1 Kings 21

1 Some time after these events, Naboth the Jezreelite owned a vineyard in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.

2 So Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard to use as a vegetable garden, since it is next to my palace. I will give you a better vineyard in its place—or if you prefer, I will give you its value in silver.”

3 But Naboth replied, “The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”

4 So Ahab went to his palace, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had told him, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” He lay down on his bed, turned his face away, and refused to eat.

5 Soon his wife Jezebel came in and asked, “Why are you so sullen that you refuse to eat?”

6 Ahab answered, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and told him, ‘Give me your vineyard for silver, or if you wish, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ And he replied, ‘I will not give you my vineyard!’”

7 But his wife Jezebel said to him, “Do you not reign over Israel? Get up, eat some food, and be cheerful, for I will get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

8 Then Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city.

9 In the letters she wrote: “Proclaim a fast and give Naboth a seat of honor among the people.

10 But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them testify, ‘You have cursed both God and the king!’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”

11 So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city did as Jezebel had instructed in the letters she had written to them.

12 They proclaimed a fast and gave Naboth a seat of honor among the people.

13 And the two scoundrels came in and sat opposite Naboth, and these men testified against him before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed both God and the king!” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.

14 Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”

15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, who refused to give it to you for silver. For Naboth is no longer alive, but dead.”

16 And when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

17 Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

18 “Get up and go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria. See, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession of it.

19 Tell him that this is what the LORD says: ‘Have you not murdered a man and seized his land?’ Then tell him that this is also what the LORD says: ‘In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, there also the dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!’”

20 When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, “So you have found me out, my enemy.” He replied, “I have found you out because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD.

21 This is what the LORD says: ‘I will bring calamity on you and consume your descendants; I will cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both slave and free.

22 I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked My anger and caused Israel to sin.’

23 And the LORD also speaks concerning Jezebel: ‘The dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’

24 Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the field will be eaten by the birds of the air.”

25 (Surely there was never one like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, incited by his wife Jezebel.

26 He committed the most detestable acts by going after idols, just like the Amorites whom the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.)

27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He lay down in sackcloth and walked around meekly.

28 Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying:

29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity during his days, but I will bring it upon his house in the days of his son.”

1 ¶ And it came to pass after these things, [that] Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which [was] in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.

2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it [is] near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; [or], if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.

3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.

4 And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.

5 ¶ But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?

6 And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee [another] vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard.

7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, [and] eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed [them] with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that [were] in his city, dwelling with Naboth.

9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:

10 And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And [then] carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.

11 And the men of his city, [even] the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, [and] as it [was] written in the letters which she had sent unto them.

12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.

13 And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, [even] against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.

14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.

15 And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.

16 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

17 ¶ And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which [is] in Samaria: behold, [he is] in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.

19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.

20 And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found [thee]: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.

21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,

22 And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked [me] to anger, and made Israel to sin.

23 And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.

24 Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.

25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

26 And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all [things] as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

27 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.

28 And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

29 Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: [but] in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.

1 Now it came to pass, after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.

2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, and I will make me a cabbage garden out of it, because it is so near unto my house. And I will give thee a better vineyard for it; or, if it please thee, I will give thee silver for it, as much as it is worth.

3 And Naboth said unto Ahab: Let the LORD be far from me, that I should give thee the inheritance of my fathers.

4 And Ahab came home displeased, and wroth, because of the word that Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken unto him, saying: I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he lay upon his bed, and turned his face, and did eat no bread.

5 And Jezebel his wife came in unto him, and said unto him, What is the matter, that thy spirit is displeased, and that thou eatest not bread?

6 And he said unto her: I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, saying, Give me thy vineyard for money; or, if thou be desirous, I will give thee another for it. But he said: I will not give thee my vineyard.

7 And Jezebel his wife said unto him, What kingdom would there be in Israel, if thou didst so? Arise, eat bread, and be of good courage. I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

8 And she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his petschier, and sent them unto the elders and rulers of his city, that dwelt about Naboth.

9 And wrote thus in the epistles, Let a fast be proclaimed, and set Naboth on high among the people.

10 And set before him two loose knaves, which testify, saying, Thou hast blessed God and the king. And bring him forth, and stone him, that he die.

11 And the elders and rulers of his city, which dwelt in his city, did as Jezebel commanded them, as she wrote in the letters which she sent unto them.

12 And they cried out a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.

13 And the two scoundrels came and stood before him, and testified against Naboth before the people, and said: Naboth blessed GOD and the king. And they brought him out of the city, and stoned him to death.

14 And they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.

15 And when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned and dead, she said unto Anab, Arise, and take the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money. For Naboth liveth no more, but is dead.

16 And when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he arose, and went down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, and took it.

17 But the word of the LORD came unto Elijah the Thisbite, saying:

18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria. (Behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.)

19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Thou hast slain, and thou hast taken. And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood.

20 And Ahab said unto Elijah, Hast thou ever found me thine enemy? And he said, Yea, I have found thee, because thou art sold to do evil in the sight of the LORD.

21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy seed; and I will cut off from Ahab him also that pisseth against the wall, and that is shut up and left in Israel.

22 And I will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for provocation, that thou hast provoked to anger, and made Israel to sin.

23 And the LORD spake also concerning Jezebel, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel upon the wall of Jezreel.

24 He that dieth of Ahab in the city shall the dogs eat: and he that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.

25 So there was none so sold to do evil in the sight of the LORD as Ahab: for Jezebel his wife persuaded him so.

26 And he made himself a great abomination to walk after idols, according to all that the Amorites did, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel.

27 And when Ahab heard these words, he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his body, and fasted, and slept in sackcloth, and walked miserably.

28 And the word of the LORD came unto Elijah the Thisbite, saying:

29 Hast thou not seen Ahab bowing down before me? Because he bowed down before me, I will not bring evil upon his life: but upon his son's life will I bring evil upon his house.