1 Kings 20



A Prophet Condemns Ahab



35 (1Ki 13:17-18; 2Ki 2:15) Speaking in the word of the Lord,

a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his neighbor,

"Strike me, please." But the man refused to strike him.

36 Then he said to him, "Because you have not obeyed the voice of the Lord,

as soon as you leave me, a lion will kill you."

And as soon as he left him, a lion found and killed him.

37 Then he found another man and said, "Strike me, please."

And the man struck him so that he was wounded.

38 (1Ki 14:2) So the prophet departed and waited by the road for the king

and disguised himself with ashes on his face.

39 (2Ki 10:24) As the king passed by, he cried to the king and said,

"Your servant went out into the midst of the battle, and a man turned

aside and brought a man to me and said, 'Keep this man,

and if by any means he goes missing, then your life shall be given

for his life, or else you shall pay a talent

[About 75 pounds, or 34 kilograms.] of silver.'

40 As your servant was busy here and there, he disappeared."

And the king of Israel said to him,

"So shall your judgment be; you have decided it yourself."

41 He quickly took the ashes away from his face, and the king of Israel

recognized him as one of the prophets.

42 (1Ki 22:31-37; 20:39) He said to him, "Thus says the Lord,

'Because you have let go out of your hand a man whom I had appointed

to utter destruction, you shall pay for his life with your life and his people

with your people.' "

43 (1Ki 21:4) The king of Israel went to his house in Samaria angry

and depressed.



[35] And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbour

in the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray thee. And the man refused to smite him.

[36] Then said he unto him, Because thou hast not obeyed the voice of the

LORD, behold, as soon as thou art departed from me, a lion shall slay thee.

And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him.

[37] Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray thee. And the

man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.

[38] So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and

disguised himself with ashes upon his face.

[39] And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy

servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned

aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means

he be missing, then shall thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt

pay a talent of silver.

[40] And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king

of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it.

[41] And he hasted, and took the ashes away from his face; and the king of

Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.

[42] And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because thou hast let go out

of thy hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore thy life

shall go for his life, and thy people for his people.

[43] And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and

came to Samaria.



1 Kings 21



Naboth's Vineyard



1 (Jdg 6:33; 1Ki 18:45-46) Now Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard

in Jezreel right by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.

2 (1Sa 8:14) And after this Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, "Give me

your vineyard, so that I can have it for a garden of herbs,

because it is near to my house, and I will give you a better vineyard

for it, or if you prefer, I will give you its worth in money."

3 (Lev 25:23; Nu 36:7) Naboth said to Ahab, "The Lord forbid that I should

give you the inheritance of my fathers."

4 (1Ki 20:43) Ahab returned home angry and depressed because of the answer

Naboth the Jezreelite had given him, for he had said, "I will not give you

the inheritance of my fathers." He lay down on his bed and sulked

and would not eat any bread.

5 But Jezebel his wife came to him and said,

"Why is your spirit so sad that you refuse to eat bread?"

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 you prefer,

I will give you another vineyard for it.'

And he answered, 'I will not give you my vineyard.' "

7 Jezebel his wife said to him, "Are you not the governor of the kingdom

of Israel? Get up and eat bread, and let your heart be happy,

for I will get the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for you."

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 that were in the city

where Naboth lived.

9 In the letters she wrote,

"Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people,

10 (Ex 22:28; Ac 6:11) and set two men, sons of Belial,Or, evil men.

before him, to bear witness against him, saying, 'You blasphemed God

and the king.' And then carry him out and stone him, so that he will die."

11 The men of his city, the elders and the nobles 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 (Isa 58:4) They proclaimed a fast and set Naboth on high among the people.

13 (2Ki 9:26) Two men, children of Belial, came in and sat in front of him,

and the men of Belial witnessed against Naboth in the presence of the people,

saying, "Naboth blasphemed God and the king."

Then they carried him out of the city and stoned him to death.

14 Then they sent word to Jezebel,

saying, "Naboth has been stoned and is dead."

15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead,

she said to Ahab, "Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth

the Jezreelite, which he refused to sell to you for money,

for Naboth is not alive, but dead."

16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up to go down to the vineyard

of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.



[1] And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a

vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.

[2] And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may

have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will

give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I

will give thee the worth of it in money.

[3] And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the

inheritance of my fathers unto thee.

[4] And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word

which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not

give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed,

and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.

[5] But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit

so sad, that thou eatest no bread?

[6] And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and

said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I

will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give

thee my vineyard.

[7] And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of

Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee

the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

[8] So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and

sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city,

dwelling with Naboth.

[9] And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on

high among the people:

[10] And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against

him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out,

and stone him, that he may die.

[11] And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the

inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was

written in the letters which she had sent unto them.

[12] They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.

[13] And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and

the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the

presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then

they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he

died.

[14] Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.

[15] And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was

dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of

Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth

is not alive, but dead.

[16] And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab

rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take

possession of it.



The Lord Condemns Ahab



17 (Ps 9:12) The word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying:

18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab, king of Israel, who is in Samaria.

He is now in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone down to possess it.

19 (1Ki 22:38; 2Sa 12:9) You shall speak to him, saying, "Thus says the Lord:

Have you killed and also taken possession?" And you shall speak to him,

saying, "Thus says the Lord: In the place where dogs licked

the blood of Naboth, dogs will lick your own blood!"

20 (1Ki 18:17; 21:25) Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, my enemy?"

And he answered, "I have found you, because you have sold yourself

to work evil in the sight of the Lord.

21 (1Ki 14:10) 'See, I will bring disaster upon you and will take away

your posterity and will cut off all your males, both free and slave,

who are left in Israel,

22 (1Ki 16:3; 14:16) and 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 made Israel to sin.'

23 (2Ki 9:10; 9:30-37) "The Lord also spoke of Jezebel, saying,

'The dogs will eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.'

24 (1Ki 14:11; 16:4) "Those from Ahab's family who die in the city

will be eaten by dogs, and those who die in the field will be eaten

by birds of the air."

25 (1Ki 21:20; 16:30-33) But there were none compared to Ahab,

who sold himself to evil deeds in the sight of the Lord,

which Jezebel his wife stirred up.

26 (Ge 15:16; 2Ki 21:11) He performed the most abominable act in following

idols like the Amorites, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.

27 (2Ki 6:30; Ge 37:34) When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes

and put on sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth

and walked meekly.

28 The word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

29 (2Ki 9:25-26) "See how Ahab humbles himself before Me?

Because he humbles himself before Me,

I will not bring the disaster during his lifetime,

but during his son's lifetime I will bring the disaster on his household."



[17] And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

[18] Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria:

behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess

it.

[19] And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou

killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying,

Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth

shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.

[20] And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he

answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in

the sight of the LORD.

[21] Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity,

and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that

is shut up and left in Israel,

[22] And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat,

and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation

wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.

[23] And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel

by the wall of Jezreel.

[24] Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that

dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.

[25] But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work

wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

[26] And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things

as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

[27] And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his

clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth,

and went softly.

[28] And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,

[29] Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth

himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's

days will I bring the evil upon his house.