Editing Naboth (section)

==Narrative==
According to 1 Kings 21:1–16, Naboth owned a vineyard that was close to Ahab's palace in Jezreel. Ahab asked Naboth if he could buy the vineyard so that he could use it as a vegetable (or herb) garden.<ref name=Isaacs>[https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/463996/jewish/Murder-of-Naboth.htm Isaacs, Jacob. "The Murder of Naboth", Chabad.org.]</ref><ref name=je>[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/11263-naboth Hirsch, Emil G. and Seligsohn, M., "Naboth", ''Jewish Encyclopedia'']</ref> Naboth refused because the land was ancestral inheritance.<ref name="Zaimov">[https://www.christianpost.com/news/archaeologist-discovers-proof-for-biblical-vineyard-of-naboth-191868/ Zaimov, Stoyan. "Archaeologist Discovers Proof for Biblical Vineyard of Naboth", ''The Christian Post'', July 13, 2017]</ref> Some theorize that Naboth was also fearful of disobeying the [[Mosaic law]] which forbade the permanent selling of land.<ref>[http://biblehub.com/commentaries/jfb/1_kings/21.htm Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary on 1 Kings 21], accessed 5 November 2017</ref>

Jezebel resolved the issue<ref name=Isaacs/> by writing a letter, under Ahab's name, to the elders and nobles of Jezreel. In the letter, the elders and nobles were instructed to organize a religious fast and exalt Naboth and bring forth two witnesses to (falsely) accuse Naboth of cursing God and the king. Afterwards, they were to stone Naboth to death outside the city. Commentators observe that these instructions deliberately adhered to the [[Death penalty in the Bible|Biblical guidelines of criminal justice]] so that the public would not suspect foul play.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023 |title=1 Kings 21: Keil and Delitzsch OT Commentary |url=https://biblehub.com/commentaries/kad/1_kings/21.htm |website=Biblehub}}</ref> That said, Jezebel explicitly calls the two witnesses "sons of [[Belial]]," which may be descriptive of their willingness to do anything to get paid.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023 |title=1 Kings 21: Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Commentary |url=https://biblehub.com/commentaries/cambridge/1_kings/21.htm |website=Biblehub}}</ref> 

The conspiracy succeeded, with Naboth's corpse being licked by stray dogs.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2022 |title=1 Kings 21: Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible |url=https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/bcc/1-kings-21.html#verse-11 |website=StudyLight.org}}</ref> 

[[Emil G. Hirsch]] points out that "It seems from II Kings ix. 26 that Naboth's sons perished with their father, probably being killed soon afterward by order of Jezebel in order that they might not claim the vineyard as their inheritance."<ref name="je" /> The executions also had [[precedent]] in the execution of [[Achan (biblical figure)|Achan]]'s family, as recorded in the [[Book of Joshua]], which Jezebel was most likely inspired by.<ref name=":0" /> After Naboth and his sons were executed, Jezebel told Ahab that he could possess the vineyard.<ref name="Isaacs" /> 

[[Johannes Pedersen (theologian)|Johannes Pedersen]] said that "The story teaches us that the king is bound to respect the proprietary rights of families..."<ref name=Andersen/> According to rabbinic literature, Naboth's soul was the lying spirit that was permitted to deceive Ahab to his death.<ref>[https://www.aish.com/atr/The-Lying-Spirit-Which-Deceived-Ahab.html Aish.com The Lying spirt which deceived Ahab]</ref> Naboth's death was further avenged after [[Jehu]] fatally shot Ahab's son [[Jehoram of Israel|Jehoram]] in the back with an arrow and threw his body in Naboth's former vineyard. Jezebel met a similar fate after she was thrown off a building, with her corpse devoured by dogs. According to the Bible, all of this was prophesized by prophet [[Elijah]], who fiercely condemned Naboth's execution.<ref>2 Kings 9:35-37</ref>