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1 Kings 21
1599 Geneva Bible
1 Kings 21
1599 Geneva Bible
21 8 Jezebel commandeth to kill Naboth, for the vineyard that he refused to sell to Ahab. 19 Elijah reproveth Ahab, and he repenteth.
1 After [a]these things, Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.
2 And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, [b]Give me thy vineyard, that I may make me a garden of herbs thereof, because it is nearby mine house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it is: or if it please thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.
3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord keep me from giving the inheritance of my father unto thee.
4 Then Ahab came into his house heavy and in displeasure, because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken unto him. For he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers, and he lay [c]upon his bed, and turned his face and would eat no bread.
5 Then Jezebel his wife came unto him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad that thou eatest no bread?
6 And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money, or if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: but he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard.
7 Then Jezebel his wife said unto him, [d]Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? Up, eat bread, and [e]be of good cheer, I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.
8 ¶ So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the Elders, and to the nobles that were in his city dwelling with Naboth.
9 And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a [f]fast, and set Naboth among the chief of the people,
10 And set two wicked men before him, and let them witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king: then carry him out, and stone him that he may die.
11 And the [g]men of the city, even the Elders and governors which dwelt in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them: as it was written in the letters, which she had sent unto them.
12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth among the chief of the people,
13 And there came two wicked men, and sat before him: and the wicked men witnessed against Naboth in the presence of the people saying, Naboth did [h]blaspheme God and the King. Then they carried him away out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.
14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned and is dead.
15 ¶ And when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, [i]Up, and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but is dead.
16 And when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he rose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.
17 ¶ And the word of the Lord came unto Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab King of Israel, which is in Samaria: lo, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to take possession of it.
19 Therefore shalt thou say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, [j]Hast thou killed, and also gotten possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, [k]In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, shall dogs lick even thy blood also.
20 And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: for thou hast sold thyself to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord.
21 (A)Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that (B)pisseth against the wall, as well him that is (C)shut up, as him that is left in Israel,
22 And I will make thine house like the house of (D)Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of (E)Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked and made Israel to sin.
23 And also of Jezebel spake the Lord, saying, (F) The dogs shall eat Jezebel, [l]by the wall of Jezreel.
24 The dogs shall eat him of Ahab’s stock, that dieth in the city: and him that dieth in the fields, shall the fowls of the air eat.
25 (But there was none like Ahab, who did [m]sell himself to work wickedness, in the sight of the Lord, whom Jezebel his wife provoked.
26 For he did exceeding abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites did, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.)
27 Now when Ahab heard those words, he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon [n]him, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went [o]softly.
28 And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
29 Seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me? because he submitteth himself before me, I will not bring that evil in his days, but in his [p]sons’ days will I bring evil upon his house.
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 21:1 Or, at this time.
- 1 Kings 21:2 Though Ahab’s tyranny be condemned by the holy Spirit, yet he was not so rigorous that he would take from another man his right without full recompense.
- 1 Kings 21:4 Thus the wicked consider not what is just and lawful, but fret inwardly, when they cannot have their inordinate appetites satisfied.
- 1 Kings 21:7 As though she said, Thou knowest not what it is to reign. Command and entreat not.
- 1 Kings 21:7 Hebrew, let thine heart be merry.
- 1 Kings 21:9 For then they used to inquire of men’s faults: for none could fast truly that were notorious sinners.
- 1 Kings 21:11 Thus the worldlings contrary to God’s commandment, who willeth not to consent to the shedding of innocent blood, obey rather the wicked commandments of princes than the just laws of God.
- 1 Kings 21:13 Hebrew, bless.
- 1 Kings 21:15 This example of monstrous cruelty the holy Ghost leaveth to us, to the intent that we should abhor all tyranny, and specially in them whom nature and kind should move to be pitiful and inclined to mercy.
- 1 Kings 21:19 Dost thou think to have any advantage by murdering of an innocent?
- 1 Kings 21:19 This was fulfilled in Jehoram his son, as 2 Kings 9:25, 26.
- 1 Kings 21:23 Or, fortress, or possession.
- 1 Kings 21:25 By the wicked counsel of his wife he became a vile idolater, and cruel murderer, as one that gave himself wholly to serve sin.
- 1 Kings 21:27 Hebrew, his flesh.
- 1 Kings 21:27 In token of mourning, or as some read, barefooted.
- 1 Kings 21:29 Meaning, in Jehoram’s time, 2 Kings 9:26.
1 Kings 21
New International Version
1 Kings 21
New International Version
Naboth’s Vineyard
21 Some time later there was an incident involving a vineyard belonging to Naboth(A) the Jezreelite. The vineyard was in Jezreel,(B) close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 Ahab said to Naboth, “Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth.”
3 But Naboth replied, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance(C) of my ancestors.”
4 So Ahab went home, sullen and angry(D) because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my ancestors.” He lay on his bed sulking and refused(E) to eat.
5 His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, “Why are you so sullen? Why won’t you eat?”
6 He answered her, “Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, ‘Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”
7 Jezebel his wife said, “Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard(F) of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
8 So she wrote letters(G) in Ahab’s name, placed his seal(H) on them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city with him. 9 In those letters she wrote:
“Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people. 10 But seat two scoundrels(I) opposite him and have them bring charges that he has cursed(J) both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death.”
11 So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city did as Jezebel directed in the letters she had written to them. 12 They proclaimed a fast(K) and seated Naboth in a prominent place among the people. 13 Then two scoundrels came and sat opposite him and brought charges against Naboth before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed both God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death.(L) 14 Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”
15 As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard(M) of Naboth the Jezreelite that he refused to sell you. He is no longer alive, but dead.” 16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of Naboth’s vineyard.
17 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: 18 “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. 19 Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?’(N) Then say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood,(O) dogs(P) will lick up your blood—yes, yours!’”
20 Ahab said to Elijah, “So you have found me, my enemy!”(Q)
“I have found you,” he answered, “because you have sold(R) yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. 21 He says, ‘I am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male(S) in Israel—slave or free.[a](T) 22 I will make your house(U) like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have aroused my anger and have caused Israel to sin.’(V)
23 “And also concerning Jezebel the Lord says: ‘Dogs(W) will devour Jezebel by the wall of[b] Jezreel.’
24 “Dogs(X) will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds(Y) will feed on those who die in the country.”
25 (There was never(Z) anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. 26 He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites(AA) the Lord drove out before Israel.)
27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth(AB) and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.(AC)
28 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: 29 “Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled(AD) himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day,(AE) but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.”(AF)
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 21:21 Or Israel—every ruler or leader
- 1 Kings 21:23 Most Hebrew manuscripts; a few Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac (see also 2 Kings 9:26) the plot of ground at
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV) 
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