The National tribune., 1885-08-27
SUNDAY MEDITATION.

SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught by a Study Of the Inter
national sunday School Lesson Appointed for
Aug. 30.-l HI. 81: 4-19.
Zone reading these notes should first carefully
study the paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
indicated above.
Elijah left Mount Horeb and went to Abel
meholah. Il XII, 10: 16, 49, This is not far
from the Jordan, on the west side, about 10
miles south of Bethshan. He found Elisha
blowing. Elijah cast his mantle on the far
mer. Probably explanations were made. More
was understood by the act of Elijah than are
might infer The mantle pointed to the pro-
phetic Office. Elisha at once knew he was
called to the work of being a religious teacher
Bidding good by to his family and neighbors
he followed Elijah. The Goth chapter gives an
account of the two battles between Ahab aud
Ben -hadad, King of Syria.
The story of Naboth is our lesson. Seven
years have passed since we saw Elijah so cast
down at Mount Horeb Ahab and Jezebel are
| still alive. The King had palace in Samaria
and another in Jezreel 25 miles north. Near
the Jczreel palace there lived man by the
name of Naboth. He was one of the 1000 who
refused to be idolaters. %: 49, He seems to
have been well vinedresser. The King
wanted to enlarge the grounds of his palace,
and was anxious to secure Naboth's vineyard
|
another vineyard, or to pay fair price for the
one Naboth owned. Both propositions were
declined. Ahab's offer was proper, providing
he would be true to the principles which, &C
cording to Jewish law, governed in the buying
and selling of real estate. Property was val
ued in proportion to the years to intervene
between purchase and the jubilee year, which
was every 50th year. Lev., "a: S-13.) No titles
could go beyond said year. All property must
then revert to the original owners or their
heirs and the date of their reinyestment was
indeed jubilee to them. (Read Lev, 25: IA
II, 1923; NJ, 81: Z, Sc: Z, and Eze., Dc: 49,
Naboth thought Ahab would not respect the
Mosaic law, aud so believed he would offend
God by parting with his vineyard to man
practically a heather. So Naboth answered
Ahab thus: The Lord forbid it me, that l
should give lpart with, sell the inheritance of
my fathers unto thee" The Lord did forbid
such a transaction by the Mosaic law. Naboth
meant, May the Lord prevent (save) me from
violating his law as to selling real estate, and
so keep me from offending God"
The Douay Bible puts it thus: The Lord be
merciful to me, and not let me give thee the
inheritance of my fathers" Naboth wanted
preventing grace. Some nations have sought
by law to force subjects to keep their estates
intact. The Locrian polity forbade the selling
of real estate save in cases of notorious miSfOr
tune. and the Leucadians would not allow an
primogeniture. Ahab went to his palace
heavy and dispeased," according to the Re
ceired Version; angry and fretting in the
Douay pouting and sulking, in plain English.
Mad and sad, he threw himself down on his bed
with his face turned toward the wall, either to
conceal his vexation or to expose it so as to
elicit sympathy, or out of shame at his state of
mind. And he would not eat; very natural
effect of anger or grief. q Sam, IL: 16 II, 21.)
1t would seem he was given to such fits.
GO: ABB His wife, Jezebel, noticed how agi-
tated her husband was, and inquired the rea-
son. He explained. She replied: "Who is
King? Who rules this Kingdom?" She was
in the spirit of one who, to day, blurts out:
WHO runs this ynachine?" And we find very
soon who the ruler of Israel was. 1t was
neither Ahab nor Naboth, but Jezebel There
is good reason for rendering the question (V.
y, " Dost thou now govern the Kingdom of
Israeli" ironically. The Douay rather incines
to such understanding, translating thus: Thou
art of great authority indeed and governest
well the Kingdom of Israel" As much as to
say, Is You are bright ruler You are of great
Importance. People will tremble at the very
thought of you wont they, though ?" Cheer
up" says Jezsbel; a will attend to this mat
ter. You shall have the vineyard" Now, we
reach the plot of the Queen-consort. What
must have been the moral state of things, when
Jezebel could successfully plan murder with the
facti." q XII, 81 All at once pious streak
comes over the Queen, and, behold it takes
Jewish stamp. She is shocked to hear one of
her subjects, Naboth by name, has been guilty
of cursng both the true God and the King of
Israel. Something must be done to avert ma
tional calamity on account OF the vengeance of
Jehovah. Nothing is said about Baal being
ofiended.) Naboth must be brought to trial
forthwith. So she issued letters signing the
name of the King and using his seal (lalsehood
and forgeryD and sent them to the elders and
mobiles I'VE would say Mayor and Common Coun-
cil) of the city, ordering that fastday be APP
pointed to beseech God not to punish all the
people on account of the sin of one, and also
commanding that Naboth be tried, condemned
aud executed Immediately.
To convict IA man of blasphemy, it was neces-
sary to have two witnesses. M, 30 30; Deu.,
II 6, 10 Is; Mt. % CO., Jezebel knew this
law, and SO she directs the city authorities to
secure two false witnesses to swear against
NabOth. Belial is general name for an evil
spirit, and so, as an adjective the word means
reckless, wicked, worthless The Douay Bible
renders the 18th verse thus: "And bringing
two men, sons Of the devil they made them sit
iswear against him Nabothl; and they like
men of the devil, bore witness against him."
1t can hardly be supposed men could BIO found
so far gone in depravity as to sit about judicial
buildings ready to be hired to give false evil
dCHCS dHu bHab WHcu u SOou ildu
life is at stake Mt, 90 :6O.) The meaning
of the word 'set." in v 10, is suborn, and
such is the rendering in the Douay. Suborna-
ton is the crime of persuading men to the sin
of perjury. The Douay, in V. b. says: "They
made them sit against him" How like the
case of st. Stephen is that of Naboth Acts
6: H. The orders of Jezebel were obeyed.
Naboth was arrested and set on high" 1. e.,
was put into the prisoners box, which in a
court is quite conspicuous. The witnesses ap-
peared. There was no cross examination. Con-
vction was forcgone. GUILTY." was the find
ing At once he was led out from the city
Uev., 81 49, Jos, 7:24 Mt. 81: -, 33; Acts,
z So; Heb, Is : Il, and stoned to death. Iev,
"a Is; Acts, $50 Word was sent to the
Queen that her orders were executed She tells
Ahab, and he goes to Jezreel to take possession.
1t is clear from the 10Th verse that the King
and Queen, during the fast and trial. were at
Samaria From XII, 8 :26, we find not only
Naboth but all his heirs were slain, las in
Achau's case: JOS, Z: u y and hence, Ahab was
sure of no trouble in the jubilee year. All
heirs deceased, the property would revert Tor
escheat) to the Government In the case of
crime, which affects the blood and which,
hence, may be Inherited by offspring, govern
ments at times have demanded the coniiscation
of the property of the guilty party even
though the children suffered in no way save
by losing rights Of inheritance to the paternal
estate. Lands in such instances confiscated to
the crown. (Cf., the case of Mephiboseth, 9
Sa., $40 In our land, having no jubilee