"And she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who were dwelling in the city with Naboth. She wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth with high honor among the people; and seat two men, scoundrels, before him to bear witness against him, saying, You have blasphemed God and the king. Then take him out, and stone him, that he may die.
"So the men of his city, the elders and nobles who were inhabitants of his city, did as Jezebel had sent to them, as it was written in the letters which she had sent to them. They proclaimed a fast, and seated Naboth with high honor among the people. And two men, scoundrels, came in and sat before him; and the scoundrels witnessed against him, against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, 'Naboth has blasphemed God and the king!' THEN THEY TOOK HIM OUTSIDE THE CITY AND STONED HIM WITH STONES, SO THAT HE DIED . . . "And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, 'Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead.' ” (1Kings 21:7-13, 15)
Ahab was SO evil that Elijah the prophet declared that him and his entire family should be exterminated. When Ahab repented, however, God let him live and postponed the punishment on his posterity (1Kings 21:17-29). God had this to say about Ahab's wife Jezebel: "And concerning Jezebel the Lord also spoke, saying, 'THE DOGS SHALL EAT JEZEBEL by the wall of Jezreel.'" (1Kings 21:23) The prophet Micaiah foretold Ahab's death at Ramoth-Gilead. Ahab disguised himself, went to a battle at Ramoth, but was killed by an errant arrow (1Kings 22:30-37). As his chariot was being washed, dogs came and licked up his blood, a partial fulfillment of Elijah's prophecy in 1Kings 21:19. Who, then, was like Ahab? Several references are made to kings, other than Ahab, walking in the sins of Jeroboam (1Kings 14:16) including Jeroboam's son Nadab (1Kings 15:31). Baasha succeeded Nadab by killing him (1Kings 15:28), but he too walked in the sins of Jeroboam (1Kings 16:2). Then came Elah (verse 14), and Zimri (verses 15-19), Omri (verse 25), and Ahab whom we have already seen. After Ahab's death his son Ahaziah continued his evil reign (1Kings 22:51-53). Years that these kings reigned are:
Kings of Israel
(Northern Ten Tribes) | Date of Reign (B.C.) | Years Reigned | | | | Jeroboam I | 930 - 909 | 22 | | | | Nadab | 909 - 908 | 2 | | | | Baasha | 908 - 886 | 24 | | | | Elah | 886 - 885 | 2 | | | | Zimri | 885 | 7 days | | | | Omri | 885 - 874 | 12 | | | | Ahab | 874 - 853 | 22 | | | | Ahaziah | 853 - 852 | 2 | Page after page of the books of the kings show most of Israel's rulers (and many of the kingdom of Judah in the South) were evil in the sight of the Lord. |
