NABOTH nā’ bŏth (נָבֹ֥ות, Ναβουθαί; a sprout or fruit). The owner of a vineyard desired by King Ahab since it lay near Ahab’s alternate palace in Jezreel (1 Kings 21:1-29), prob. on the E side of the city (2 Kings 9:25, 26). Ahab offered Naboth either money or the exchange of a better vineyard. Naboth refused on the valid ground that it was part of his paternal inheritance. Inheritances belonged to families, not individuals, and Naboth would have wronged his descendants by selling it, as well as having broken God’s law (Lev 25:23-28; Num 36:7-9). Ahab himself did not force the issue, but Jezebel did. She showed her cruel, ruthless character by arranging a “legal” method by which to take Naboth’s life, and apparently also the lives of his sons (2 Kings 9:26). She ordered Jezreelite officials (Deut 16:18) to suborn false witnesses and so bring about the death-deserving conviction because Naboth had blasphemed both God and king. Her orders were carried out, revealing the strength of her control in the land. This gave Ahab access to the vineyard, but when he came to possess it, Elijah met him and pronounced God’s judgment upon him and the entire royal house. When Ahab repented, temporary respite was given (1 Kings 21:27-29) until his death at Ramoth-gilead. Dogs then licked his blood at the pool of Samaria when it was flushed off his chariot (22:38). Complete fulfillment came through Jehu when he slew Ahab’s second son, Jehoram (2 Kings 9:24), caused the death of Jezebel in Jezreel (9:33), and then the execution of Ahab’s remaining sons in Samaria (10:1-11).

Bibliography C. F. Keil, The Books of the Kings, KD (1872), 269-273; E. G. Kraeling, Bible Atlas (1956), 279, 280; F. I. Andersen, “Socio-Juridical Background of the Naboth Incident,” JBL, LXXXV (March, 1966), 46-57.