1 Kings 21
21
Naboth’s Vineyard
1Some time later King Ahab wanted a certain vineyard. It belonged to Naboth from Jezreel. The vineyard was in Jezreel. It was close to the palace of Ahab, the king of Samaria. 2Ahab said to Naboth, “Let me have your vineyard. It’s close to my palace. I want to use it for a vegetable garden. I’ll trade you a better vineyard for it. Or, if you prefer, I’ll pay you what it’s worth.”
3But Naboth replied, “May the Lord keep me from giving you the land my family handed down to me.”
4So Ahab went home. He was angry. He was in a bad mood because of what Naboth from Jezreel had said. He had told Ahab, “I won’t give you the land my family handed down to me.” So Ahab lay on his bed. He was in a very bad mood. He wouldn’t even eat anything.
5His wife Jezebel came in. She asked him, “Why are you in such a bad mood? Why won’t you eat anything?”
6He answered her, “Because I spoke to Naboth from Jezreel. I said, ‘Sell me your vineyard. Or, if you prefer, I’ll give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I won’t sell you my vineyard.’ ”
7His wife Jezebel said, “Is this how the king of Israel acts? Get up! Eat something! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth from Jezreel.”
8So she wrote some letters in Ahab’s name. She stamped them with his royal seal. Then she sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in the city where Naboth lived. 9In those letters she wrote,
“Announce a day when people are supposed to go without eating. Have Naboth sit in an important place among the people. 10But put two worthless and evil men in seats across from him. Have them bring charges that he has cursed God and the king. Then take him out of the city. Kill him by throwing stones at him.”
11So the elders and nobles who lived in that city did what Jezebel wanted. They did everything she directed in the letters she had written to them. 12They announced a day of fasting. They had Naboth sit in an important place among the people. 13Then two worthless and evil men came and sat across from him. They brought charges against Naboth in front of the people. The two men said, “Naboth has cursed God and the king.” So they took him outside the city. They killed him by throwing stones at him. 14Then they sent a message to Jezebel. They said, “Naboth is dead. We killed him by throwing stones at him.”
15Jezebel heard that Naboth had been killed. As soon as she heard it, she said to Ahab, “Get up. Take over the vineyard of Naboth from Jezreel. It’s the one he wouldn’t sell to you. He isn’t alive anymore. He’s dead.” 16Ahab heard that Naboth was dead. So Ahab got up and went down to take over Naboth’s vineyard.
17Then a message from the Lord came to Elijah, who was from Tishbe. The Lord said, 18“Go down to see Ahab, the king of Israel. He rules in Samaria. You will find him in Naboth’s vineyard. Ahab has gone there to take it over. 19Tell him, ‘The Lord says, “Haven’t you murdered a man? Haven’t you taken over his property?” ’ Then tell Ahab, ‘The Lord says, “Dogs licked up Naboth’s blood. In that same place dogs will lick up your blood. Yes, I said your blood!” ’ ”
20Ahab said to Elijah, “My enemy! You have found me!”
“I have found you,” he answered. “That’s because you gave yourself over to do evil things. You did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. 21So the Lord says, ‘I am going to bring horrible trouble on you. I will destroy your children after you. I will destroy every male in Israel who is related to you. It does not matter whether they are slaves or free. 22I will make your royal house like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. I will make it like the house of Baasha, the son of Ahijah. You have made me very angry. You have caused Israel to sin.’
23“The Lord also says, ‘Dogs will eat up Jezebel near the wall of Jezreel.’
24“Some of the people who belong to Ahab will die in the city. Dogs will eat them up. Others will die in the country. The birds will eat them.”
25There was never anyone like Ahab. He gave himself over to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord. His wife Jezebel talked him into it. 26He acted in the most evil way. He worshiped statues of gods. He was like the Amorites. The Lord drove them out to make room for Israel.
27When Ahab heard what Elijah had said, he tore his clothes. He put on the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad. He went without eating. He even slept in his clothes. He went around looking sad.
