1 Kings 21

Ahab's Discontent and Jezebel's Scheme 1 Kings 21:4–7

⁴Verse 4. Ahab came into his house sullen and angry because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him; for he had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” He laid himself down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. ⁵Verse 5. But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said to him, “Why is your spirit so sad, that you eat no bread?” ⁶Verse 6. 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 another vineyard for it.’ He answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”

⁷Verse 7. Jezebel his wife said to him, “Do you now govern the kingdom of Israel? Arise, and eat bread, and let your heart be merry. I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

Jezebel's Deception and Naboth's Death 1 Kings 21:8–14

⁸Verse 8. So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and to the nobles who were in his city, who lived with Naboth. ⁹Verse 9. She wrote in the letters, saying, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. ¹⁰Verse 10. Set two men, wicked fellows, before him, and let them testify against him, saying, ‘You cursed God and the king!’ Then carry him out, and stone him to death.” ¹¹Verse 11. The men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had instructed them in the letters which she had written and sent to them.

¹²Verse 12. They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. ¹³Verse 13. The two men, the wicked fellows, came in and sat before him. The wicked fellows testified against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth cursed God and the king!” Then they carried him out of the city and stoned him to death with stones. ¹⁴Verse 14. Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, “Naboth has been stoned, and is dead.”

Ahab Takes Possession 1 Kings 21:15–16

¹⁵Verse 15. When 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.” ¹⁶Verse 16. When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

Elijah's Prophecy of Judgment 1 Kings 21:17–24

¹⁷Verse 17. Yahweh’s word came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ¹⁸Verse 18. “Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who dwells in Samaria. Behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone down to take possession of it. ¹⁹Verse 19. You shall speak to him, saying, ‘Yahweh says, “Have you killed and also taken possession?”’ You shall speak to him, saying, ‘Yahweh says, “In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, dogs will lick your blood, even yours.”’” ²⁰Verse 20. Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, my enemy?” He answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do that which is evil in Yahweh’s sight.

²¹Verse 21. Behold, I will bring evil on you, and will utterly sweep you away and will cut off from Ahab everyone who urinates against a wall, and him who is shut up and him who is left at large in Israel. ²²Verse 22. I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah for the provocation with which you have provoked me to anger, and have made Israel to sin.” ²³Verse 23. Yahweh also spoke of Jezebel, saying, “The dogs will eat Jezebel by the rampart of Jezreel. ²⁴Verse 24. The dogs will eat he who dies of Ahab in the city; and the birds of the sky will eat he who dies in the field.”

Ahab's Repentance 1 Kings 21:25–27

²⁵Verse 25. But there was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. ²⁶Verse 26. He did very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites did, whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel. ²⁷Verse 27. When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.

God's Mercy and Future Judgment 1 Kings 21:28–29

²⁸Verse 28. Yahweh’s word came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ²⁹Verse 29. “See how Ahab humbles himself before me? Because he humbles himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days; but I will bring the evil on his house in his son’s day.”