1 Kings 21:2-12

2 And Ahab spoke 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 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 lay 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 spoke 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 who 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.

1 Kings 21:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 21

In this chapter we have an account of Ahab's design to have Naboth's vineyard, for which he offered him another, or the value of that, but Naboth refusing to part with it, Ahab fell sick, 1Ki 21:1-4, the reason of which being found out by Jezebel, she devised means to get Naboth put to death under the colour of justice for blasphemy, 1Ki 21:5-14, and then bid Ahab go and take possession of the vineyard, where he was met by Elijah, who denounced the judgments of God upon him, and Jezebel, and all his family, for his injustice, 1Ki 21:15-26, but he humbling himself, the evil threatened was deferred to the days of his son, 1Ki 21:27-29.

Third Millennium Bible (TMB), New Authorized Version, Copyright 1998 by Deuel Enterprises, Inc., Gary, SD 57237. All rights reserved.