Melaḵim Aleph (1 Kings) 21
21
1And it came to be, after these events, that Naḇoth the Yizre‛ĕlite had a vineyard which was in Yizre‛ĕl, near the palace of Aḥaḇ the sovereign of Shomeron.
2And Aḥaḇ spoke to Naḇoth, saying, “Give me your vineyard, and it shall be a vegetable garden for me, since it adjoins my house. And let me give you a better vineyard for it. If it is good in your eyes, let me give you its worth in silver.”
3And Naḇoth said to Aḥaḇ, “Far be it from me, by יהוה, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you!”
4And Aḥaḇ went into his house embittered and displeased because of the word which Naḇoth the Yizre‛ĕlite had spoken to him when he said, “I do not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed, and turned away his face, and did not eat food.
5And Izeḇel his wife came to him, and said to him, “Why is your spirit so embittered that you are not eating food?”
6And he said to her, “Because I spoke to Naḇoth the Yizre‛ĕlite, and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for silver, or if you prefer, I give you another vineyard for it.’ But he answered, ‘I do not give you my vineyard.’ ”
7So Izeḇel his wife said to him, “Do you now rule over Yisra’ĕl? Rise up, eat food, and let your heart be glad. Let me give you the vineyard of Naḇoth the Yizre‛ĕlite!”
8Then she wrote letters in Aḥaḇ’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who were dwelling in the city with Naḇoth.
9And she wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast, and seat Naḇoth at the head of the people,
10and seat two men, sons of Beliya‛al before him to bear witness against him, saying, ‘You have blasphemed Elohim and the sovereign.’ Then you shall take him out, and stone him to death.”
11And the men of his city, the elders and nobles who were inhabitants of his city, did as Izeḇel had sent to them, as it was written in the letters which she had sent to them.
12They proclaimed a fast, and seated Naḇoth at the head of the people.
13And the men, sons of Beliya‛al, came in and sat before him. And the men of Beliya‛al witnessed against him, against Naḇoth, in the presence of the people, saying, “Naḇoth has blasphemed Elohim and the sovereign!” So they took him outside the city and stoned him with stones, and he died.
14And they sent to Izeḇel, saying, “Naḇoth has been stoned and is dead.”
15And it came to be, when Izeḇel heard that Naḇoth had been stoned and was dead, that Izeḇel said to Aḥaḇ, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naḇoth the Yizre‛ĕlite, which he refused to give you for silver, for Naḇoth is not alive but dead.”
16And it came to be, when Aḥaḇ heard that Naḇoth was dead, that Aḥaḇ rose to go down to take possession of the vineyard of Naḇoth the Yizre‛ĕlite.
17And the word of יהוה came to Ěliyahu the Tishbite, saying,
18“Rise up, go down to meet Aḥaḇ sovereign of Yisra’ĕl, who lives in Shomeron. See, he is in the vineyard of Naḇoth, where he has gone down to take possession of it.
19“And you shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus said יהוה, “Have you murdered and also taken possession?” ’ And you shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus said יהוה, “In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naḇoth, the dogs are going to lick your blood, even yours.” ’ ”
20And Aḥaḇ said to Ěliyahu, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” And he answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of יהוה:
21See, I am bringing evil on you, and shall consume your descendants, and cut off from Aḥaḇ every male in Yisra’ĕl, both those shut up and those left at large,
22and make your house like the house of Yaroḇ‛am son of Neḇat, and like the house of Ba‛asha son of Aḥiyah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me, and made Yisra’ĕl sin.’
23“And also of Izeḇel יהוה has spoken, saying, ‘The dogs are going to eat Izeḇel by the wall of Yizre‛ĕl.’
24“The dogs are going to eat whoever belongs to Aḥaḇ and dies in the city, and the birds of the heavens are going to eat whoever dies in the field.”
25Indeed, there never was anyone like Aḥaḇ who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of יהוה, because Izeḇel his wife stirred him up.
26And he acted very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom יהוה dispossessed from before the children of Yisra’ĕl.
27And it came to be, when Aḥaḇ heard those words, that he tore his garments and put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.
