1 Kings 21:3

WEB

Naboth said to Ahab, "May the Lord forbid me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you!"

KJV

And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.

Commentary

Commentary

And Naboth said to Ahab, the Lord forbid it me that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee. The inheritances of families were not to be alienated to a nother family, or tribe, nor even to be sold, unless in extreme poverty, and then to return at the year of jubilee, Lev 25:23 . Now Naboth was a man in good circumstances, and under no necessity of selling his vineyard; and, if he sold it, he might reasonably conclude, it becoming a part of the royal demesnes, would never revert to his family; and therefore, both out of regard to the law of God, and the good of his family, would not part with it at any rate: this shows that he was a conscientious man, and therefore is thought to be one of those that would not bow his knee to Baal, and against whom Ahab had a grudge, and sought an opportunity against him.