Boy Old Testament Known
Naboth
words; prophecies
נָבוֹת na.vot
Naboth (Hebrew: נָבוֹת, na.vot) means “words; prophecies”, by traditional interpretation. It appears in 18 verses across 2 books of the Bible. In United States birth records the name is below the reporting threshold. Appears with Ahab in 1 Kings 21.
The bearer in scripture
One person in scripture bears this name.
-
Naboth
Scripture against society
The two measures, side by side
At a glance
- Verses
- 18 across 2 books
- Bearers
- 1 one person only
- Testament
- Old
- Era
- Divided Kingdom
Using it today
In United States birth records this name is below the reporting threshold. The Social Security Administration does not publish counts under five, so a name given to four children looks the same as one given to none.
In scripture
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | 1 Kings 21:1 |
| Last appears | 2 Kings 9:26 |
| Cross-references | 358 linked passages |
Names connected to this one
- Bidkar co-occurrence Appears with Bidkar in 2 Kings 9.
- Ahab co-occurrence Appears with Ahab in 1 Kings 21.
- Jezebel co-occurrence Appears with Jezebel in 1 Kings 21.
- Ahijah co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Ahijah.
- Joram co-occurrence Appears with Joram in 2 Kings 9.
- Ahaziah co-occurrence Appears with Ahaziah in 2 Kings 9.
- Jehoshaphat co-occurrence Appears in the same passages as Jehoshaphat.
- Jehoram co-occurrence Appears with Jehoram in 2 Kings 9.
Origin & meaning
A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.21.1
§ Naboth = "fruits"
the vineyard owner of Jezreel who Ahab and Jezebel had killed so that they could have his vineyard
Naboth, a Jezreelite, was unjustly killed by King Ahab and Queen Jezebel for refusing to sell his ancestral vineyard.
The biblical story
Naboth was a Jezreelite who owned a vineyard adjacent to the palace of King Ahab of Israel. His story, recorded in 1 Kings 21 and 2 Kings 9, is a tragic account of injustice and the abuse of power.
King Ahab desired to acquire Naboth's vineyard to use as a vegetable garden, offering to purchase it or provide a better vineyard in exchange. However, Naboth refused, stating that he could not give up the inheritance of his ancestors (1Ki.21.1-3). This refusal greatly displeased Ahab, who sulked and refused to eat.
Ahab's wife, Queen Jezebel, learning of the situation, devised a wicked plan to secure the vineyard. She wrote letters in Ahab's name, ordering the elders and nobles of Jezreel to proclaim a fast and seat Naboth in a prominent place. Then, they were to have two scoundrels accuse Naboth of cursing God and the king, leading to his execution by stoning (1Ki.21.8-14).
The plan was carried out, and Naboth was unjustly killed. After his death, Ahab took possession of the vineyard (1Ki.21.15-16). However, the prophet Elijah confronted Ahab, pronouncing God's judgment on him and his household for their wickedness (1Ki.21.17-24).
Years later, as prophesied by Elijah, Ahab's son King Joram was killed by Jehu in the same plot of land that had belonged to Naboth (2Ki.9.21-26), fulfilling the divine retribution for the unjust murder of Naboth and the seizure of his ancestral property.
Naboth's story illustrates the importance of justice, the sanctity of ancestral inheritance, and the consequences of abusing power and disregarding God's laws. It also demonstrates the role of prophets in speaking truth to power and pronouncing judgment on those who commit evil.
Key verses
Naboth appears in 18 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
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And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
1 Kings 21:1 -
And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.
1 Kings 21:2 -
And Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.
1 Kings 21:3 -
And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.
1 Kings 21:4 -
And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard.
1 Kings 21:6
Show all 18 references
1 Kings (15)
- 1 Kings 21:1
- 1 Kings 21:2
- 1 Kings 21:3
- 1 Kings 21:4
- 1 Kings 21:6
- 1 Kings 21:7
- 1 Kings 21:8
- 1 Kings 21:9
- 1 Kings 21:12
- 1 Kings 21:13
- 1 Kings 21:14
- 1 Kings 21:15
- 1 Kings 21:16
- 1 Kings 21:18
- 1 Kings 21:19
2 Kings (3)
- 2 Kings 9:21
- 2 Kings 9:25
- 2 Kings 9:26