Navot's Vineyard and Achav's Punishment/2

Navot's Vineyard and Achav's Punishment

Exegetical Approaches

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A Partner in Crime

Despite being absent from the actual proceedings, Achav completely supported Izevel's plot and was a full (though silent) partner in the crime.

Sources:Abarbanel, Metzudot, modern scholars

Responsible for Izevel

Though Achav played no role in the framing and death of Navot, in his dual role as king and husband, he was responsible for the actions of Izevel.

Punished for Other Crimes

Achav was not being punished solely for his role in the murder of Navot, but for his other sins as well, most notably his idolatry.

Sources:MalbimMelakhim I 21:2-25About R. Meir Leibush Weiser¹

"וַיַּתְעֵב מְאֹד לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרֵי הַגִּלֻּלִים" – Though Hashem's chastisement of Achav does indeed refer to the murder of Navot (הֲרָצַחְתָּ וְגַם יָרָשְׁתָּ), when Eliyahu rebukes the king, he focuses instead on Achav's foreign worship, never once mentioning the murder:

• "וַיַּתְעֵב מְאֹד לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרֵי הַגִּלֻּלִים" – These words contain an explicit reference to idolatry.
• "אֶל הַכַּעַס אֲשֶׁר הִכְעַסְתָּ וַתַּחֲטִא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל" – This and similar phrases are used throughout Sefer Melakhim to refer to the sins of idolatry and following in the path of Yerovam and his calves, suggesting that here, too, Eliyahu is not rebuking Achav for causing the nation to sin in this episode, but rather in his leading them to Baal worship.
• "יַעַן הִתְמַכֶּרְךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי י"י" – This position would read this to mean that achav sold himself to idolatry, as the ohras ei sued in Melakhim II 17

This focus on foreign worship suggests that though Achav's role in the murder of Navot was worthy of censure, without the accompanying sins of idolatry, he might not have been punished as severely.

"אֶל הַכַּעַס אֲשֶׁר הִכְעַסְתָּ וַתַּחֲטִא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל" – These words, too, seems to refer Achav's influencing the nation to worship the Baal, for it is difficult to see how he caused the nation to sin in the framing of Navot. Moreover this phrase is used throughout Sefer Melakhim to refer to the sins of idolatrya nd folowing in the path of Yerovam and his calves.

וִיהִי לִי לְגַן יָרָק

אֲשֶׁר הִתְמַכֵּר לַעֲשׂוֹת הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי י"י

¹ Malbim combines this approach with the one above which holds him responsible for the actions of his wife.