1 Kings 21:1-18 ▼

1 And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard that was in Jezreel next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.

2 And Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give to me your vineyard, and it will be to me for a garden of green herbs, because it is nearby my house. And I will give to you in its place a better vineyard than it. Or if it is good in your eyes, I will give to you silver of the price of this one.”

3 And Naboth said to Ahab, “Far be it from me, by YHWH, to give the inheritance of my fathers to you.”

4 And Ahab went into his house sullen and angry because of the word that Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him. For he had said, “I will not give to you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed, and he turned away his face and would not eat food.

5 And Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “Why is this that your spirit is so sullen, and you eat no food?”

6 And he said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, ‘Give to me your vineyard for silver; or if it pleases you, I will give to you a vineyard for it.’ And He answered, ‘I will not give to you my vineyard.’”

7 And Jezebel his wife said to him, “You now exercise authority over Israel! Arise, eat bread, and let your heart be cheerful. I will give to you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

8 And she wrote letters in the name of Ahab and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and to the nobles who were dwelling in the city with Naboth.

9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth with high honor among the people.

10 And seat two men, sons of worthlessness, before him to bear witness against him, saying, ‘You have cursed God and the king.’ And take him out and stone him, that he may die.”

11 And the men of his city, the elders and nobles who were dwellers of his city, did as Jezebel had sent to them, as it was written in the letters that she had sent to them.

12 They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth with high honor among the people.

13 And two men, the sons of worthlessness, came in and sat before him. And the men of worthlessness witnessed against him, against Naboth, before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed God and the king.” And they took him outside of the city and stoned him with stones, so that he died.

14 And they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned, and he is dead.”

15 And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite that he refused to give to you for silver. For Naboth is not alive, but he has died.”

16 And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab got up and went down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite to possess it.

17 And the word of YHWH 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 down to possess it.