1 Kings 21:1-24

1Some time afterH310 theseH428 eventsH1697, NabothH5022 the JezreeliteH3158 ownedH1961 a vineyardH3754 in JezreelH3157 next toH681 the palaceH1964 of AhabH256 kingH4428 of SamariaH8111. 2So AhabH256 saidH1696 toH413 NabothH5022, “GiveH5414 me your vineyardH3754 to useH1961 as a vegetableH3419 gardenH1588, sinceH3588 itH1931 is next toH7138H681 my palaceH1004. I will giveH5414 you a betterH2896H4480 vineyardH3754 in its placeH8478—or ifH518 you preferH2896H5869, I will giveH5414 you itsH2088 valueH4242 in silverH3701.”

3But NabothH5022 repliedH559, “The LORDH3068 forbidH2486 that I should giveH5414 you the inheritanceH5159 of my fathersH1.”

4So AhabH256 wentH935 toH413 his palaceH1004, sullenH5620 and angryH2198 becauseH5921H1697 NabothH5022 the JezreeliteH3158 had told himH1696H413, “I will notH3808 giveH5414 you the inheritanceH5159 of my fathersH1.” He lay downH7901 onH5921 his bedH4296, turned his faceH6440 awayH5437, and refusedH3808 to eatH398H3899.

5Soon his wifeH802 JezebelH348 came inH935 and askedH1696, “WhyH4100 are youH7307 soH2088 sullenH5620 that you refuseH369 to eatH398H3899?”

6Ahab answeredH1696H413, “BecauseH3588 I spokeH1696 toH413 NabothH5022 the JezreeliteH3158 and toldH559 him, ‘GiveH5414 me your vineyardH3754 for silverH3701, orH176 ifH518 youH859 wishH2655, I will giveH5414 you another vineyardH3754 in its placeH8478.’ And he repliedH559, ‘I will notH3808 giveH5414 you my vineyardH3754!’”

7But his wifeH802H859 JezebelH348 saidH559 to himH413, “Do you notH6258 reignH6213H4410 overH5921 IsraelH3478? Get upH6965, eatH398 some foodH3899, and be cheerfulH3190H3820, for IH589 will getH5414 you the vineyardH3754 of NabothH5022 the JezreeliteH3158.”

8Then Jezebel wroteH3789 lettersH5612 in Ahab’sH256 nameH8034, sealed themH2368 with his sealH2856, and sentH7971 them toH413 the eldersH2205H413 and noblesH2715 whoH834 livedH3427 withH854 NabothH5022 in his cityH5892. 9In the lettersH5612H559 she wroteH3789:

“ProclaimH7121 a fastH6685 and giveH3427 NabothH5022 a seat of honorH7218 among the peopleH5971. 10But seatH3427 twoH8147H582H1121 scoundrelsH1100 opposite himH5048 and have them testifyH5749H559, ‘You have cursedH1288 both GodH430 and the kingH4428!’ Then take him outH3318 and stone himH5619 to deathH4191.”

11

So the eldersH2205 and noblesH2715 whoH834 livedH3427 in Naboth’s cityH5892 didH6213 asH834 JezebelH348 had instructedH7971 in the lettersH5612 she had writtenH7971 to themH413. 12They proclaimedH7121 a fastH6685 and gaveH3427 NabothH5022 a seat of honorH7218 among the peopleH5971.

13And the twoH8147 scoundrelsH1100H582H1121 came inH935 and satH3427 oppositeH5048 Naboth, andH1100 these men testifiedH5749 againstH5022 him beforeH5048 the peopleH5971, sayingH559, “NabothH5022 has cursedH1288 both GodH430 and the kingH4428!”

So they took himH3318 outsideH2351 the cityH5892 and stoned himH5619 to deathH4191. 14Then they sentH7971 word toH413 JezebelH348H559: “NabothH5022 has been stonedH5619 to deathH4191.”

15

When JezebelH348 heardH8085 thatH3588 NabothH5022 had been stonedH5619 to deathH4191, she saidH559 toH413 AhabH256, “Get upH6965 and take possession ofH3423 the vineyardH3754 of NabothH5022 the JezreeliteH3158, whoH834 refusedH3985 to give itH5414 to you for silverH3701. ForH3588 NabothH5022 is no longerH369 aliveH2416, butH3588 deadH4191.”

16AndH1961 when AhabH256 heardH8085 thatH3588 NabothH5022 was deadH4191, heH256 got upH6965 and wentH3381 downH413 to take possessionH3423 of the vineyardH3754 of NabothH5022 the JezreeliteH3158.

17Then the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068 cameH1961 toH413 ElijahH452 the TishbiteH8664, sayingH559, 18“Get upH6965 and go downH3381 to meetH7122 AhabH256 kingH4428 of IsraelH3478, whoH834 is in SamariaH8111. SeeH2009, he is in the vineyardH3754 of NabothH5022, whereH834 he has goneH3381H8033 to take possession of itH3423.

19TellH1696 himH413 that this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559: ‘Have you not murderedH7523 a man andH1571 seized his landH3423?’

Then tell himH1696H413H559 that this is also whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559: ‘In the placeH4725 whereH834 the dogsH3611 licked upH3952 the bloodH1818 of NabothH5022, there also the dogsH3611 will lick upH3952 your bloodH1818—yesH1571, yoursH859!’1”

20When ElijahH452 arrived, AhabH256 saidH559 to himH413, “So you have found me outH4672, my enemyH341.”

He repliedH559, “I have found you outH4672 becauseH3282 you have sold yourselfH4376 to doH6213 evilH7451 in the sightH5869 of the LORDH3068. 21This is what the LORD says:2

23And the LORDH3068H559 alsoH1571 speaksH1696 concerning JezebelH348: