The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1898-07-21
NABorH,s VINEYARD.



fBased upon Peloubst's Select Notes.l
GOLDEN TExT.--Thou shalt not cevet
thy neighbor's house.-Ex- 3II.
THE SECTION includes the rest OF
Kings. chaps. 30-22. A brief glance at
the silent progress OF the reforms Elijah
sought, and at the steps Of Ahab toward
his doom and toward the destruction OF the
idolatry he upheld.
PLACE.-Samarin, the capital and me-
trspolis Of Israel: and Jesreel. Is miles
to tho north: a favorite royal residence.
"ths Windsor of Israel"
EXPLANATORY.
This story is given because u was
the outward expression OF Ahab's de-
praved character, which led to his doom;
as a boil expresses bad blood, or
furred tongue tho inward fever.
Scehe l. Discomfort in Palace.-V.4. 4.
Adjoining Ahab's palace grounds in
Jezreel, on one Of the spurs Of Mount
Gilboa, was the homestead vineyard OF
a native Jezreelite named Naboth. Ahab
wanted to buy this vineyard, to enlarge
or complete his pleasure grounds. Ma
both refused to sell. The refusal of
Naboth threw Ahab into fit OF the
sulks.
4. And Ahab came," from Jezreel.
into his house:" In Samaria. "And
he laid him down upon his beds" The
bed chamber was in the most retired
and secret part of the palace. "And
turned away his face. and would eat no
bread" Such n manifestation of i'll
temper is thoroughly characteristic OF
an oriental, king.
Scene III. Bad Counsel at Home
VS.. 81. 5. But Jezebel his wife, like
Clytemuestra, OF Aeschylus. and Lady
Macbeth, Of Shakespeare, came forward
to help her husband to sin. not TO do
right.
7. "Dost thou now govern?" Are you
king? and can you not get possession
of this pretty vineyard? Why not use
your power? "Arise, and eat bread:"
Ahab is fit only to desire and to revel;
it is for bolder spirits to act for good
or for evil. II will give thee the vine
yard:" Compare the words OF Shakes
peare's parallel character: "1nfirm OF
purpose! give me the dagger"
Scene ILL. The Trial and Execution
Of Naboth.-Vs. STA. s. $50 she wrote
letters in Ahab's name:" 1t is custom
airy in the east now, as then, for the
government 10 proclaim one thing pub
licy, and at the same time to give pri-
vate instructions to the officials, of n
very different nature, with the design
of binding the eyes Of European gov
ernments. "And sealed them with his
seal:" Documents of every kind, from
royal decree to q private letter, are
never signed with pen and ink in the
east, but are simply sealed with a mans
signet.
0. proclaim a fast:" As IL some great
calamity were overhanging the city for
their sins, like black cloud portending
storm. "Set Naboth on high:" On
the platform of the court, to be tried.
10. "Set two men, sons Of Behalf"
Be!al is not proper noun, but simply
means "worthlessness," "recklessness,'
"Blaspheme God:" The true oriental,
however careless his life, is fanatically
Jealous for the honor of Gods name.
To blaspheme Allah in any place where
Mahommedans congregate would prob
ably result in the death of the BIAS
phemer on the spot. "And the king"
1t would be easy to find some faint
foundation for this charge in pious
man whose whole soul was opposed 10
the course OF the king in introducing
idolatry. "And carry him outs" y
stoning always took place outside the
city. "And stone him:" The legal pun.
ishment of blasphemy was indeed death
by stoning (Lev. 24:16), and Naboth
would have perished justly had he beer
guilty CT the crime. THAT he may
die:" 1t appears from Kings Q:2G
that Naboth's sons were put to death
4 at the same time. Thus, there being
no heirs, the property would revert tc
;. the crown.
= Scene w. Ahab Meets Elijah in Hi.
y Ill-Gotten Possession.-Vs. IS. 16. 16
"Ahab rose TO 60 down to the vineyard
J. Of Naboth:" The Septuagint adds that
: he rent his clothes and put on sack
cloth, as though shocked at his crime
: and anxious to prove his innocence tt
4" his own conscience and to the people
!. But the hypocrisy of the act was showI
by his willingness to accept the fruit
6 of his crime.
At the same time news of the bacl
lcrime had come to Elijah, probably il
his lonely retreat in some cave at Car
mel. God bade him 60 down and NEE
a Ahab in the vineyard. When Ahal
,, came to the vineyard ito take posses
!. sion Of It," there stood the prophet ii
o his hairy garb.
o| Half in anger. Ealf in anguish, Aha
cried: "Hasi thou found me, o min
enemy?"
II have found thee" said the prophet
q speaking in Jehovah's name. Tho
= hast sold thyself to work evil befor
:. me, and will requite 1t and extinguis'
- thee before me. Surely the Lord sa,
K yasternight the blood Of Naboth an
Al fhs,blood Of his sous."-Septuagint.
" ~ a