Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near my house; and I will give you for it a better vineyard than it. Or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its worth in money.”
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 2. Herbs. The taste of eastern nations is very different from ours. The Syrians delight in seeing gardens filled with melons, onions, and so forth and they cannot conceive what pleasure we can find in rambling round our long walks for the sake of exercise.—Money. Hence we perceive that, notwithstanding the despotic power of the kings of Israel, they did not imagine that they had a right to take their subjects’ lands. 1 Kennicott. 8:14. Calmet.—Naboth’s conduct is therefore here applauded; and Saint Ambrose (Off. iii. 9.) styles him a martyr, ( Worthington.) and a great saint. Tirinus.—Maluit periculum cum honestate, quam utilitatem cum opprobrio.