Giant Killer Series- Giant Selfishness

Reflective Reading: 1 Kings 21

The story of Naboth’s vineyard in 1 Kings 21 reveals a picture of royal pride, selfishness, and arrogance. The story starts like this:

Now Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of Ahab, king of Samaria. And after this, Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden because it is near my house, and I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value in money.”

At first glance, this request does not appear out of line. King Ahab offers to compensate Naboth for his property and even pay above the fair market value for the land. But to an ancient Hebrew, this story would sound like the height of selfishness and would be very offensive. This is due to many historically significant factors, which we’ll discuss.

First off, according to the Law, all the land belonged to God. God would then bestow it upon a family who would care for it and pass it down from father to son. Secondly, ancient Hebrews were deeply agrarian; people’s lives centered around farming the land. Lastly, a vineyard would have been a significant investment for a family. Here’s why:

It takes three years for a vine to grow a robust root system to produce fruit. During this early period, a considerable amount of time and effort is spent pruning and developing the vine trunk. It takes thirty years for a grapevine to mature fully. As the vines age, they produce significantly less fruit, but the fruit they do produce gets richer and more flavorful. Older vines have deeper roots, enabling them to pull in more water and nutrients from the deeper ground. Age and location add richness and complexity to the grapes, and they could not be reproduced elsewhere.

Vineyards were a valuable long-term investment passed down from generation to generation. The grapes harvested by Naboth's family would have been the product of his family's efforts over many generations. The wine his family enjoyed would have been a nostalgic reminder of their family's connection to the land and of their ancestors' efforts—going back potentially hundreds of years. The taste and flavor of the vineyard could never be reproduced if it were uprooted.

In 2018, for example, a single bottle of 1945 Romanée-Conti sold at auction for $558,000. The vineyard dates back to before 1631, but in 1945 the vineyard was uprooted. Now the taste and flavor of the beloved Romanée-Conti vineyard can never be reproduced, making the wine’s value astronomical. 

If Ahab’s proposed demolition of Naboth’s vineyard was followed, it would never again be possible to recreate the exact taste and flavor of the family’s wine. King Ahab was essentially asking permission to cut Naboth and his children off from their father and grandfather's memory.

In those days, nothing was more important than family. Family memories were precious. King Ahab uprooting Naboth’s entire vineyard to plant a vegetable garden would have been outrageous to an ancient Hebrew. Additionally, Ahab would do all of this in the middle of a long, brutal famine. To take advantage of farmers' needs in the middle of a severe famine would have been seen as a low blow. As the famine occurred, King Ahab and his foreign wife, Queen Jezebel, frequently held lavish feasts. Ancient Hebrews would have considered it selfish for the King (who had numerous vineyards of his own) to desire Naboth's land just so he could have veggies at his parties. 

Understandably, Naboth responded to King Ahab's request by saying,

"The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers."

Moody and irritated, King Ahab returned to his palace and sulked. The story continues:

And Ahab went into his house vexed and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him, for he had said, "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers." And he lay down on his bed, turned away his face, and would eat no food.

At this point, Queen Jezebel asks her husband why he is acting in this manner. Sulkily, he says,

"Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, 'Give me your vineyard for money, or else, if it please you, I will give you another vineyard for it.' And he answered, 'I will not give you my vineyard.'"

Jezebel responds arrogantly:

"Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."

Choosing to let his wife act on his behalf, Ahab allowed Jezebel to send letters with his royal seal to the elders in Naboth’s city. She gave the elders of the city instructions to make false accusations against Naboth and stone him. When she received word of Naboth’s assassination, she promptly informed her husband, and he took the vineyard from Naboth's family without paying for it. 

Ahab’s selfishness allowed his wife to commit horrendous crimes against a righteous man. Naboth’s reputation was destroyed, his inheritance stolen, and his life taken. All of this directly defied God’s laws concerning ancestral land. King Ahab is pictured as an arrogant, selfish baby. He and Jezebel included the elders and nobles in Naboth's city in their sins. The elders, as heads of the extended family in Naboth's city, would have been kin to Naboth to some degree. Naboth’s own extended family betrayed him. 

The text of 1 Kings 21:1-6 is arranged in a structure that highlights 21:4, where the "word" which Naboth spoke displeased King Ahab. See the structure below:

Later in the chapter, "word" is highlighted in a similar literary structure. This time it emerges in verses 14-19, where the emphasis is on the "word" of the LORD coming to Elijah the Tishbite.

Ahab's sullen actions were in direct response to Naboth’s words. Jezebel’s sinful actions were in immediate response to Ahab’s words. Finally, God’s words directly responded to Jezebel and Ahab’s evil actions. The word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, and he said,

Thus saith the LORD, “In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine." The prophet says: "Behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel. And I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the anger to which you have provoked me, and because you have made Israel to sin.”

Ultimately King Ahab and Jezebel met a fate as brutal as the fate they plotted against Naboth. 

Many of us have had the unfortunate experience of meeting people like Ahab and Jezebel, who have an inflated sense of self-importance, a need for admiration and attention, a lack of empathy for the feelings of others, and an excessive need for control. These people can be selfish, manipulative, and self-centered and are often unaware or unconcerned about how their behavior affects others. When these self-centered individuals are in positions of power, or trust, they often ruin innocent people’s lives. But in the end, selfishness is not a victimless crime. 

The Giant Killer features a thrilling chapter in which the brave Knight Fides fights against the deceitful Giant Selfishness. Like Ahab and Jezebel, the Giant Selfishness leads his victim into a trap, the pit of selfishness. The knight Fides, like King Ahab, follows pleasure and falls into the trap of selfishness.

After numerous failed attempts to escape, the Knight Fides humbles himself and asks for help. Guided by his helper, Conscience, the knight sees the only way to escape the pit of selfishness: the strong cord of love. Made of a scarlet cord (symbolizing love for man) and a gold chord (symbolizing love for God), the cord of love provides the good Knight Fides a way of escaping the pit of selfishness. Had King Ahab loved God and his fellow man (Naboth), he too might have escaped his selfish actions. 

Sharing stories like the excellent knight Fides fighting the Giant of Selfishness is essential for our children. The biblical ideas found in The Giant Killer reinforce Bible stories that warn us about selfishness. The time to learn about this battle is when we are young—before we become a full-fledged Ahab or Jezebel. Young or old, the solution to selfishness is the same, and it is found in the teachings of Jesus: Love God, and love your neighbor.

Thank you for joining me,

Professor Colin Smith