Old Testament

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1 Kings 21:6-18 Catholic Public Domain Version (CPDV)

6. And he responded to her: "I spoke to Naboth, the Jezreelite, and I said to him: 'Give your vineyard to me, and accept money. Or if it pleases you, I will give to you a better vineyard, in place of it.' And he said, 'I will not give my vineyard to you.' "

7. Then Jezebel, his wife, said to him: "You are of great authority, and you rule well in the kingdom of Israel. Rise up and eat bread, and be even-tempered. I will give the vineyard of Naboth, the Jezreelite, to you."

8. And so, she wrote letters in the name of Ahab, and she sealed these with his ring. And she sent to those greater by birth, and to the nobles who were in his city and living with Naboth.

9. And this was the judgment of the letters: "Proclaim a fast, and cause Naboth to sit among the first rulers of the people.

10. And send out two men, sons of Belial, against him. And let them speak the false testimony: 'He has blasphemed God and king.' And then lead him away, and stone him, and so let him die."

11. Then his fellow citizens, those greater by birth and the nobles who were living with him in the city, did just as Jezebel had instructed them, and just as it was written in the letters that she had sent to them.

12. They proclaimed a fast, and they caused Naboth to sit among the first rulers of the people.

13. And bringing forward two men, sons of the devil, they caused them to sit opposite him. And they, acting indeed like diabolical men, spoke testimony against him before the multitude: "Naboth has blasphemed God and king." For this reason, they led him away, beyond the city, and they put him to death by stoning.

14. And they sent to Jezebel, saying, "Naboth has been stoned, and he has died."

15. Then it happened that, when Jezebel had heard that Naboth was stoned and was dead, she said to Ahab: "Rise up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth, the Jezreelite, who was not willing to acquiesce to you, and to give it to you in exchange for money. For Naboth is not alive, but dead."

16. And when Ahab had heard this, namely, that Naboth was dead, he rose up and descended to the vineyard of Naboth, the Jezreelite, so that he might take possession of it.

17. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah, the Tishbite, saying:

18. "Rise up, and descend to meet Ahab, the king of Israel, who is in Samaria. Behold, he is descending to the vineyard of Naboth, so that he may take possession of it.

Read complete chapter 1 Kings 21