their own land. It wasn't a bad deal, then, but a prophetic one.

The point is that Hanameel, the man selling the land, was so convinced that Israel was to be destroyed that he disobeyed the tradition/law and sold the land in advance, making a tidy profit. Very few Israelites returned. (I rather doubt Hanameel was among them, but do not know.)

[hanks]

Q16. (1 Kings 21:1-3) 
Why does Ahab want Naboth's vineyard? Is there anything wrong with his proposal to Naboth? Why does Naboth refuse his offer? 
Ahab said he wanted to plant a vegetable garden. But I believe that he lived an opulent lifestyle and this was more about him having an enclosed garden directly attached to their holiday palace for their own enjoyment. This is the most likely motive which is confirmed by Ahab’s reaction when Naboth refuses to sell or exchange his land. He sulks, goes to lay on his bed, even refusing to eat. All like a spoilt brat who does not get his own way. No, there is nothing wrong with the offer Ahab made; it was a reasonable offer – cash or even a better vineyard. So, Naboth stood to gain from the transaction. However, he was a God-fearing Israelite and refused to sell or exchange his land in obedience to the Mosaic Law that decreed that property should remain in the family to which it was originally assigned. 
 

[Katy]

Q16. King Ahab goes to Naboth and asks him to sell him his land or he offers to exchange Naboth’s land for a piece of his land. Ahab wants to have this piece of land which is adjacent to the palace, in order to design and build a garden for himself and his Queen. There is nothing wrong so far with this proposal. However this land I’d Naboth’s family land, which was allocated to his ancestors when they entered the promised land many years before. This land by law should stay within the family and be passed on from one generation to the next. 

[Siphoñ]

Q16(1Kings21:1-3)Why does Ahab wants Naboth vineyards?Is there anything wrong with  his proposal to Naboth?Why does Naboth refuse his offer?

Ahab wanted Naboth vineyards because it was near his palace and he wanted it to use it for vegetables garden. 

Nothing was wrong about asking him.

Naboth refuse his offer because he said it is the inheritance of his ancestors.

[CharlotteC]

Naboth was possessing land that God had given to his forefathers. He valued his inheritance more than the things Ahab could offer because he was living by the laws of God. Lev 25:23-28; Num 36:7; Ez 46:18 Ahab’s request looks innocent enough to us in our lifestyle of buy and sell real estate whenever we want. Ahab was really asking Naboth to compromise his faith for money or something that looked better. 

Ahab wanted to take what God had given and change it to something that looked similar but yielded different fruit. 
The lesson I am taking away from this is to not sell what God has given to me spiritually. Naboth’s forefathers had to conquer their enemy and continue to cultivate the land. My parents and grandparents have fought spiritual battles so I can have an inheritance. More importantly, Jesus fought spiritual battles for me to become an heir in the kingdom of God. Satan likes to come along and make “innocent looking offers” to see if I will sell off a little bit of my inheritance. 
Yesterday, I was feeling grumpy for no apparent reason so I asked God why. The inner impression I got was because I was willing to sell my joy. I immediately declared, “My joy that Jesus gave to me is not for sale.” The grumpiness left.

 

[lighthouse2014]

Ahab wants Naboth's vineyard most likely for a personal terrace to over look valley below, very doubtful he wanted it for a garden. As a King he believes he can have or do anything he wants with no refusal.

Ahab's proposal to Naboth for the vineyard seems reasonable, however, Naboth's refuses because it is part of his family heritage which is passed down through generations, and he has no intention of giving it up.   

[haar]

Q16. (1 Kings 21:1-3) Why does Ahab want Naboth's vineyard? Is there anything wrong with his proposal to Naboth? Why does Naboth refuse his offer?

According to Ahab, he wanted to grow vegetables. There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong on the surface. But Naboth refusal is based on his knowledge that the land was for the family to be passed from one generation to another. He is right.
 

