1 Kings 21
Now
Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of Ahab king
of Samaria. 2 And after this Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard, that
I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house, and I will
give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you
its value in money.” 3 But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should
give you the inheritance of my fathers.” 4 And Ahab went into his house vexed
and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him, for he had
said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on
his bed and turned away his face and would eat no food.
5 But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “Why is
your spirit so vexed that you eat no food?” 6 And 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 please you, I will give you another vineyard for it.’ And
he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’” 7 And Jezebel his wife said to
him, “Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be
cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with
his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and the leaders who lived with
Naboth in his city. 9 And she wrote in the letters, “Proclaim a fast, and set
Naboth at the head of the people. 10 And set two worthless men opposite him,
and let them bring a charge against him, saying, ‘You have cursedGod and the
king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.” 11 And the men of his city,
the elders and the leaders who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word
to them. As it was written in the letters that she had sent to them, 14 Then
they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned; he is dead.”
15 As soon as 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.” 16 And as soon as Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab
arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession
of it.
17 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite,
saying, 18 “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria;
behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession.
19 And you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Have you killed and also
taken possession?”’ And you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “In the
place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your own
blood.”’”
20 Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” He
answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil
in the sight of the Lord.23 And of Jezebel the Lord also said, ‘The dogs shall
eat Jezebel within the walls of Jezreel.’
27 And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and
put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about
dejectedly. 28 And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29
“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; but in his son's
days I will bring the disaster upon his house.”
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version.
ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing
ministry of Good News Publishers.
Illustration from a woodcut by Baron Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld, 1794-1872, a distinguished German artist known especially for his book, Das Buch der Bücher in Bilden (The Book of Books in Pictures). © WELS used by permission for personal and congregational use.
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