Category: 1 Kings

Ahab and Naboth’s Vineyard

1 Some time passed after these events. Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard; it was in Jezreelnext to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.

2 So Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, “Give me your vineyardso I can have it for a vegetable garden, since it is right next to my palace. I will give you a better vineyard in its place, or if you prefer, I will give you its value in silver.”

3 But Naboth said to Ahab, “I will never give my fathers’ inheritanceto you.”

4 So Ahab went to his palace resentful and angrybecause of what Naboth the Jezreelite had told him. He had said, “I will not give you my fathers’ inheritance.” He lay down on his bed, turned his face away,and didn’t eat any food.

5 Then his wife Jezebel came to him and said to him, “Why are you so upset that you refuse to eat? ”

6 “Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite,” he replied. “I told him: Give me your vineyard for silver, or if you wish, I will give you a vineyard in its place. But he said, ‘I won’t give you my vineyard! ’ ”

7 Then his wife Jezebel said to him, “Now, exercise your royal power over Israel. Get up, eat some food, and be happy. For I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”

8 So she wrote lettersin Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal.She sent the letters to the eldersand nobles who lived with Naboth in his city.

9 In the letters, she wrote:

Proclaim a fastand seat Naboth at the head of the people.

10 Then seat two wicked menopposite 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 in his city, did as Jezebel had commanded them, as was 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 wicked men came in and sat opposite him. Then the wicked men testified against Naboth in the presence of the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed God and the king! ” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death with stones.

14 Then they sent word to Jezebel, “Naboth has been stoned to death.”

15 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite who refused to give it to you for silver,since Naboth isn’t 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.

The Lord’s Judgment on Ahab

17 Then the word of theLordcame to Elijah the Tishbite:

18 “Get up and go to meet Ahab king of Israel,who is in Samaria.You’ll find him in Naboth’s vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it.

19 Tell him, ‘This is what theLordsays: Have you murderedand also taken possession? ’Then tell him, ‘This is what theLordsays: In the place where the dogs licked Naboth’s blood, the dogs will also lick your blood! ’ ”

20 Ahab said to Elijah, “So, you have caught me, my enemy.”

He replied, “I have caught you because you devotedyourself to do what is evil in theLord’s sight.

21 This is what theLordsays:‘I am about to bring disaster on you and will sweep away your descendants:

I will eliminate all of Ahab’s males,

both slave and free, in Israel;

22 I will make your house like the house of Jeroboamson of Nebat and like the house of Baashason of Ahijah, because you have provoked My anger and caused Israel to sin.

23 TheLordalso speaks of Jezebel: The dogs will eat Jezebel in the plot of landat Jezreel:

24 He who belongs to Ahab and dies in the city, the dogs will eat,

and he who dies in the field, the birds of the sky will eat.’ ”

25 Still, there was no one like Ahab, who devoted himself to do what was evil in theLord’s sight, because his wife Jezebel incited him.

26 He committed the most detestable acts by going after idolsas the Amoriteshad, whom theLordhad dispossessed before the Israelites.

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

28 Then the word of theLordcame to Elijah the Tishbite:

29 “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before Me? I will not bring the disaster during his lifetime,because he has humbled himself before Me. I will bring the disaster on his house during his son’s lifetime.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/17/32k/1KI/21-9bc2613ca129654d9760fe257d4ffe77.mp3?version_id=72—

Jehoshaphat’s Alliance with Ahab

1 There wasa lull of three yearswithout war between Aram and Israel.

2 However, in the third year, Jehoshaphatking of Judah went to visit the king of Israel.

3 The king of Israel had said to his servants, “Don’t you know that Ramoth-gileadis ours, but we have failed to take it from the hand of the king of Aram? ”

4 Sohe asked Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to fight Ramoth-gilead? ”

Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”

5 But Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “First, please ask what theLord’s will is.”

6 So the king of Israel gathered the prophets, about 400 men,and asked them, “Should I go against Ramoth-gilead for war or should I refrain? ”

They replied, “March up, and the Lord will hand it over to the king.”

7 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Isn’t there a prophet of Yahweh here anymore?Let’s ask him.”

8 The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is still one man who can ask Yahweh, but I hate himbecause he never prophesies good about me,but only disaster. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.”

“The king shouldn’t say that! ” Jehoshaphat replied.

9 So the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Hurry and get Micaiah son of Imlah! ”

10 Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah,clothed in royal attire, were each sitting on his own throne. They were on the threshing floorat the entrance to Samaria’s gate, and all the prophets were prophesying in front of them.