28And the word of יהוה came to Ěliyahu the Tishbite, saying,
29“See how Aḥaḇ has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I do not bring the evil in his days, but in the days of his son I bring the evil on his house.”
Currently Selected:
Melaḵim Aleph (1 Kings) 21: TS2009
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Copyright© 1993 – 2015 by the Institute for Scripture Research (ISR). All rights reserved.
1 Kings 21
21
Naboth’s Vineyard
1Now there was a man named Naboth, from Jezreel, who owned a vineyard in Jezreel beside the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. 2One day Ahab said to Naboth, “Since your vineyard is so convenient to my palace, I would like to buy it to use as a vegetable garden. I will give you a better vineyard in exchange, or if you prefer, I will pay you for it.”
3But Naboth replied, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance that was passed down by my ancestors.”
4So Ahab went home angry and sullen because of Naboth’s answer. The king went to bed with his face to the wall and refused to eat!
5“What’s the matter?” his wife Jezebel asked him. “What’s made you so upset that you’re not eating?”
6“I asked Naboth to sell me his vineyard or trade it, but he refused!” Ahab told her.
7“Are you the king of Israel or not?” Jezebel demanded. “Get up and eat something, and don’t worry about it. I’ll get you Naboth’s vineyard!”
8So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and other leaders of the town where Naboth lived. 9In her letters she commanded: “Call the citizens together for a time of fasting, and give Naboth a place of honor. 10And then seat two scoundrels across from him who will accuse him of cursing God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death.”
11So the elders and other town leaders followed the instructions Jezebel had written in the letters. 12They called for a fast and put Naboth at a prominent place before the people. 13Then the two scoundrels came and sat down across from him. And they accused Naboth before all the people, saying, “He cursed God and the king.” So he was dragged outside the town and stoned to death. 14The town leaders then sent word to Jezebel, “Naboth has been stoned to death.”
15When Jezebel heard the news, she said to Ahab, “You know the vineyard Naboth wouldn’t sell you? Well, you can have it now! He’s dead!” 16So Ahab immediately went down to the vineyard of Naboth to claim it.
17But the Lord said to Elijah,#21:17 Hebrew Elijah the Tishbite; also in 21:28. 18“Go down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He will be at Naboth’s vineyard in Jezreel, claiming it for himself. 19Give him this message: ‘This is what the Lord says: Wasn’t it enough that you killed Naboth? Must you rob him, too? Because you have done this, dogs will lick your blood at the very place where they licked the blood of Naboth!’”
20“So, my enemy, you have found me!” Ahab exclaimed to Elijah.
“Yes,” Elijah answered, “I have come because you have sold yourself to what is evil in the Lord’s sight. 21So now the Lord says,#21:21 As in Greek version; Hebrew lacks So now the Lord says. ‘I will bring disaster on you and consume you. I will destroy every one of your male descendants, slave and free alike, anywhere in Israel! 22I am going to destroy your family as I did the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat and the family of Baasha son of Ahijah, for you have made me very angry and have led Israel into sin.’
23“And regarding Jezebel, the Lord says, ‘Dogs will eat Jezebel’s body at the plot of land in Jezreel.#21:23 As in several Hebrew manuscripts, Syriac, and Latin Vulgate (see also 2 Kgs 9:26, 36); most Hebrew manuscripts read at the city wall.’
24“The members of Ahab’s family who die in the city will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the field will be eaten by vultures.”
25(No one else so completely sold himself to what was evil in the Lord’s sight as Ahab did under the influence of his wife Jezebel. 26His worst outrage was worshiping idols#21:26 The Hebrew term (literally round things) probably alludes to dung. just as the Amorites had done—the people whom the Lord had driven out from the land ahead of the Israelites.)
27But when Ahab heard this message, he tore his clothing, dressed in burlap, and fasted. He even slept in burlap and went about in deep mourning.
28Then another message from the Lord came to Elijah: 29“Do you see how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has done this, I will not do what I promised during his lifetime. It will happen to his sons; I will destroy his dynasty.”
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation.
For more information about the NLT: