"Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: 'Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He is now in Naboth's vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it. Say to him, 'This is what the Lord says: Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?'" (1 Kings 21:17-19a) Ahab didn't kill Naboth with his own hands but he's just as guilty as if he did. He knows how violent Jezebel is; when she stated she would get the property for him from Naboth, Ahab knew what she was capable of. She had his permission to do anything she pleased in regard to Naboth, just as she had his permission to do anything she pleased when she had many of the Lord's prophets executed. I am certain Ahab knew Naboth would end up dead and I am certain Ahab wanted Naboth dead. When Jezebel promised to get him the vineyard, he may not have known exactly what her plan was, but he knew it involved the death of Naboth.
The Lord continues His instructions to Elijah. "Then say to him, 'This is what the Lord says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth's blood, dogs will lick up your blood---yes, yours!'" (1 Kings 21:19b) An unnamed prophet had already spoken a deadly prophecy against Ahab for sinfully making a treaty with the king of Syria and letting him go. Now Ahab has added to his sins so another deadly prophecy is spoken against him.
Ahab is angry and offended by Elijah's words. "Ahab said to Elijah, 'So you have found me, my enemy!'" (1 Kings 21:20a) Ahab considers Elijah his enemy because Elijah always confronts him with his sins. Elijah keeps speaking words that Ahab doesn't want to hear, which reminds me of something the Apostle Paul said in his letter to the church at Galatia. Paul pointed out areas of sin to them that they needed to deal with and they took offense, so he asked them, "Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?" (Galatians 4:16)
Elijah answers the king. "'I have found you,' he answered, 'because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. He says, 'I am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel---slave or free. I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have aroused My anger and caused Israel to sin.' And also concerning Jezebel the Lord says: 'Dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.' Dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds will feed on those who die in the country.'" (1 Kings 21:20b-24)
The author of 1 Kings adds this comment: "(There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel.)" (1 Kings 21:25-26) The author says Ahab "sold himself" because he gave himself willingly over to sin, making himself the slave of sin, for the Lord Jesus said that anyone who gives their life over to sin is "a slave to sin". (John 8:34)
Ahab has ignored previous warnings about his sinful life but something about the words Elijah speaks in Chapter 21 strike fear in his heart. I don't believe Ahab repents of idolatry, denounces pagan religion, and turns to the Lord. (In our next chapter he will still be a scheming scoundrel.) But I think he is overwhelmed by a sense of impending doom when he hears Elijah's words. The innocent Naboth's blood is on his hands. The thought of losing his own life and having his body displayed in the open and eaten by dogs is something he can't bear to think about. He knows he deserves such a fate and he begins to behave (at least outwardly) as if he is sorry for his part in Naboth's death. "When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly." (1 Kings 21:27)
Ahab will still die soon but because he has shown some sorrow for his actions he is going to be spared having his blood spilled in the same spot as Naboth's and having his body ravaged by the dogs that scavenged on the street. The Lord also will not wipe out Ahab's descendants during Ahab's lifetime but will cut off his dynasty during the reign of his successor. "Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: 'Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.'" (1 Kings 21:28-29)
Perhaps Ahab's humbling of himself influenced some of the people in his kingdom to change their ways when they saw that he feared God. His fear of God is not the type that leads to repentance and salvation but he does at least acknowledge that he has done something wrong. However, his wife Jezebel will not follow his example. The fate predicted by Elijah will befall her.
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