Ahab Pouts

Ahab Pouts

Q: What did Naboth have that Ahab wanted?

• a. a large herd of cattle
• b. a vineyard
• c. a beautiful wife

Have you ever known any people who were so used to getting their own way that if they didn’t, they’d pout or try to trick others into giving in to them? That’s what happened in the story of Ahab and Naboth.

Ahab owned lots of land and plenty of vineyards, but Naboth owned a fruitful vineyard near Ahab’s palace. Ahab decided he wanted the vineyard and told Naboth, “Since your vineyard is so convenient to my palace, I would like to buy it to use as a vegetable garden. I will give you a better vineyard in exchange, or if you prefer, I will pay you for it.”

Naboth told Ahab, “The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance that was passed down by my ancestors.”

King Ahab lay on his bed pouting and refusing to eat. Wicked Queen Jezebel, Ahab’s wife, took things into her own hands. She got two men to lie and say Naboth had been heard cursing God and the king. That was a serious offense, so Naboth was stoned to death. Since Naboth was dead, Ahab was able to claim the vineyard as his own.

God sent Elijah to tell Ahab that his family members would be destroyed because of what he’d done. Ahab humbled himself before God, so God said it would not happen in Ahab’s lifetime, but God would destroy the king’s dynasty after his death.

Ahab did many things to anger God. If he’d made better choices, he may have been remembered for better reasons.

For You

Ahab is described as the king who did more to anger God than any king before him (see 1 Kings 16:33). That was his legacy—what people remembered about him or how he influenced them. What might people remember about you? Will they have been influenced for the better by your life?

Answer: b

One day Ahab said to Naboth, “Since your vineyard is so convenient to my palace, I would like to buy it to use as a vegetable garden. I will give you a better vineyard in exchange, or if you prefer, I will pay you for it.”   1 Kings 21:2

(The Whole Story: 1 Kings 21)