From the window of his palace in Jezreel, King Ahab could see a vineyard that belonged to Naboth. Ahab wanted this vineyard and tried to buy it from Naboth. But Naboth declined to sell it to him because it was against Jehovah’s Law for someone to sell the land he had inherited. Did Ahab show respect to Naboth because he did the right thing? No. Ahab was very angry. He was so upset that he would not leave his room and would not eat.
Ahab’s wife, the wicked queen Jezebel, said to him: “You are the king of Israel. You can have whatever you want. I will take this land and give it to you.” So he wrote letters to the city’s elders, telling them to accuse Naboth of cursing God and to stone him to death. The elders did as Jezebel told them, and then she said to Ahab. The vineyard is yours.”
Naboth was not the only innocent man that Jezebel murdered. He murdered many people who loved Jehovah.
She worshipped idols and did other bad things. Jehovah saw all these bad things. What would she do?
When Ahab died, his son Jehoram became king. Jehovah sent a man, Jehu, to punish Jezebel and her family.
Jehu traveled in his chariot to Jezreel, where Jezebel lived. Jehoram went in his chariot to meet Jehu and asked him, “Is there peace between us?” Jehu said: “There can be no peace while your mother, Jezebel, is doing evil things.” Then Jehoram tried to turn his chariot to escape. But Jehu shot an arrow at Jehoram, and he died.
Then Jehu went to Jezebel’s palace. When she heard he was coming, she put on makeup, fixed her hair, and waited at a window upstairs. When Jehu arrived, she greeted him rudely. Jehu called out to her servants, who were standing next to her: “Throw her down!” They pushed Jezebel out the window, and she fell and died.
Then Jehu killed the 70 sons of Ahab and cleansed the land of the worship of Baal. Can you see that God knows everything and that, at the right time, He punishes those who do bad things.
