1 Kings 21:2-16

2Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “1Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden because it is close beside my house, and I will give you a better vineyard than it in its place; if 2you like, I will give you the price of 3it in money.” 3But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid me 4that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.” 45So Ahab came into his house sullen and vexed because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and ate no 6food.

5But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “How is it that your spirit is so sullen that you are not eating 7food?” 6So he 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 a vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’” 7Jezebel his wife said to him, “8Do you now 9reign over Israel? Arise, eat bread, and let your heart be joyful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

810So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, and sent letters to 11the elders and to the nobles who were living with Naboth in his city. 9Now she wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth at the head of the people; 10and seat two 12worthless men before him, and let them testify against him, saying, ‘13You cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and 14stone him 15to death.”

11So the men of his city, the elders and the nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them, just as it was written in the letters which she had sent them. 12They 16proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the people. 13Then the two worthless men came in and sat before him; and the worthless men testified against him, even against Naboth, before the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” 17So they took him outside the city and stoned him 18to death with stones. 14Then they sent word to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned and is dead.”

15When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, 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.” 16When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.