Naboth's Vineyard

1 Kings 21

1 Now Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in q Jezreel, beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 And after this Ahab said to Naboth, r "Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house, and I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value in money." 3 But Naboth said to Ahab, "The Lord forbid s that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers." 4 And Ahab t went into his house vexed and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him, for he had said, "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers." And he lay down on his bed and turned away his face and would eat no food.

5 But Jezebel his wife came to him and said to him, "Why is your spirit so vexed that you eat no food?" 6 And 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 please you, I will give you another vineyard for it.' And he answered, 'I will not give you my vineyard.'" 7 And Jezebel his wife said to him, "Do you now govern Israel? Arise and eat bread and let your heart be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."

8 u So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to v the elders and the leaders who lived with Naboth in his city. 9 And she wrote in the letters, "Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth at the head of the people. 10 And set two w worthless men opposite him, and let them bring a charge against him, saying, x 'You have cursed 1 God and the king.' Then take him out and stone him to death." 11 And the men of his city, v the elders and the leaders who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them. As it was written in the letters that she had sent to them, 12 y they proclaimed a fast and set Naboth at the head of the people. 13 And the two worthless men came in and sat opposite him. And the worthless men brought a charge against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, "Naboth cursed God and the king." So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones. 14 Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, "Naboth has been stoned; he is dead."

15 As soon as 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." 16 And as soon as Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab arose to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

  1. Cross References
    1 Kings 18:45 - 46
    And in a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel.
  2. Cross References
    1 Samuel 8:14
    He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants.
  3. Cross References
    Leviticus 25:23
    The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine. For you are strangers and sojourners with me.
    Numbers 36:7
    The inheritance of the people of Israel shall not be transferred from one tribe to another, for every one of the people of Israel shall hold on to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers.
    Ezekiel 46:18
    The prince shall not take any of the inheritance of the people, thrusting them out of their property. He shall give his sons their inheritance out of his own property, so that none of my people shall be scattered from his property.
  4. Cross References
    1 Kings 20:43
    And the king of Israel went to his house vexed and sullen and came to Samaria.
  5. Cross References
    Esther 3:12
    Then the king's scribes were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and an edict, according to all that Haman commanded, was written to the king's satraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the officials of all the peoples, to every province in its own script and every people in its own language. It was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king's signet ring.
  6. Cross References
    1 Kings 20:7
    Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, "Mark, now, and see how this man is seeking trouble, for he sent to me for my wives and my children, and for my silver and my gold, and I did not refuse him.
    Ruth 4:2
    And he took ten men of the elders of the city and said, "Sit down here." So they sat down.
  7. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 13:13
    That certain worthless fellows have gone out among you and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, 'Let us go and serve other gods,' which you have not known.
  8. Cross References
    Exodus 22:28
    You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.
    Leviticus 24:16
    Whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall stone him. The sojourner as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.
    Acts 6:11
    Then they secretly instigated men who said, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.
    Acts 23:5
    And Paul said, "I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, 'You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.'
  9. Cross References
    1 Kings 21:8
    So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and the leaders who lived with Naboth in his city.
  10. Cross References
    Isaiah 58:4
    Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.
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