Page 260 - Bible History

HOLY SERVANTS OF GOD 233
him with a small army and badly defeated him. But Achab spared the life of the king and his counselors,
and made a treaty with him. The prophet told Achab that because he had spared the life of the king of Syria, who was worthy of death for his blasphemy, he =• would lose his own by a violent death.
Now there was a man named Naboth who owned a Nabolh
10
vineyard near the palace of Achab. The king wanted this vineyard and o ered Naboth another vineyard or the price of it in money. But because the vineyard was his inheritance from his father, Naboth refused to sell it. This· refusal angered Achab and his wife, Jezabel. Jezabel paid two men to swear falsely against Naboth. These two men said to the people, "Naboth hath blasphemed God and the king." Then they took Naboth outsi e the city and stoned him to
death.
When Achab heard that Naboth was dead, he went
to take possession of the vineyard. On his way he met the prophet Elias, who was sent to him by God. The prophet said to Achab, "In this place where the dogs licked the blood of N both, they shall lick thy blood also.'' He also foretold that the dogs would eat the esh of Jezabel, and that the Kingdom of Israel would pass from the House of Achab because he had caused
Israel to sin and to o end God.
When Achab had heard these words, he tore his gar­
ments, put on haircloth, fasted and slept in sackcloth. God was pleased with the penance and the humility of Achab, and He said to Elias, "Because Achab hath humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the evil