FLOGVIT
.bible

1 KingsChapter 21

+ Secondary textOriginal text← PreviousNext →Contribute
Now after these things, Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, right beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
Ahab said to Naboth, "Give me your vineyard. I want it for a vegetable garden, since it lies so close to my house. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard than this one—or, if you prefer, I will pay you its full value in silver."
But Naboth said to Ahab, "The LORD forbid that I should hand over to you the inheritance of my fathers."
So Ahab went home sullen and angry over what Naboth the Jezreelite had told him: "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers." He lay down on his bed, turned his face to the wall, and refused to eat.
His wife Jezebel came in to him and asked, "Why are you so sullen that you will not eat?"
He answered her, "Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said, 'Sell me your vineyard for silver, or, if you like, I will give you another vineyard in its place.' And he said, 'I will not give you my vineyard.'"
Then his wife Jezebel said to him, "Is this how you exercise your kingship over Israel? Get up, eat something, and cheer up. I will get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."
So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles of Naboth's city, who sat in council with him.
In the letters she wrote: "Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth at the head of the people.
Seat two scoundrels opposite him, and have them testify against him: 'You have cursed God and the king.' Then take him out and stone him to death.[^1] [^1]: The Hebrew word here literally means 'blessed,' used as a reverent substitute to avoid writing the words 'cursed God.'
The men of his city, the elders and nobles who lived there, did just as Jezebel had directed them, exactly as it was written in the letters she had sent them.
They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the people.
Then the two scoundrels came in and sat down opposite him, and they testified against Naboth in front of the people: "Naboth has cursed God and the king." So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.
Then they sent word to Jezebel: "Naboth has been stoned; he is dead."
As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, "Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to sell you for silver. Naboth is no longer alive; he is dead."
When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite:
"Get up and go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He is now in Naboth's vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it.
Say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: Have you murdered, and also taken possession?' Then say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: In the place where the dogs licked up Naboth's blood, the dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours.'"
Ahab said to Elijah, "So you have found me, my enemy!" "I have found you," he answered, "because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the eyes of the LORD.
I am bringing disaster upon you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every male in Israel, both slave and free.
I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have led Israel into sin.
And concerning Jezebel the LORD also says: 'The dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.'
Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs will eat, and anyone who dies in the open country the birds of the sky will eat."
There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do what is evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife.
He acted most abominably in following idols, just as the Amorites had done, whom the LORD drove out before the Israelites.
When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put sackcloth on his body, and fasted. He slept in sackcloth and walked about subdued.
Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite:
"Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; I will bring it on his house in the days of his son."
←→