Parallel Bible results for "1 kings 21"

1 Kings 21

Common English Bible CEB

1 Now it happened sometime later that Naboth from Jezreel had a vineyard in Jezreel that was next to the palace of King Ahab of Samaria.

2 Ahab ordered Naboth, "Give me your vineyard so it can become my vegetable garden, because it is right next to my palace. In exchange for it, I'll give you an even better vineyard. Or if you prefer, I'll pay you the price in silver."

3 Naboth responded to Ahab, "LORD forbid that I give you my family inheritance!"

4 So Ahab went to his palace, irritated and upset at what Naboth had said to him—because Naboth had said, "I won't give you my family inheritance!" Ahab lay down on his bed and turned his face away. He wouldn't eat anything.

5 His wife Jezebel came to him. "Why are you upset and not eating any food?" she asked.

6 He answered her, "I was talking to Naboth. I said, ‘Sell me your vineyard. Or if you prefer, I'll give you another vineyard for it.' But he said, ‘I won't give you my vineyard!'"

7 Then his wife Jezebel said to him, "Aren't you the one who rules Israel? Get up! Eat some food and cheer up. I'll get Naboth's vineyard for you myself."

8 So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, putting his seal on them. She sent them to the elders and officials who lived in the same town as Naboth.

9 This is what she wrote in the letters: "Announce a fast and place Naboth at the head of the people.

10 Then bring in two liars in front of him and have them testify as follows: ‘You cursed God and king!' Then take Naboth outside and stone him so he dies."

11 The elders and the officials who lived in Naboth's town did exactly as Jezebel specified in the letters that she had sent.

12 They announced a fast and placed Naboth at the head of the people.

13 Then the two liars came and sat in front of him. They testified against Naboth in front of the people, "Naboth cursed God and king!" So the people took Naboth outside the town and stoned him so that he died.

14 It was then reported to Jezebel, "Naboth was stoned. He's dead."

15 As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, "Get up and take ownership of the vineyard of Naboth, which he had refused to sell to you. Naboth is no longer alive; he's dead."

16 When Ahab heard that Naboth had died, he got up and went down to Naboth's vineyard to take ownership of it.

17 The LORD's word came to Elijah from Tishbe:

18 Get up and go down to meet Israel's King Ahab in Samaria. He is in Naboth's vineyard. He has gone down to take ownership of it.

19 Say the following to him: This is what the LORD says: So, you've murdered and are now taking ownership, are you? Then tell him: This is what the LORD says: In the same place where the dogs licked up Naboth's blood, they will lick up your own blood.

20 Ahab said to Elijah, "So you've found me, my old enemy!" "I found you," Elijah said, "because you've enslaved yourself by doing evil in the LORD's eyes.

21 So I am now bringing evil on you! I will burn until you are consumed, and I will eliminate everyone who urinates on a wall that belongs to Ahab, whether slave or free.

22 I will make your household like that of Jeroboam, Nebat's son, and like the household of Baasha, Ahijah's son, because of the way you've angered me and because you've made Israel sin.

23 As for Jezebel, the LORD says this: Dogs will devour Jezebel in the area of Jezreel.

24 Dogs will eat anyone of Ahab's family who dies in town, and birds will eat anyone who dies in the country."

25 (Truly there has never been anyone like Ahab who sold out by doing evil in the LORD's eyes—evil that his wife Jezebel led him to do.

26 Ahab's actions were deplorable. He followed after the worthless idols exactly like the Amorites had done—the very ones the LORD had removed before the Israelites.)

27 When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes and put mourning clothes on his body. He fasted, even slept in mourning clothes, and walked around depressed.

28 The LORD's word then came to Elijah from Tishbe:

29 Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has done so, I won't bring the evil during his lifetime. Instead, I will bring the evil on his household in the days of his son.

The Message Bible MSG

1 And then, to top it off, came this: Naboth the Jezreelite owned a vineyard in Jezreel that bordered the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.

2 One day Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, "Give me your vineyard so I can use it as a kitchen garden; it's right next to my house - so convenient. In exchange I'll give you a far better vineyard, or if you'd prefer I'll pay you money for it."

3 But Naboth told Ahab, "Not on your life! So help me God, I'd never sell the family farm to you!"

4 Ahab went home in a black mood, sulking over Naboth the Jezreelite's words, "I'll never turn over my family inheritance to you." He went to bed, stuffed his face in his pillow, and refused to eat.

5 Jezebel his wife came to him. She said, "What's going on? Why are you so out of sorts and refusing to eat?"

6 He told her, "Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite. I said, 'Give me your vineyard - I'll pay you for it or, if you'd rather, I'll give you another vineyard in exchange.' And he said, 'I'll never give you my vineyard.'"

7 Jezebel said, "Is this any way for a king of Israel to act? Aren't you the boss? On your feet! Eat! Cheer up! I'll take care of this; I'll get the vineyard of this Naboth the Jezreelite for you."

8 She wrote letters over Ahab's signature, stamped them with his official seal, and sent them to the elders in Naboth's city and to the civic leaders.

9 She wrote "Call for a fast day and put Naboth at the head table.

10 Then seat a couple of stool pigeons across from him who, in front of everybody will say, 'You! You blasphemed God and the king!' Then they'll throw him out and stone him to death."

11 And they did it. The men of the city - the elders and civic leaders - followed Jezebel's instructions that she wrote in the letters sent to them.

12 They called for a fast day and seated Naboth at the head table.

13 Then they brought in two stool pigeons and seated them opposite Naboth. In front of everybody the two degenerates accused him, "He blasphemed God and the king!" The company threw him out in the street, stoned him mercilessly, and he died.

14 When Jezebel got word that Naboth had been stoned to death, she told Ahab, "Go for it, Ahab - take the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite for your own, the vineyard he refused to sell you. Naboth is no more; Naboth is dead."

15

16 The minute Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he set out for the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite and claimed it for his own.

17 Then God stepped in and spoke to Elijah the Tishbite,

18 "On your feet; go down and confront Ahab of Samaria, king of Israel. You'll find him in the vineyard of Naboth; he's gone there to claim it as his own.

19 Say this to him: 'God's word: What's going on here? First murder, then theft?' Then tell him, 'God's verdict: The very spot where the dogs lapped up Naboth's blood, they'll lap up your blood - that's right, your blood.'"

20 Ahab answered Elijah, "My enemy! So, you've run me down!"

21 'I will most certainly bring doom upon you, make mincemeat of your descendants, kill off every sorry male wretch who's even remotely connected with the name Ahab.

22 And I'll bring down on you the same fate that fell on Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah - you've made me that angry by making Israel sin.'"

23 As for Jezebel, God said, "Dogs will fight over the flesh of Jezebel all over Jezreel.

24 Anyone tainted by Ahab who dies in the city will be eaten by stray dogs; corpses in the country will be eaten by carrion crows."

25 Ahab, pushed by his wife Jezebel and in open defiance of God, set an all-time record in making big business of evil.

26 He indulged in outrageous obscenities in the world of idols, copying the Amorites whom God had earlier kicked out of Israelite territory.

27 When Ahab heard what Elijah had to say, he ripped his clothes to shreds, dressed in penitential rough burlap, and fasted. He even slept in coarse burlap pajamas. He tiptoed around, quiet as a mouse.

28 Then God spoke to Elijah the Tishbite:

29 "Do you see how penitently submissive Ahab has become to me? Because of his repentance I'll not bring the doom during his lifetime; Ahab's son, though, will get it."