Naboth’s Vineyard

1And 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. 2And 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.”

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

4And 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.

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

6And 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.’”

7And 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.”

Jezebel’s Plot

8And 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. 9And she wrote in the letters, saying,

“Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth with high honor among the people. 10And 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.”

11And 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. 12They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth with high honor among the people.

13And 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 the city and stoned him with stones, so that he died. 14And they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned, and he is dead.”

15And 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.”

16And 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.

Elijah Denounces Ahab and Jezebel

17And 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.

19And you shall speak to him, saying, thus says YHWH: ‘Have you murdered, and also taken possession?’

And you shall speak to him, saying, thus says YHWH: ‘In the place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth, dogs will lick your blood—even you.†’”

20And Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, my enemy?”

And he answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of YHWH:

21‘Behold, I will bring on you calamity

and I will take away your posterity,

and will cut off from Ahab those who urinate against the wall,

and the restrained and the free in Israel.

22And I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat,

and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah,

because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me to anger,

and caused Israel to sin.’

23And also concerning Jezebel YHWH has spoken, saying,

‘The dogs will devour Jezebel

by the wall of Jezreel.†’

24Whoever dies of Ahab in the city

the dogs shall eat,

and whoever dies in the field

the birds of the heavens shall eat.”

Ahab’s Repentance

25(Surely there has not been one like Ahab, who sold himself to do wickedness in the eyes of YHWH, because Jezebel his wife incited Him. 26And he acted very abominably in following after the idols, according to all that the Amorite had done, whom YHWH had cast out before the sons of Israel.)

27And it came to pass when Ahab heard these words that he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his body, and he fasted and lay in the sackcloth, and he walked softly.

28And the word of YHWH came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, 29“Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? Because that he has humbled himself before Me, I will not bring the calamity in his days; in the days of his son I will bring the calamity on his house.”