1 Kings
Chapter 21
1 After these events, Naboth, from Jezreel, owned a vineyard next to Ahab’s palace, the king of Samaria.
2 Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard so I can use it for a garden of herbs since it’s close to my house. I’ll give you a better vineyard in exchange, or if you prefer, I’ll pay you its value in money.”
3 Naboth said to Ahab, “God won’t allow it. I can’t give you what I inherited from my ancestors.”
4 Ahab went into his house feeling sad and upset because of what Naboth from Jezreel told him. Naboth had said, “I won’t give you my family’s land.” Ahab lay down on his bed, turned his face to the wall, and refused to eat.
5 Jezebel, his wife, came to him and asked, “Why are you so sad that you’re not eating?”
6 He told her, “I talked to Naboth from Jezreel. I offered to buy his vineyard or trade it for another one if he liked. But he said, ‘I won’t give you my vineyard.’”
7 Jezebel, his wife, said to him, “Are you not ruling Israel? Get up, eat some bread, and cheer up; I will get you Naboth’s vineyard.”
8 She wrote letters using Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the city elders and nobles who lived with Naboth.
9 She wrote in the letters, “Announce a fast, and put Naboth in a prominent place among the people.”
10 Place two wicked men in front of him to accuse him, saying, “You insulted God and the king.” Then take him out and throw stones at him until he dies.
11 The men of the city, including the elders and leaders who lived there, did what Jezebel told them, following the instructions in her letters.
12 They announced a time without food and placed Naboth in a high position among the people.
13 Two bad men came and sat in front of him. They lied about Naboth in front of everyone, saying, “Naboth insulted God and the king.” So they took Naboth out of the city and threw stones at him until he died.
14 They sent a message to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned and is dead.”
15 When Jezebel found out that Naboth had been stoned to death, she told Ahab, “Get up and take over Naboth the Jezreelite’s vineyard, because he didn’t sell it to you. Now that he’s dead, it’s yours.”
16 When Ahab learned that Naboth had died, he got up to go to Naboth the Jezreelite’s vineyard to take it over.
17 God’s message came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
18 Get up, go meet Ahab, the king of Israel, in Samaria. Look, he is in Naboth’s vineyard, where he has gone to take it over.
19 You will tell him, ‘God says, “Have you murdered and also taken the land?”’ And you will say to him, ‘God says, “In the spot where dogs licked Naboth’s blood, dogs will lick your blood too.”’
20 Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, my enemy?” Elijah answered, “Yes, I have found you because you have chosen to do evil in God’s eyes.”
21 I will bring bad things on you, take away your future family, and destroy every male belonging to Ahab, whether they are free or trapped in Israel.
22 I will make your family like Jeroboam’s family, the son of Nebat, and like Baasha’s family, the son of Ahijah because you have made me angry and caused Israel to sin.
23 God also said about Jezebel, “Dogs will eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.”
24 Anyone from Ahab’s family who dies in the city will be eaten by dogs, and anyone who dies in the field will be eaten by birds.
25 No one was like Ahab; he chose to do evil, watched by God, encouraged by his wife Jezebel.
26 He did terrible things by worshiping idols, just like the Amorites, whom God had driven out before the Israelites.
27 When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, fasted, lay in sackcloth, and walked quietly.
28 God’s message came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
29 Do you see how Ahab is humbling himself before me? Because he is doing this, I will not cause bad things to happen during his life; instead, I will make them happen during his son’s life to his family.