1 Kings 21
21
Ahab Murders Naboth
1 After this the following episode took place.#tn Heb “after these things.” The words “the following episode took place” are added for stylistic reasons. Naboth the Jezreelite owned a vineyard in Jezreel adjacent to the palace of King Ahab of Samaria.#sn King Ahab of Samaria. Samaria, as the capital of the northern kingdom, here stands for the nation of Israel.map For location see Map2-B1; Map4-D3; Map5-E2; Map6-A4; Map7-C1. 2 Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard so I can make a vegetable garden out of it, for it is adjacent to my palace. I will give you an even better vineyard in its place, or if you prefer,#tn Heb “if it is good in your eyes.” I will pay you silver for it.”#tc The Old Greek translation includes the following words: “And it will be mine as a garden of herbs.” 3 But Naboth replied to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should sell you my ancestral inheritance.”#tn Heb “Far be it from me, by the Lord, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you.”
4 So Ahab went into his palace, bitter and angry that Naboth the Jezreelite had said,#tn Heb “on account of the word that Naboth the Jezreelite spoke to him.” “I will not sell to you my ancestral inheritance.”#tn Heb “I will not give to you the inheritance of my fathers.” He lay down on his bed, pouted,#tn Heb “turned away his face.” and would not eat. 5 Then his wife Jezebel came in and said to him, “Why do you have a bitter attitude and refuse to eat?” 6 He answered her, “While I was talking to Naboth the Jezreelite, I said to him, ‘Sell me your vineyard for silver, or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not sell you my vineyard.’”#tn Heb “While I was talking…, I said…, he said….” Ahab’s explanation is one lengthy sentence in the Hebrew text, which is divided in the English translation for stylistic reasons. 7 His wife Jezebel said to him, “You are the king of Israel!#tn Heb “You, now, you are exercising kingship over Israel.” Get up, eat some food, and have a good time.#tn Heb “so your heart [i.e., disposition] might be well.” I will get the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you.”
8 She wrote out orders,#tn Heb “scrolls.” signed Ahab’s name to them,#tn Heb “in the name of Ahab.” and sealed them with his seal. She then sent the orders#tn Heb “scrolls.” to the leaders#tn Heb “elders.” and to the nobles who lived in Naboth’s city.#tn Heb “to the nobles who were in his city, the ones who lived with Naboth.” 9 This is what she wrote:#tn Heb “she wrote on the scrolls, saying.” “Observe a time of fasting and seat Naboth in front of the people. 10 Also seat two villains opposite him and have them testify, ‘You cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
11 The men of the#tn Heb “his.” city, the leaders#tn Heb “elders.” and the nobles who lived there,#tn Heb “and the nobles who were living in his city.” followed the written orders Jezebel had sent them.#tn Heb “did as Jezebel sent to them, just as was written in the scrolls which she sent to them.” 12 They observed a time of fasting and put Naboth in front of the people. 13 The two villains arrived and sat opposite him. Then the villains testified against Naboth right before the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” So they dragged him#tn Heb “led him.” outside the city and stoned him to death.#tn Heb “and they stoned him with stones and he died.” 14 Then they reported to Jezebel, “Naboth has been stoned to death.”#tn Heb “Naboth was stoned and he died.” So also in v. 15.
15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she#tn Heb “Jezebel”; the proper name has been replaced by the pronoun (“she”) in the translation for stylistic reasons. said to Ahab, “Get up, take possession of the vineyard Naboth the Jezreelite refused to sell you for silver, for Naboth is no longer alive; he’s dead.” 16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead,#tc The Old Greek translation includes the following words here: “he tore his garments and put on sackcloth. After these things.” he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
17 The Lord told Elijah the Tishbite:#tn Heb “the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite.” 18 “Get up, go down and meet King Ahab of Israel who lives in Samaria. He is at the vineyard of Naboth; he has gone down there to take possession of it. 19 Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Haven’t you committed murder and taken possession of the property of the deceased?”’ Then say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “In the spot where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood they will also lick up your blood – yes, yours!”’”
20 When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him,#tn Heb “and Ahab said to Elijah.” The narrative is elliptical and streamlined. The words “when Elijah arrived” are supplied in the translation for clarification. “So, you have found me, my enemy!” Elijah#tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elijah) has been specified in the translation for clarity. replied, “I have found you, because you are committed#tn Heb “you have sold yourself.” to doing evil in the sight of#tn Heb “in the eyes of.” the Lord. 21 The Lord says,#tn The introductory formula “the Lord says” is omitted in the Hebrew text, but supplied in the translation for clarification. ‘Look, I am ready to bring disaster#sn Disaster. There is a wordplay in the Hebrew text. The word translated “disaster” (רָעָה, ra’ah) is similar to the word translated “evil” (v. 20, הָרַע, hara’). Ahab’s sins would receive an appropriate punishment. on you. I will destroy you#tn Heb “I will burn after you.” Some take the verb בָּעַר (ba’ar) to mean here “sweep away.” See the discussion of this verb in the notes at 14:10 and 16:3. and cut off every last male belonging to Ahab in Israel, including even the weak and incapacitated.#tn Heb “and I will cut off from Ahab those who urinate against a wall, [including both those who are] restrained and let free [or “abandoned”] in Israel.” The precise meaning of the idiomatic phrase עָצוּר וְעָזוּב (’atsur vÿ’azuv, translated here “weak and incapacitated”) is uncertain. For various options see HALOT 871 s.v. עצר and M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 107. The two terms are usually taken as polar opposites (“slaves and freemen” or “minors and adults”), but Cogan and Tadmor, on the basis of contextual considerations (note the usage with אֶפֶס (’efes), “nothing but”) in Deut 32:36 and 2 Kgs 14:26, argue convincingly that the terms are synonyms, meaning “restrained and abandoned,” and refer to incapable or incapacitated individuals. 22 I will make your dynasty#tn Heb “house.” like those of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah because you angered me and made Israel sin.’#tn Heb “because of the provocation by which you angered [me], and you caused Israel to sin.” 23 The Lord says this about Jezebel, ‘Dogs will devour Jezebel by the outer wall#tc A few Hebrew mss and some ancient versions agree with 2 Kgs 9:10, 36, which reads, “the plot [of ground] at Jezreel.” The Hebrew words translated “outer wall” (חֵל, khel, defectively written here!) and “plot [of ground]” (חֵלֶק, kheleq) are spelled similarly. of Jezreel.’ 24 As for Ahab’s family, dogs will eat the ones#tn “Dogs will eat the ones who belonging to Ahab who die in the city.” who die in the city, and the birds of the sky will eat the ones who die in the country.” 25 (There had never been anyone like Ahab, who was firmly committed#tn Heb “who sold himself.” to doing evil in the sight of#tn Heb “in the eyes of.” the Lord, urged on by his wife Jezebel.#tn Heb “like Ahab…whom his wife Jezebel incited.” 26 He was so wicked he worshiped the disgusting idols,#tn The Hebrew word used here, גִלּוּלִים (gillulim) is always used as a disdainful reference to idols. It is generally thought to have originally referred to “dung pellets” (cf. KBL 183 s.v. גִלּוּלִים). It is only one of several terms used in this way, such as אֱלִילִים (’elilim, “worthless things”) and הֲבָלִים (havalim, “vanities” or “empty winds”). just like the Amorites#tn Heb “He acted very abominably by walking after the disgusting idols, according to all which the Amorites had done.” whom the Lord had driven out from before the Israelites.)
27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He slept in sackcloth and walked around dejected. 28 The Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite,#tn Heb “the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite.” 29 “Have you noticed how Ahab shows remorse#tn Or “humbles himself.” The expression occurs a second time later in this verse. before me? Because he shows remorse before me, I will not bring disaster on his dynasty during his lifetime, but during the reign of his son.”#tn Heb “I will not bring the disaster during his days, [but] in the days of his son I will bring the disaster on his house.”
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1 Kings 21
21
1After these things Naboth the Izreelite had a vineyarde in Izreel, hard by the palace of Ahab King of Samaria. 2And Ahab spake vnto Naboth, saying, Giue me thy vineyarde, that I may make mee a garden of herbes thereof, because it is neere by mine house: and I will giue thee for it a better vineyarde then it is: or if it please thee, I will giue thee the worth of it in money. 3And Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord keepe me from giuing the inheritance of my father vnto thee. 4Then Ahab came into his house heauie and in displeasure, because of the word which Naboth the Izreelite had spoken vnto him. for hee had sayde, I will not giue thee the inheritance of my fathers, and he lay vpon his bed, and turned his face and would eate no bread. 5Then Iezebel his wife came to him and said vnto him, Why is thy spirit so sad that thou eatest no bread? 6And he said vnto her, Because I spake vnto Naboth the Izreelite, and sayd vnto him, Giue me thy vineyard for money, or if it please thee, I will giue thee another vineyard for it: but he answered, I wil not giue thee my vineyarde. 7Then Iezebel his wife sayde vnto him, Doest thou nowe gouerne the kingdome of Israel? vp, eate bread, and be of good cheere, I will giue thee the vineyard of Naboth the Izreelite. 8So she wrote letters in Ahabs name, and sealed them with his seale, and sent the letters vnto the Elders, and to the nobles that were in his citie dwelling with Naboth. 9And shee wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaime a fast, and set Naboth among the chiefe of the people, 10And set two wicked men before him, and let them witnesse against him, saying, Thou diddest blaspheme God and the King: then cary him out, and stone him that he may dye. 11And the men of his citie, euen the Elders and gouernours, which dwelt in his citie, did as Iezebel had sent vnto them: as it was written in the letters, which she had sent vnto them. 12They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth among the chiefe of the people, 13And there came two wicked men, and sate before him: and the wicked men witnessed against Naboth in the presence of the people saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the King. Then they caried him away out of the citie, and stoned him with stones, that he dyed. 14Then they sent to Iezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned and is dead. 15And when Iezebel heard that Naboth was stoned and was dead, Iezebel sayd to Ahab, Vp, and take possession of the vineyarde of Naboth the Izreelite, which he refused to giue thee for money: for Naboth is not aliue, but is dead. 16And when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he rose to go downe to the vineyard of Naboth the Izreelite, to take possession of it. 17And the word of the Lord came vnto Eliiah the Tishbite, saying, 18Arise, goe downe to meete Ahab King of Israel, which is in Samaria. loe, he is in the vineyarde of Naboth, whither he is gone downe to take possession of it. 19Therefore shalt thou say vnto him, Thus sayth the Lord, Hast thou killed, and also gotten possession? And thou shalt speake vnto him, saying, Thus sayth the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, shall dogs licke euen thy blood also. 20And Ahab sayd to Eliiah, Hast thou found mee, O mine enemie? And he answered, I haue found thee: for thou hast solde thy selfe to worke wickednes in the sight of the Lord. 21Beholde, I will bring euill vpon thee, and wil take away thy posteritie, and wil cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, as well him that is shut vp, as him that is left in Israel, 22And I wil make thine house like the house of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the sonne of Ahiiah, for the prouocation wherewith thou hast prouoked, and made Israel to sinne. 23And also of Iezebel spake the Lord, saying, The dogs shall eate Iezebel, by the wall of Izreel. 24The dogs shall eate him of Ahabs stocke, that dyeth in the citie: and him that dyeth in the fieldes, shall the foules of the ayre eate. 25(But there was none like Ahab, who did fell him selfe, to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord: whom Iezebel his wife prouoked. 26For he did exceeding abominably in following idoles, according to all that the Amorites did, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.) 27Nowe when Ahab heard those wordes, he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth vpon him and fasted, and lay in sackecloth and went softely. 28And the worde of the Lord came to Eliiah the Tishbite, saying, 29Seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me? because he submitteth himselfe before me, I will not bring that euill in his dayes, but in his sonnes dayes wil I bring euill vpon his house.
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