1 Kings 21
Ahab Takes Possession of Naboth’s Vineyard
Now it happened after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in aJezreel beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 And Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “aGive me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden because it is close beside my house, and I will give you a better vineyard than it in its place; if it is good in your sight, I will give you the price of it in money.” 3 But Naboth said to Ahab, “Yahweh forbid me athat I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.” 4 aSo Ahab came into his house sullen and enraged because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and ate no food.
5 But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “How is it that your spirit is so sullen that you are not eating food?” 6 So he said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if it pleases you, I will give you a vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’” 7 And Jezebel his wife said to him, “aDo you now exercise kingship over Israel? Arise, eat bread, and let your heart be merry; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
8 aSo she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, and sent letters to bthe elders and to the nobles who were living with Naboth in his city. 9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, “Call for a fast and seat Naboth at the head of the people; 10 and seat two avile men before him, and let them testify against him, saying, ‘bYou cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and cstone him so that he will die.”
11 So the men of his city, the elders and the nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them, just as it was written in the letters which she had sent them. 12 They acalled for a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the people. 13 Then the two vile men came in and sat before him; and the vile men testified against him, against Naboth, before the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” aSo they took him outside the city and stoned him with stones and he died. 14 Then they sent word to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned and is dead.”
15 Now it happened that when Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead.” 16 Now it happened that when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.
Yahweh Speaks Against Ahab
17 Then the word of Yahweh came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 18 “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, awho is in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth where he has gone down to take possession of it. 19 And you shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “aHave you murdered and also taken possession?”’ And you shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “bIn the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth the dogs will lick up your blood, even yours.”’”
20 And Ahab said to Elijah, “aHave you found me, O my enemy?” And he answered, “I have found you, bbecause you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of Yahweh. 21 Behold, I will bring evil upon you, and awill utterly sweep you away, and will cut off from Ahab every male, both bond and free in Israel; 22 and aI will make your house blike the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger, and because you chave made Israel sin. 23 Of Jezebel also has Yahweh spoken, saying, ‘aThe dogs will eat Jezebel in the district of Jezreel.’ 24 aThe one belonging to Ahab, who dies in the city, the dogs will eat, and the one who dies in the field the birds of the sky will eat.”
Ahab Humbles Himself
25 aSurely there was no one who sold himself to do what is evil in the sight of Yahweh like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited. 26 aAnd he acted very abominably in following idols, baccording to all that the Amorites had done, whom Yahweh dispossessed before the sons of Israel.
27 Now it happened when Ahab heard these words, that ahe tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and fasted, and he lay in sackcloth and went about despondently. 28 Then the word of Yahweh came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29 “Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the evil in his days, but I will bring the evil upon his house ain his son’s days.”
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