This week's lectionary passage from the Hebrew scriptures brings us a fascinating story about the abuse of power -- and the behavior of its principal characters seems eerily familiar from the scandals in our headlines or entertainment on our television screens. It all starts when King Ahab decides that he wants to appropriate a vineyard for a garden on his estate. He essentially tries to take it by a form of eminent domain -- offering what on the surface seems to be relatively fair value for the land.