[blezed]

Why does Ahab want Naboth’s vineyard?

Ahab wanted Naboth's vineyard to plant a royal garden and for the pleasure of the king and queen.

Is there anything wrong with his proposal to Naboth?

Yes, Naboth saw it as a betrayal of his family that had farmed this very land from time immemorial. He also sees this as a betrayal of his God who had allotted this land to his clan under Joshua centuries before.

Why does Naboth refuse his offer?

Naboth stated to Abab that the Lord forbid that he should give him the inheritance of his fathers.

[Zibuyile]

Q16.Why does Ahab want Naboth's vineyard? It was near his palace and he wanted it for Vegetable  garden

16.1 Is there anything wrong with Ahab's proposal?

Yes , This was piece of land that was given to his family,  and giving it to Ahaab would  be like selling with his family fortune

Q16.2 Why does Naboth refuse his offer? The piece of land Ahab wants was given to Nabith's family by God Himself as a gifts .Families  were free to do with the land as they want., under the covenant the land could not be transferred   permanently  to  someone  else. 

[Christopher Olamiji Taiwo]

. (1 Kings 21:1-3) Why does Ahab want Naboth's vineyard? Is there anything wrong with his proposal to Naboth? Why does Naboth refuse his offer?

Ahab want Naboth's vineyard because he wants it to plant vegetables and very close to his palace.

nothing wrong in the proposal to Another because it is not for free.

Naboth refused the offer because it was his inheritance.

[Jonathan Edwards]

He wanted the nice fertile ground to supply food and add ambience to his estate.   Nothing in itself wrong about that; Ahab's covetousness is what did him in.

Naboth had to honor God's law and his ancestors.    He was courageous in refusing King Ahab's offer.   I wonder if King Ahab's court manager Obadiah tried to reason with King Ahab.   The heartache that Obadiah went through in being a witness for God in King Ahab's palace.   

Naboth wanted to honor God's Law.  Naboth wanted to preserve the family legacy.  His testimony was a clarion testimony to King Ahab as to strict allegiance to God's law.  Unlike King Ahab, Naboth didn't waver in his obedience to God's Law.  Like the Rechabites in the Book of Jeremiah, Naboth maintained his steadfast faith in God.

[Irmela]

Q16. (1 Kings 21:1-3)

Why does Ahab want Naboth's vineyard?

Is there anything wrong with his proposal to Naboth?

Why does Naboth refuse his offer?

According to the passage in Scripture, Ahab wanted the ground for personal reasons.  Be it to grow vegetables or have it as a place of pleasure, is beside the point.  He wanted it for selfish reasons. He made a seemingly fair offer to Naboth, who refused it, as the land had been allotted to his family, originally by Joshua. To Naboth it was like telling God, thanks, but no thanks for what You gave our family.  So not to king or anyone else was he going to hand over his inheritance.  The fact that Ahab sulked about the way things turned out, proves that he coveted the land in a sinful way.  Not just that it would be nice to have it because of its proximity to the palace, but it was greed.

[JOLLAM BANDA]

King Ahab wanted Naboth’s vineyard because he wanted to make a vegetable garden out of it since it was adjacent to his ppalace. King Ahab’s proposal was long because it is covetous. Moreover God forbade the people of Israel to sell ancestral inheritance including land and it’s on this basis that Naboth refused to sell his vineyard.

[Kym Nixon]

He wanted to have a garden close to the palace. There was not wrong with his offer. It was fair. But Naboth felt it would be a slight to his family inheritance. I understand that. When my dad died, I did not want his home to be sold to strangers, but keep it in the family. Maybe there's a little nostalgia there, or sentimental memories of one's childhood, or the knowledge that your parents want the land to stay in the family.

[Old Jerry]

I think that Ahab wants Naboth’s Vineyard because it is close to the palace. There was nothing wrong with Ahab’s offer to Naboth but this was the property that was handed down and the Torah say they shall not trade the land.