11 Then Zedekiahson of Chenaanah made iron hornsand said, “This is what theLordsays: ‘You will gore the Arameans with these until they are finished off.’ ”

12 And all the prophets were prophesying the same: “March up to Ramoth-gileadand succeed, for theLordwill hand it over to the king.”

Micaiah’s Message of Defeat

13 The messengerwho went to call Micaiah instructed him, “Look, the words of the prophets are unanimously favorable for the king. So let your words be like theirs, and speak favorably.”

14 But Micaiah said, “As theLordlives,I will say whatever theLordsays to me.”

15 So he went to the king, and the king asked him, “Micaiah, should we go to Ramoth-gilead for war, or should we refrain? ”

Micaiah told him, “March up and succeed. Yahweh will hand it over to the king.”

16 But the king said to him, “How many times must I make you swear not to tell me anything but the truth in the name of Yahweh? ”

17 So Micaiah said:

I saw all Israel scattered on the hills

like sheep without a shepherd.

And theLordsaid,

“They have no master;

let everyone return home in peace.”

18 So the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Didn’t I tell you he never prophesies good about me, but only disaster? ”

19 Then Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of theLord: I saw theLordsitting on His throne,and the whole heavenly hostwas standing by Him at His right hand and at His left hand.

20 And theLordsaid, ‘Who will entice Ahab to march up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? ’So one was saying this and another was saying that.

21 “Then a spirit came forward, stood before theLord, and said, ‘I will entice him.’

22 “TheLordasked him, ‘How? ’

“He said, ‘I will go and become a lying spiritin the mouth of all his prophets.’

“Then He said, ‘You will certainly entice him and prevail.Go and do that.’

23 “You see, theLordhas put a lying spirit into the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and theLordhas pronounced disaster against you.”

24 Then Zedekiahson of Chenaanah came up, hit Micaiah in the face, and demanded, “Didthe Spirit of theLordleave me to speak to you? ”

25 Micaiah replied, “You will soon see when you go to hide yourself in an inner chamber on that day.”

26 Then the king of Israel ordered, “Take Micaiah and return him to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king’s son,

27 and say, ‘This is what the king says: Put this guy in prisonand feed him only bread and wateruntil I come back safely.’ ”

28 But Micaiah said, “If you ever return safely, theLordhas not spoken through me.”Then he said, “Listen, all you people! ”

Ahab’s Death

29 Thenthe king of Israel and Judah’s King Jehoshaphat went up to Ramoth-gilead.

30 But the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will disguisemyself and go into battle, but you wear your royal attire.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.

31 Now the king of Aram had ordered his 32 chariot commanders,“Do not fight with anyone at all except the king of Israel.”

32 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, “He must be the king of Israel! ” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out.

33 When the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

34 But a man drew his bowwithout taking special aim and struck the king of Israel through the joints of his armor. So he said to his charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle,for I am badly wounded! ”

35 The battle raged throughout that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. He died that evening,and blood from his wound flowed into the bottom of the chariot.

36 Then the cry rang out in the army as the sun set, declaring:

Each man to his own city,

and each man to his own land!

37 So the king died and was brought to Samaria. They buried the king in Samaria.

38 Then someone washed the chariot at the pool of Samaria. The dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes bathed in it, according to the word of theLordthat He had spoken.

39 The rest of the events of Ahab’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, including the ivory palacehe built, and all the cities he built, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.

40 Ahab rested with his fathers,and his son Ahaziahbecame king in his place.

Judah’s King Jehoshaphat

41 Jehoshaphatson of Asa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Israel’s King Ahab.

42 Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when he became king; he reigned 25 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.

43 He walked in all the ways of his father Asa;he did not turn away from them but did what was right in theLord’s sight. However, the high places were not taken away;the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

44 Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.

45 The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat’s reign, along with the might he exercised and how he waged war, are written in the Historical Record of Judah’s Kings.

46 He removed from the land the rest of the male cult prostitutes who were left from the days of his father Asa.

47 There was no king in Edom;a deputy served as king.

48 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshishto go to Ophirfor gold, but they did not go because the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber.

49 At that time, Ahaziahson of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships,” but Jehoshaphat was not willing.

50 Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of his ancestor David.His son Jehorambecame king in his place.

Israel’s King Ahaziah

51 Ahaziahson of Ahab became king over Israel in Samariain the seventeenth year of Judah’s King Jehoshaphatand reigned over Israel two years.

52 He did what was evil in theLord’s sight.He walked in the way of his father,in the way of his mother,and in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin.

53 He served Baal and worshiped him.He provoked theLordGod of Israel just as his father had done.

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