21Some time later King Ahab wanted a certain vineyard. It belonged to Naboth from Jezreel. The vineyard was in Jezreel. It was close to the palace of Ahab, the king of Samaria.

²Ahab said to Naboth, “Let me have your vineyard. It’s close to my palace. I want to use it for a vegetable garden. I’ll trade you a better vineyard for it. Or, if you prefer, I’ll pay you what it’s worth.”

³But Naboth replied, “May the Lord keep me from giving you the land my family handed down to me.”

⁴So Ahab went home. He was angry. He was in a bad mood because of what Naboth from Jezreel had said. He had told him, “I won’t give you the land my family handed down to me.”

So Ahab lay on his bed. He was in a very bad mood. He wouldn’t even eat anything.

⁵His wife Jezebel came in. She asked him, “Why are you in such a bad mood? Why won’t you eat anything?”

⁶He answered her, “Because I spoke to Naboth from Jezreel. I said, ‘Sell me your vineyard. Or, if you prefer, I’ll give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I won’t sell you my vineyard.’ ”

⁷His wife Jezebel said, “Is this how the king of Israel acts? Get up! Eat something! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth from Jezreel.”

⁸So she wrote some letters in Ahab’s name. She stamped them with his seal. Then she sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in the city where Naboth lived. ⁹In those letters she wrote,

“Announce a day when people are supposed to go without eating. Have Naboth sit in an important place among the people. ¹⁰But put two worthless and evil men in seats across from him. Have them witness to the fact that he has called down curses on God and the king. Then take him out of the city. Kill him by throwing stones at him.”

¹¹So the elders and nobles who lived in that city did what Jezebel wanted. They did everything she directed in the letters she had written to them. ¹²They announced a day of fasting. They had Naboth sit in an important place among the people.

¹³Then two worthless and evil men came and sat across from him. They brought charges against Naboth in front of the people. The two men said, “Naboth has called down curses on God and the king.” So they took him outside the city. They killed him by throwing stones at him.

¹⁴Then they sent a message to Jezebel. They said, “Naboth is dead. We killed him by throwing stones at him.”

¹⁵Jezebel heard that Naboth had been killed. As soon as she heard it, she said to Ahab, “Get up. Take over the vineyard of Naboth from Jezreel. It’s the one he wouldn’t sell to you. He isn’t alive anymore. He’s dead.”

¹⁶Ahab heard that Naboth was dead. So he got up. He went down to take over Naboth’s vineyard.

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