1 After these things, Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel beside the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard so that I may have it for a vegetable garden, since it is near my house. I will give you a better vineyard in exchange, or, if you prefer, I will pay you its value in silver.” 3 Naboth answered Ahab, “The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors!” 4 Ahab went home sullen and angry because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had told him: “I will not give you the inheritance of my ancestors.” He lay down on his bed, turned his face away, and would not eat. 5 His wife Jezebel came to him and asked, “Why are you so sullen that you will not eat?” 6 He told her, “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said, ‘Give me your vineyard for silver, or, if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in exchange.’ But he answered, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’ ” 7 His wife Jezebel said to him, “Are you now king over Israel? Get up, eat, and let your heart be glad. I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.” 8 She wrote letters in Ahab’s name, sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles of the city where Naboth lived. 9 In the letters she wrote, “Proclaim a fast and seat Naboth at the head of the people. 10 Seat two worthless men opposite him and have them testify against him, saying, ‘You have cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.” 11 The men of his city, the elders and nobles who lived there, did as Jezebel had instructed them, as written in the letters she had sent them. 12 They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the people. 13 The two worthless men came and sat opposite him. Those worthless men testified against Naboth before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed God and the king.” They took him outside the city, stoned him, and he died. 14 Then they sent word to Jezebel, “Naboth has been stoned and is dead.” 15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, she told Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to sell you for silver. Naboth is no longer alive; he is dead.” 16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite and take possession of it.

17 The word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: 18 “Get up, go down to meet Ahab, the king of Israel in Samaria. He is in Naboth’s vineyard, where he has gone down to take possession of it. 19 Tell him, ‘This is what the LORD says: Have you murdered and also taken possession?’ And tell him, ‘This is what the LORD says: In the place where the dogs licked Naboth’s blood, the dogs will lick your own blood too.’ ” 20 Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, my enemy?” He answered, “I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do evil in the sight of the LORD. 21 ‘I am bringing calamity on you. I will sweep away your descendants and cut off every male belonging to Ahab in Israel, whether slave or free. 22 I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and caused Israel to sin.’ 23 The LORD has also spoken concerning Jezebel: ‘Dogs will eat Jezebel beside the wall of Jezreel.’ 24 Dogs will eat anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city, and the birds of the sky will eat anyone who dies in the countryside.” 25 There was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the sight of the LORD, urged on by his wife Jezebel. 26 He acted most abominably in following idols, just as the Amorites had done, whom the LORD drove out before the Israelites.

27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put sackcloth over his body, and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and walked slowly.

28 The word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: 29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the calamity in his days. In his son’s days I will bring the calamity on his house.”