Naboth’s Vineyard

1After these things Naboth the Izreelite had a vineyarde in Izreel, hard by the palace of Ahab King of Samaria. 2And Ahab spake vnto Naboth, saying, Giue me thy vineyarde, that I may make mee a garden of herbes thereof, because it is neere by mine house: and I will giue thee for it a better vineyarde then it is: or if it please thee, I will giue thee the worth of it in money. 3And Naboth said to Ahab, The Lord keepe me from giuing the inheritance of my father vnto thee. 4Then Ahab came into his house heauie & in displeasure, because of the word which Naboth the Izreelite had spoken vnto him. for hee had sayde, I will not giue thee the inheritance of my fathers, and he lay vpon his bed, and turned his face and would eate no bread.

5Then Iezebel his wife came to him & said vnto him, Why is thy spirit so sad that thou eatest no bread? 6And he said vnto her, Because I spake vnto Naboth the Izreelite, & sayd vnto him, Giue me thy vineyard for money, or if it please thee, I will giue thee another vineyard for it: but he answered, I wil not giue thee my vineyarde. 7Then Iezebel his wife sayde vnto him, Doest thou nowe gouerne the kingdome of Israel? vp, eate bread, & be of good cheere, I will giue thee the vineyard of Naboth the Izreelite.

Jezebel’s Plot

8So she wrote letters in Ahabs name, and sealed them with his seale, and sent the letters vnto the Elders, and to the nobles that were in his citie dwelling with Naboth. 9And shee wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaime a fast, and set Naboth among the chiefe of the people, 10And set two wicked men before him, & let them witnesse against him, saying, Thou diddest blaspheme God and the King: then cary him out, and stone him that he may dye.

11And the men of his citie, euen the Elders & gouernours, which dwelt in his citie, did as Iezebel had sent vnto them: as it was written in the letters, which she had sent vnto them. 12They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth among the chiefe of the people, 13And there came two wicked men, & sate before him: & the wicked men witnessed against Naboth in the presence of the people saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the King. Then they caried him away out of the citie, and stoned him with stones, that he dyed. 14Then they sent to Iezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned and is dead.

15And when Iezebel heard that Naboth was stoned and was dead, Iezebel sayd to Ahab, Vp, & take possession of the vineyarde of Naboth the Izreelite, which he refused to giue thee for money: for Naboth is not aliue, but is dead. 16And when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he rose to go downe to the vineyard of Naboth the Izreelite, to take possession of it.

Elijah Denounces Ahab and Jezebel

17And the word of the Lord came vnto Eliiah the Tishbite, saying, 18Arise, goe downe to meete Ahab King of Israel, which is in Samaria. loe, he is in the vineyarde of Naboth, whither he is gone downe to take possession of it. 19Therefore shalt thou say vnto him, Thus sayth the Lord, Hast thou killed, and also gotten possession? And thou shalt speake vnto him, saying, Thus sayth the Lorde, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, shal dogs licke euen thy blood also.

20And Ahab sayd to Eliiah, Hast thou found mee, O mine enemie? And he answered, I haue found thee: for thou hast solde thy selfe to worke wickednes in the sight of the Lord. 21Beholde, I will bring euill vpon thee, and wil take away thy posteritie, and wil cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, as well him that is shut vp, as him that is left in Israel, 22And I wil make thine house like the house of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the sonne of Ahiiah, for the prouocation wherewith thou hast prouoked, and made Israel to sinne. 23And also of Iezebel spake the Lorde, saying, The dogs shall eate Iezebel, by the wall of Izreel. 24The dogs shall eate him of Ahabs stocke, that dyeth in the citie: and him that dyeth in the fieldes, shall the foules of the ayre eate.

Ahab’s Repentance

25(But there was none like Ahab, who did fell him selfe, to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lord: whom Iezebel his wife prouoked. 26For he did exceeding abominably in following idoles, according to all that the Amorites did, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel.)

27Nowe when Ahab heard those wordes, he rent his clothes, & put sackcloth vpon him and fasted, and lay in sackecloth and went softely. 28And the worde of the Lord came to Eliiah the Tishbite, saying, 29Seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me? because he submitteth himselfe before me, I will not bring that euill in his dayes, but in his sonnes dayes wil I bring euill vpon his house.