1 Kings 21:1–15

Ahab Covets Naboth’s Vineyard

¹Now it came about after these things that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in ^aJezreel beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.

²Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “^aGive me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden because it is close beside my house, and I will give you a better vineyard than it in its place; if ¹you like, I will give you the price of ²it in money.”

³But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid me ^athat I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”

^4aSo Ahab came into his house sullen and vexed because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and ate no ¹food.

⁵But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, “How is it that your spirit is so sullen that you are not eating ¹food?”

⁶So he said to her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, ‘Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if it pleases you, I will give you a vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’ ”

⁷Jezebel his wife said to him, “^aDo you now ¹reign over Israel? Arise, eat bread, and let your heart be joyful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

^8aSo she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, and sent letters to ^bthe elders and to the nobles who were living with Naboth in his city.

⁹Now she wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth at the head of the people;

¹⁰and seat two ^aworthless men before him, and let them testify against him, saying, ‘^bYou cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and ^cstone him ¹to death.”

Jezebel’s Plot

¹¹So the men of his city, the elders and the nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them, just as it was written in the letters which she had sent them.

¹²They ^aproclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the people.

¹³Then the two worthless men came in and sat before him; and the worthless men testified against him, even against Naboth, before the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king.” ^aSo they took him outside the city and stoned him ¹to death with stones.

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

¹⁵When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, “Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth, the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead.”