1And it came to be, after these events, that Naḇoth the Yizre‛ĕlite had a vineyard which was in Yizre‛ĕl, near the palace of Aḥaḇ the sovereign of Shomeron.

2And Aḥaḇ spoke to Naḇoth, saying, “Give me your vineyard, and it shall be a vegetable garden for me, since it adjoins my house. And let me give you a better vineyard for it. If it is good in your eyes, let me give you its worth in silver.”

3And Naḇoth said to Aḥaḇ, “Far be it from me, by יהוה, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you!”

4And Aḥaḇ went into his house embittered and displeased because of the word which Naḇoth the Yizre‛ĕlite had spoken to him when he said, “I do not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed, and turned away his face, and did not eat food.

5And Izeḇel his wife came to him, and said to him, “Why is your spirit so embittered that you are not eating food?”

6And he said to her, “Because I spoke to Naḇoth the Yizre‛ĕlite, and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for silver, or if you prefer, I give you another vineyard for it.’ But he answered, ‘I do not give you my vineyard.’ ”

7So Izeḇel his wife said to him, “Do you now rule over Yisra’ĕl? Rise up, eat food, and let your heart be glad. Let me give you the vineyard of Naḇoth the Yizre‛ĕlite!”

8Then she wrote letters in Aḥaḇ’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who were dwelling in the city with Naḇoth.

9And she wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast, and seat Naḇoth at the head of the people,

10and seat two men, sons of Beliya‛al before him to bear witness against him, saying, ‘You have blasphemed Elohim and the sovereign.’ Then you shall take him out, and stone him to death.”

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

12They proclaimed a fast, and seated Naḇoth at the head of the people.

13And the men, sons of Beliya‛al, came in and sat before him. And the men of Beliya‛al witnessed against him, against Naḇoth, in the presence of the people, saying, “Naḇoth has blasphemed Elohim and the sovereign!” So they took him outside the city and stoned him with stones, and he died.

14And they sent to Izeḇel, saying, “Naḇoth has been stoned and is dead.”

15And it came to be, when Izeḇel heard that Naḇoth had been stoned and was dead, that Izeḇel said to Aḥaḇ, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naḇoth the Yizre‛ĕlite, which he refused to give you for money, for Naḇoth is not alive but dead.”

16And it came to be, when Aḥaḇ heard that Naḇoth was dead, that Aḥaḇ rose to go down to take possession of the vineyard of Naḇoth the Yizre‛ĕlite.

17And the word of יהוה came to Ěliyahu the Tishbite, saying,

18“Rise up, go down to meet Aḥaḇ sovereign of Yisra’ĕl, who lives in Shomeron. See, he is in the vineyard of Naḇoth, where he has gone down to take possession of it.

19“And you shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus said יהוה, “Have you murdered and also taken possession?” ’ And you shall speak to him, saying, ‘Thus said יהוה, “In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naḇoth, the dogs are going to lick your blood, even yours.” ’ ”

20And Aḥaḇ said to Ěliyahu, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” And he answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of יהוה:

21‘See, I am bringing evil on you, and shall consume your descendants, and cut off from Aḥaḇ every male in Yisra’ĕl, both those shut up and those left at large,

22and make your house like the house of Yaroḇ‛am son of Neḇat, and like the house of Ba‛asha son of Aḥiyah, because of the provocation with which you have provoked Me, and made Yisra’ĕl sin.’

23“And also of Izeḇel יהוה has spoken, saying, ‘The dogs are going to eat Izeḇel by the wall of Yizre‛ĕl.’

24“The dogs are going to eat whoever belongs to Aḥaḇ and dies in the city, and the birds of the heavens are going to eat whoever dies in the field.”

25Indeed, there never was anyone like Aḥaḇ who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of יהוה, because Izeḇel his wife stirred him up.

26And he acted very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites had done, whom יהוה dispossessed from before the children of Yisra’ĕl.

27And it came to be, when Aḥaḇ heard those words, that he tore his garments and put sackcloth on his body, and fasted and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.

28And the word of יהוה came to Ěliyahu the Tishbite, saying,

29“See how Aḥaḇ has humbled himself before Me? Because he has humbled himself before Me, I do not bring the evil in his days, but in the days of his son I bring the evil on his house.”