NABOTH’S VINEYARD.

of temper. When God punishes us
for our sins, what ought we to do?

R17

don. Then God will forgive us.
“Whoso confesseth and forsaketh

We ought to confess them, and | his sins shall have mercy.” Prov-

repent of them, and pray for par-

erbs xxviii. 13.

coo

CLII.

Nasorn's VINEYARD...

Naboth, who lived in Jez-
reel, and had a vineyard
there, very near king
| Ahab’s palace. It was a
very pleasant garden; and the king
often looked at it, and said, “I wish
that garden were mine.” Was this
right? Ne; it was coveting what
belonged to another, this is a great
sin: the Bible says, “Thou shalt
not covet.” At last, he called Na-
both, and said to him, “Give me
thy vineyard. I like it very much,
because it is near my house; and I
want it for my garden. I will give
thee another vineyard; or I will
pay thee for it in money.” But
Naboth would not sell his vine-
yard, because it was the inheritance
appointed for him by God; and he
said to Ahab, “I cannot give my
father’s inheritance to thee.” When
the king heard this, he was angry:
and when he went home, he sat
sullenly without speaking; and
when-food was brought to him, he
sent it away, and would not eat it.
How foolish it is to be angry,
and discontented, and ill-tempered,
when we have not all we want!
When Jezebel saw how displeased
Ahab was, she asked, “Why art
thou so sad that thou eatest no
bread?” Then Ahab said, “ Be-
cause I asked Naboth to let me buy

 

his vineyard, and he will not part
with it.” Ahab was lying idly on
his bed, for he was so angry he
would do nothing; but now Jezebel
said to him, “ Arise, and-eat, and be
merry; and I will give thee the
vineyard of Naboth.” Wicked Jeze-
bel had no right to do this; the
vineyard did not belong to her; but
she was not afraid of doing wrong,
or of making God angry. So she
wrote letters, and sealed them with
Ahab’s seal, and sent them to the
nobles who lived at Jezreel. What
did she say in the letters? She
wrote, “Take Naboth, and bring
him out before the people; and let
two men accuse him of rebellion
against God and the king; and
then carry him away, and stone
him, that he may die.” This wicked
command came to the nobles in
Jezreel; and after they had read
it, they went to Naboth’s house,
and brought him out before the
people to be judged. Had Naboth
done wrong? No; but the nobles
sent for two wicked men who
wrongfully accused him, and said,
“Naboth has rebelled against God,
and against the king.” These wicked
men forgot the ninth command-
ment, which says, “Thou shalt not °
bear false witness.” But the nobles
attended to what the false witnesses
said, and they brought out Naboth,