1 Kings 21
1 After these things Naboth the Izreelite had a vineyarde in Izreel, hard by the palace of Ahab King of Samaria.
Sometime later this happened: There was a man named Naboth from Jezreel, who owned a vineyard in Jezreel close to King Ahab's palace in Samaria.
2 And Ahab spake vnto Naboth, saying, Giue me thy vineyarde, that I may make mee a garden of herbes thereof, because it is neere by mine house: and I will giue thee for it a better vineyarde then it is: or if it please thee, I will giue thee the worth of it in money.
Ahab went to Naboth and said, “Give me your vineyard so I can turn it into a vegetable garden, because it's close to my palace. In return I'll give you a better vineyard, or if you want I'll pay you for it in cash.”
3 And Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord keepe me from giuing the inheritance of my father vnto thee.
But Naboth replied, “The Lord curse me if I should give you my forefathers' inheritance.”
4 Then Ahab came into his house heauie and in displeasure, because of the word which Naboth the Izreelite had spoken vnto him. for hee had sayde, I will not giue thee the inheritance of my fathers, and he lay vpon his bed, and turned his face and would eate no bread.
Ahab went home sulking and infuriated because Naboth from Jezreel had said, “I will not give you my forefathers' inheritance.” He went to bed, wouldn't look at anyone, and refused to eat.
5 Then Iezebel his wife came to him and said vnto him, Why is thy spirit so sad that thou eatest no bread?
His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, “Why are you so upset about? That you don't want to eat?”
6 And he said vnto her, Because I spake vnto Naboth the Izreelite, and sayd vnto him, Giue me thy vineyard for money, or if it please thee, I will giue thee another vineyard for it: but he answered, I wil not giue thee my vineyarde.
Ahab replied, “It's because I talked with Naboth from Jezreel and I asked him, ‘Give me your vineyard for cash, or if you want, I'll give you another vineyard instead.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”
7 Then Iezebel his wife sayde vnto him, Doest thou nowe gouerne the kingdome of Israel? vp, eate bread, and be of good cheere, I will giue thee the vineyard of Naboth the Izreelite.
“Aren't you the king of Israel?” his wife Jezebel replied. “Get up, have something to eat, and cheer up. I'll get you the vineyard of Naboth from Jezreel.”
8 So she wrote letters in Ahabs name, and sealed them with his seale, and sent the letters vnto the Elders, and to the nobles that were in his citie dwelling with Naboth.
So she wrote some letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal. She sent the letters to the elders and leaders in the town where Naboth lived.
9 And shee wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaime a fast, and set Naboth among the chiefe of the people,
In the letters she wrote to tell them, “Announce a religious fast, and give Naboth a seat of honor.
10 And set two wicked men before him, and let them witnesse against him, saying, Thou diddest blaspheme God and the King: then cary him out, and stone him that he may dye.
But seat two bad men opposite him and have them accuse him, saying, ‘You have cursed God and the king!’ Then take him out and stone him to death.”
11 And the men of his citie, euen the Elders and gouernours, which dwelt in his citie, did as Iezebel had sent vnto them: as it was written in the letters, which she had sent vnto them.
So the elders and leaders who lived in Naboth's town did as Jezebel had said in the letters she had written and sent to them.
12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth among the chiefe of the people,
They announced a religious fast, and gave Naboth a seat of honor.
13 And there came two wicked men, and sate before him: and the wicked men witnessed against Naboth in the presence of the people saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the King. Then they caried him away out of the citie, and stoned him with stones, that he dyed.
Two bad men came and sat opposite him, and accused him in front of the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed God and the king.” So they took him outside the town and stoned him to death.
14 Then they sent to Iezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned and is dead.
Then they sent a message to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned. He's dead.”
15 And when Iezebel heard that Naboth was stoned and was dead, Iezebel sayd to Ahab, Vp, and take possession of the vineyarde of Naboth the Izreelite, which he refused to giue thee for money: for Naboth is not aliue, but is dead.
As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and he was dead, Jezebel told Ahab, “Get up, go and claim ownership of the vineyard of Naboth from Jezreel, which he refused to sell you, for Naboth is no longer alive, but dead.”
16 And when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he rose to go downe to the vineyard of Naboth the Izreelite, to take possession of it.
When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went to claim ownership of Naboth's vineyard.
17 And the word of the Lord came vnto Eliiah the Tishbite, saying,
Then the Lord sent a message to Elijah the Tishbite:
18 Arise, goe downe to meete Ahab King of Israel, which is in Samaria. loe, he is in the vineyarde of Naboth, whither he is gone downe to take possession of it.
“Go and meet Ahab, king of Israel, in Samaria. He is right now in Naboth's vineyard, where he has gone to claim ownership of it.
19 Therefore shalt thou say vnto him, Thus sayth the Lord, Hast thou killed, and also gotten possession? And thou shalt speake vnto him, saying, Thus sayth the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, shall dogs licke euen thy blood also.
Tell him: This is what the Lord says: Have you murdered a man and robbed him? Then tell him: This is what the Lord says: In the very spot where dogs licked up Naboth's blood, dogs will lick up your own blood.”
20 And Ahab sayd to Eliiah, Hast thou found mee, O mine enemie? And he answered, I haue found thee: for thou hast solde thy selfe to worke wickednes in the sight of the Lord.
“So have you come to find me, my enemy?” Ahab asked Elijah. “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the Lord sight,” Elijah replied.
21 Beholde, I will bring euill vpon thee, and wil take away thy posteritie, and wil cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, as well him that is shut vp, as him that is left in Israel,
He says, “Watch out! I'm going to bring disaster on you and destroy your descendants. I will kill from every male of Ahab's line, both slave and free, in the whole of Israel.
22 And I wil make thine house like the house of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the sonne of Ahiiah, for the prouocation wherewith thou hast prouoked, and made Israel to sinne.
I will make your house like that of Jeroboam, son of Nebat, and like that of Baasha, son of Ahijah, because you have angered me and made Israel sin.
23 And also of Iezebel spake the Lord, saying, The dogs shall eate Iezebel, by the wall of Izreel.
And as far as Jezebel is concerned, the Lord says, ‘Dogs will eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.’
24 The dogs shall eate him of Ahabs stocke, that dyeth in the citie: and him that dyeth in the fieldes, shall the foules of the ayre eate.
Those of Ahab's family who die in the town will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the countryside will be eaten by birds.”
25 (But there was none like Ahab, who did fell him selfe, to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord: whom Iezebel his wife prouoked.
(No one else was so bad as Ahab, who sold himself to do what is evil in the Lord's sight, because his wife Jezebel encouraged him.
26 For he did exceeding abominably in following idoles, according to all that the Amorites did, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.)
He did the most despicable things, worshiping idols like the Amorites the Lord had driven out before Israel.)
27 Nowe when Ahab heard those wordes, he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth vpon him and fasted, and lay in sackecloth and went softely.
As soon as Ahab heard this message, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He even went to bed in sackcloth, and walked around repentantly.
28 And the worde of the Lord came to Eliiah the Tishbite, saying,
Then the Lord sent a message to Elijah the Tishbite:
29 Seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me? because he submitteth himselfe before me, I will not bring that euill in his dayes, but in his sonnes dayes wil I bring euill vpon his house.
“Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster during his lifetime, but I will bring down disaster on his family in the lifetime of his son.”
