1 Kings 21
โ 1 Kings 20 | 1 Kings | 1 Kings 22 โ
v1
After these things, Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
v2
Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, โGive me your vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near my house; and I will give you for it a better vineyard than it. Or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its worth in money.โ
v3
Naboth said to Ahab, โMay Yahweh forbid me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you!โ
v4
Ahab came into his house sullen and angry because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, โI will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.โ He laid himself down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.
v5
But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said to him, โWhy is your spirit so sad, that you eat no bread?โ
v6
He said to her, โBecause I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite, and said to him, โGive me your vineyard for money; or else, if it pleases you, I will give you another vineyard for it.โ He answered, โI will not give you my vineyard.โโ
v7
Jezebel his wife said to him, โDo you now govern the kingdom of Israel? Arise, and eat bread, and let your heart be merry. I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.โ
v8
So she wrote letters in Ahabโs name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and to the nobles who were in his city, who lived with Naboth.
v9
She wrote in the letters, saying, โProclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.
v10
Set two men, wicked fellows, before him, and let them testify against him, saying, โYou cursed God and the king!โ Then carry him out, and stone him to death.โ
v11
The men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had instructed them in the letters which she had written and sent to them.
v12
They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.
v13
The two men, the wicked fellows, came in and sat before him. The wicked fellows testified against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, โNaboth cursed God and the king!โ Then they carried him out of the city and stoned him to death with stones.
v14
Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, โNaboth has been stoned, and is dead.โ
v15
When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned, and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, โArise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead.โ
v16
When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.
v17
Yahwehโs word came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
v18
โArise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who dwells in Samaria. Behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone down to take possession of it.
v19
You shall speak to him, saying, โYahweh says, โHave you killed and also taken possession?โโ You shall speak to him, saying, โYahweh says, โIn the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, dogs will lick your blood, even yours.โโโ
v20
Ahab said to Elijah, โHave you found me, my enemy?โ He answered, โI have found you, because you have sold yourself to do that which is evil in Yahwehโs sight.
v21
Behold, I will bring evil on you, and will utterly sweep you away and will cut off from Ahab everyone who urinates against a wall, and him who is shut up and him who is left at large in Israel.
v22
I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah for the provocation with which you have provoked me to anger, and have made Israel to sin.โ
v23
Yahweh also spoke of Jezebel, saying, โThe dogs will eat Jezebel by the rampart of Jezreel.
v24
The dogs will eat he who dies of Ahab in the city; and the birds of the sky will eat he who dies in the field.โ
v25
But there was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do that which was evil in Yahwehโs sight, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.
v26
He did very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites did, whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel.
v27
When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.
v28
Yahwehโs word came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
v29
โSee how Ahab humbles himself before me? Because he humbles himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days; but I will bring the evil on his house in his sonโs day.โ