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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1 Kings 21
21
1Sometime later this happened: There was a man named Naboth from Jezreel, who owned a vineyard in Jezreel close to King Ahab's palace in Samaria. 2Ahab went to Naboth and said, “Give me your vineyard so I can turn it into a vegetable garden, because it's close to my palace. In return I'll give you a better vineyard, or if you want I'll pay you for it in cash.”
3But Naboth replied, “The Lord curse me if I should give you my forefathers' inheritance.”#21:3. According to Levitical law, inheritance was to be kept according to the original tribal allocations. See Numbers 36:7-9.
4Ahab went home sulking and infuriated because Naboth from Jezreel had said, “I will not give you my forefathers' inheritance.” He went to bed, wouldn't look at anyone, and refused to eat.
5His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, “What are you so upset about that you don't want to eat?”
6Ahab replied, “It's because I talked with Naboth from Jezreel and I asked him, ‘Give me your vineyard for cash, or if you want, I'll give you another vineyard instead.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”
7“Aren't you the king of Israel?” his wife Jezebel replied. “Get up, have something to eat, and cheer up. I'll get you the vineyard of Naboth from Jezreel.”
8So she wrote some letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal. She sent the letters to the elders and leaders in the town where Naboth lived. 9In the letters she wrote to tell them, “Announce a religious fast, and give Naboth a seat of honor. 10But seat two bad men#21:10. “Bad men”: literally, “sons of wickedness.” opposite him and have them accuse him, saying, ‘You have cursed God and the king!’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
11So the elders and leaders who lived in Naboth's town did as Jezebel had said in the letters she had written and sent to them. 12They announced a religious fast, and gave Naboth a seat of honor. 13Two bad men came and sat opposite him, and accused him in front of the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed God and the king.” So they took him outside the town and stoned him to death.
14Then they sent a message to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned. He's dead.”
15As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and he was dead, Jezebel told Ahab, “Get up, go and claim ownership of the vineyard of Naboth from Jezreel, which he refused to sell you, for Naboth is no longer alive, but dead.”
16When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went to claim ownership of Naboth's vineyard.
17Then the Lord sent a message to Elijah the Tishbite: 18“Go and meet Ahab, king of Israel, in Samaria. He is right now in Naboth's vineyard, where he has gone to claim ownership of it. 19Tell him: This is what the Lord says: Have you murdered a man and robbed him? Then tell him: This is what the Lord says: In the very spot where dogs licked up Naboth's blood, dogs will lick up your own blood.”
20“So have you come to find me, my enemy?” Ahab asked Elijah.
“I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the Lord's sight,” Elijah replied.
21He says, “Watch out! I'm going to bring disaster on you and destroy your descendants. I will kill every male of Ahab's line, both slave and free, throughout the whole of Israel. 22I will make your house like that of Jeroboam, son of Nebat, and like that of Baasha, son of Ahijah, because you have angered me and made Israel sin. 23And as far as Jezebel is concerned, the Lord says, ‘Dogs will eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’ 24Those of Ahab's family who die in the town will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the countryside will be eaten by birds.”
25(No one else was so bad as Ahab, who sold himself to do what is evil in the Lord's sight, because his wife Jezebel encouraged him. 26He did the most despicable things, worshiping idols like the Amorites the Lord had driven out before Israel.)
27As soon as Ahab heard this message, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He even went to bed in sackcloth, and walked around repentantly.#21:27. “Repentantly”: literally, “gently.”
28Then the Lord sent a message to Elijah the Tishbite: 29“Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster during his lifetime, but I will bring down disaster on his family in the lifetime of his son.”
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com