28Then a message from the Lord came to Elijah, who was from Tishbe. The Lord said, 29“Have you seen how Ahab has made himself humble in my sight? Because he has done that, I will not bring trouble on him while he lives. But I will bring it on his royal house when his son is king.”
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1 Kings 21: NIrV
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I Kings 21
21
Naboth Is Murdered for His Vineyard
1And it came to pass after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in #Judg. 6:33; 1 Kin. 18:45, 46Jezreel, next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your #1 Sam. 8:14vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near, next to my house; and for it I will give you a vineyard better than it. Or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its worth in money.”
3But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid #(Lev. 25:23; Num. 36:7; Ezek. 46:18)that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you!”
4So Ahab went into his house sullen and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no food. 5But #1 Kin. 19:1, 2Jezebel his wife came to him, and said to him, “Why is your spirit so sullen that you eat no food?”
6He 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 another vineyard for it.’ And he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’ ”
7Then Jezebel his wife said to him, “You now exercise authority over Israel! Arise, eat food, and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
8And she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who were dwelling in the city with Naboth. 9She wrote in the letters, saying,
Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth with high honor among the people; 10and seat two men, scoundrels, before him to bear witness against him, saying, “You have #(Ex. 22:28; Lev. 24:15, 16); Acts 6:11blasphemed God and the king.” Then take him out, and #(Lev. 24:14)stone him, that he may die.
11So the men of his city, the elders and nobles who were inhabitants of his city, did as Jezebel had sent to them, as it was written in the letters which she had sent to them. 12#Is. 58:4They proclaimed a fast, and seated Naboth with high honor among the people. 13And two men, scoundrels, came in and sat before him; and the scoundrels #(Ex. 20:16; 23:1, 7)witnessed against him, against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth has blasphemed God and the king!” #2 Kin. 9:26; 2 Chr. 24:21; Acts 7:58, 59; Heb. 11:37Then they took him outside the city and stoned him with stones, so that he died. 14Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned and is dead.”
15And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, that 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.” 16So it was, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
The Lord Condemns Ahab
17#(Ps. 9:12)Then the word of the Lord came to #1 Kin. 19:1Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 18“Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, #1 Kin. 13:32; 2 Chr. 22:9who lives in Samaria. There he is, in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone down to take possession of it. 19You shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Have you murdered and also taken possession?” ’ And you shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: #1 Kin. 22:38; 2 Kin. 9:26“In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, dogs shall lick your blood, even yours.” ’ ”
20So Ahab said to Elijah, #1 Kin. 18:17“Have you found me, O my enemy?”
And he answered, “I have found you, because #1 Kin. 21:25; 2 Kin. 17:17; (Rom. 7:14)you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the Lord: 21‘Behold, #1 Kin. 14:10; 2 Kin. 9:8I will bring calamity on you. I will take away your #2 Kin. 10:10posterity, and will cut off from Ahab #1 Sam. 25:22every male in Israel, both #1 Kin. 14:10bond and free. 22I will make your house like the house of #1 Kin. 15:29Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of #1 Kin. 16:3, 11Baasha the son of Ahijah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger, and made Israel sin.’ 23And #2 Kin. 9:10, 30–37concerning Jezebel the Lord also spoke, saying, ‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ 24The dogs shall eat #1 Kin. 14:11; 16:4whoever belongs to Ahab and dies in the city, and the birds of the air shall eat whoever dies in the field.”
25But #1 Kin. 16:30–33; 21:20there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do wickedness in the sight of the Lord, #1 Kin. 16:31because Jezebel his wife stirred him up. 26And he behaved very abominably in following idols, according to all #Gen. 15:16; (Lev. 18:25–30); 2 Kin. 21:11that the Amorites had done, whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.
27So it was, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes and #Gen. 37:34; 2 Sam. 3:31; 2 Kin. 6:30put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went about mourning.
28And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29“See how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because he #(2 Kin. 22:19)has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days. #2 Kin. 9:25; 10:11, 17In the days of his son I will bring the calamity on his house.”
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.