1 Kings 21:21

Notice that although Jezebel had brought about Naboth's death, Ahab is held responsible for the crime. Because he allowed another to act under his authority, and was willing to profit from her wrongdoing, the Lord charges him with the murder. So the guilt of the act was tracked home to Ahab, to the desire of his own heart, which he had let draw him on to covet his neighbour's property.

He could have enjoyed himself among Jezebel's idolatrous prophets, if the horrors of famine had not driven him out. Then he did not search out the cause of the famine in real self-judgement and humility. He did not seek pardon and restoration from God. Instead he went out in unrepentant selfishness to look for grass. He had sold himself to do wickedness; he had become the slave of Jezebel.

Ahab then had to listen to as terrible a sentence as was ever passed on a sinner. It was in three parts. (1) "Behold, I will bring disaster upon you." He personally must suffer. He came to a miserable end, as we know. (2) His whole family was to be destroyed, like the families of his evil predecessors Jeroboam and Baasha. He had wiped out Naboth's family: God would wipe out his. (3) Jezebel was to be eaten by dogs.

His murderer Zimri at once began to massacre "all the house of Baasha." He spared none, "neither his relatives nor his friends." It was complete extermination, exactly as God had determined it should be.

The murder of Naboth was the occasion of it; but even this foul crime was only the completion of a long guilty course. There was none like Ahab. He sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the Lord, with Jezebel his wife stirring him up. He even matched the Amorites in his wicked excesses — those whom the Lord drove out before the children of Israel. In this way the Lord, for our instruction, will stoop to justify His dealings with Ahab and his house.

Sent by God to meet the king, Elijah goes ahead of him into the vineyard which Ahab went down to take possession of. The king's heart bows before the word of the Lord. God puts off the judgment until the days of his son. Here is fresh proof of the patience of a God who is always ready to accept and respond to any movement of man's heart towards Himself.

For this deed the Lord, through His prophet, pronounces judgment on Ahab and his house. Blow after blow, He makes a full end of them. The blood of Ahab, the blood of Joram his son, and the blood of Jezebel are shed in the plot of Jezreel. Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, is called out to finish this judgment. He is to be the avenger of blood, and to cleanse the land that the blood had polluted.