| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1After this the following episode took place. Naboth the Jezreelite owned a vineyard in Jezreel adjacent to the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. | 1Some time later there was an incident involving a vineyard belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. The vineyard was in Jezreel, close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. |
| 2Ahab said to Naboth, "Give me your vineyard so I can make a vegetable garden out of it, for it is adjacent to my palace. I will give you an even better vineyard in its place, or if you prefer, I will pay you silver for it." | 2Ahab said to Naboth, "Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth." |
| 3But Naboth replied to Ahab, "The LORD forbid that I should sell you my ancestral inheritance." | 3But Naboth replied, "The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors." |
| 4So Ahab went into his palace, bitter and angry that Naboth the Jezreelite had said, "I will not sell to you my ancestral inheritance." He lay down on his bed, pouted, and would not eat. | 4So Ahab went home, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, "I will not give you the inheritance of my ancestors." He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat. |
| 5Then his wife Jezebel came in and said to him, "Why do you have a bitter attitude and refuse to eat?" | 5His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, "Why are you so sullen? Why won't you eat?" |
| 6He answered her, "While I was talking to Naboth the Jezreelite, I said to him, 'Sell me your vineyard for silver, or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.' But he said, 'I will not sell you my vineyard.'" | 6He answered her, "Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, 'Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.' But he said, 'I will not give you my vineyard.'" |
| 7His wife Jezebel said to him, "You are the king of Israel! Get up, eat some food, and have a good time. I will get the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you." | 7Jezebel his wife said, "Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I'll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite." |
| 8She wrote out orders, signed Ahab's name to them, and sealed them with his seal. She then sent the orders to the leaders and to the nobles who lived in Naboth's city. | 8So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, placed his seal on them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth's city with him. |
| 9This is what she wrote: "Observe a time of fasting and seat Naboth in front of the people. | 9In those letters she wrote: "Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people. |
| 10Also seat two villains opposite him and have them testify, 'You cursed God and the king.' Then take him out and stone him to death." | 10But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them bring charges that he has cursed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death." |
| 11The men of the city, the leaders and the nobles who lived there, followed the written orders Jezebel had sent them. | 11So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth's city did as Jezebel directed in the letters she had written to them. |
| 12They observed a time of fasting and put Naboth in front of the people. | 12They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth in a prominent place among the people. |
| 13The two villains arrived and sat opposite him. Then the villains testified against Naboth right before the people, saying, "Naboth cursed God and the king." So they dragged him outside the city and stoned him to death. | 13Then two scoundrels came and sat opposite him and brought charges against Naboth before the people, saying, "Naboth has cursed both God and the king." So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death. |
| 14Then they reported to Jezebel, "Naboth has been stoned to death." | 14Then they sent word to Jezebel: "Naboth has been stoned to death." |
| 15When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, "Get up, take possession of the vineyard Naboth the Jezreelite refused to sell you for silver, for Naboth is no longer alive; he's dead." | 15As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, "Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite that he refused to sell you. He is no longer alive, but dead." |
| 16When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. | 16When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of Naboth's vineyard. |
| 17The LORD told Elijah the Tishbite: | 17Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: |
| 18"Get up, go down and meet King Ahab of Israel who lives in Samaria. He is at the vineyard of Naboth; he has gone down there to take possession of it. | 18"Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He is now in Naboth's vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it. |
| 19Say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: "Haven't you committed murder and taken possession of the property of the deceased?"' Then say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: "In the spot where dogs licked up Naboth's blood they will also lick up your blood--yes, yours!"'" | 19Say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?' Then say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth's blood, dogs will lick up your blood--yes, yours!'" |
| 20When Elijah arrived, Ahab said to him, "So, you have found me, my enemy!" Elijah replied, "I have found you, because you are committed to doing evil in the sight of the LORD. | 20Ahab said to Elijah, "So you have found me, my enemy!" "I have found you," he answered, "because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD. |
| 21The LORD says, 'Look, I am ready to bring disaster on you. I will destroy you and cut off every last male belonging to Ahab in Israel, including even the weak and incapacitated. | 21He says, 'I am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel--slave or free. |
| 22I will make your dynasty like those of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah because you angered me and made Israel sin.' | 22I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have aroused my anger and have caused Israel to sin.' |
| 23The LORD says this about Jezebel, 'Dogs will devour Jezebel by the outer wall of Jezreel.' | 23"And also concerning Jezebel the LORD says: 'Dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.' |
| 24As for Ahab's family, dogs will eat the ones who die in the city, and the birds of the sky will eat the ones who die in the country." | 24"Dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds will feed on those who die in the country." |
| 25(There had never been anyone like Ahab, who was firmly committed to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, urged on by his wife Jezebel. | 25(There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the LORD, urged on by Jezebel his wife. |
| 26He was so wicked he worshiped the disgusting idols, just like the Amorites whom the LORD had driven out from before the Israelites.) | 26He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the LORD drove out before Israel.) |
| 27When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. He slept in sackcloth and walked around dejected. | 27When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly. |
| 28The LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, | 28Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: |
| 29"Have you noticed how Ahab shows remorse before me? Because he shows remorse before me, I will not bring disaster on his dynasty during his lifetime, but during the reign of his son." | 29"Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son." |
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