God said in His Tenth Commandment—
X. "Thou shall not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shall not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is his."
Covetousness is one of the sins that hides deep in a man's heart, and if given way to may spoil all his happiness.
King Ahab had a palace at Jezreel; and near to the palace was Naboth's vineyard, which was his family possession.
As the king passed to and fro, he began to covet the vineyard of Naboth in order to make himself a garden; and at length he asked Naboth to exchange his vineyard with him for another better one, or offered to buy it from Naboth for money.
This seemed at first sight a reasonable offer; but Ahab knew perfectly well that no Jew would sell his father's inheritance, and that he valued it almost like his own life.
So Naboth refused, and the king went back to his palace heavy and displeased, and went and lay upon his bed and would not eat.
When Jezebel found out what was the matter, she begged Ahab to get up and eat; and she promised that she would get the vineyard for him!
And this was how it came to pass that those false witnesses swore away Naboth's life!
When Ahab knew that Naboth was dead, he went down to take possession of the vineyard.