Munda Wamphesa wa Naboti
1Zitatha izi, panachitika nkhani yokhudza Naboti wa ku Yezireeli amene anali ndi munda wamphesa ku Yezireeli, pafupi ndi nyumba ya mfumu Ahabu, mfumu ya ku Samariya. 2Ahabu anawuza Naboti kuti, “Patse munda wako wa mpesa kuti ukhale munda wanga wa ndiwo zamasamba, popeza uli pafupi ndi nyumba yanga yaufumu. Mosinthana ndi mundawu ndidzakupatsa wina wabwino, kapena ngati ungafune, ndidzakupatsa ndalama pa mtengo wake wa mundawu.”
3Koma Naboti anayankha Ahabu kuti, “Pali Yehova, sindingakupatseni cholowa cha makolo anga.”
4Pamenepo Ahabu anapita ku nyumba yake, wachisoni ndi wokwiya chifukwa Naboti wa ku Yezireeli anamuwuza kuti, “Sindidzakupatsani cholowa cha makolo anga.” Ahabu anakagona pa bedi lake atayangʼana kumbali ndipo anakana chakudya.
5Yezebeli mkazi wake analowa ndipo anamufunsa kuti, “Chifukwa chiyani mukuoneka achisoni? Chifukwa chiyani simukufuna chakudya?”
6Ahabu anayankha mkazi wake kuti, “Chifukwa chake nʼchakuti ine ndinamuwuza Naboti wa ku Yezireeli kuti, ‘Gulitse munda wako wa mpesa kapena ngati ungakonde ine ndidzakupatsa munda wina wabwino mʼmalo mwake.’ Koma iye anandiyankha kuti, ‘Sindidzakupatsani munda wanga wa mpesa.’ ”
7Ndipo Yezebeli mkazi wake anati, “Kodi umu ndi mmene mumachitira ngati mfumu ya Israeli? Dzukani, idyani! Sangalalani. Ine ndidzakutengerani munda wamphesa wa Naboti wa ku Yezireeli.”
8Choncho Yezebeli analemba makalata mʼdzina la Ahabu, nawadinda chidindo cha mfumu, nawatumiza makalatawo kwa akuluakulu ndi kwa anthu olemekezeka amene ankakhala ndi Naboti mu mzinda mwake. 9Mʼmakalatamo Yezebeli analemba kuti:
“Lengezani kuti anthu asale chakudya ndipo muyike Naboti pa malo aulemu pakati pa anthu. 10Koma muyike anthu awiri oyipa mtima moyangʼanana naye ndipo iwo achitire umboni kuti watemberera Mulungu ndiponso mfumu. Ndipo mumutulutse ndi kumuponya miyala ndi kumupha.”
11Choncho akuluakulu ndi anthu olemekezeka amene ankakhala ndi Naboti mu mzinda mwake anachita monga analamulira Yezebeli mʼmakalata amene anawalembera. 12Iwo analengeza kuti anthu asale chakudya ndipo anayika Naboti pa malo aulemu pakati pa anthu. 13Ndipo anthu awiri oyipa anabwera nakhala moyangʼanana naye ndipo anamunenera zoyipa Naboti pamaso pa anthu, ponena kuti, “Naboti watemberera Mulungu ndiponso mfumu.” Choncho anamutulutsira kunja kwa mzinda ndi kumuponya miyala ndi kumupha. 14Atatero anatumiza mawu kwa Yezebeli akuti, “Naboti amuponya miyala ndipo wafa.”
15Yezebeli atangomva kuti Naboti amuponya miyala ndipo wafa, iye anakamuwuza Ahabu kuti, “Dzukani, katengeni munda wamphesa wa Naboti wa ku Yezireeli umene anawukaniza kukugulitsani. Naboti sali moyonso, koma wafa.” 16Ahabu atamva kuti Naboti wafa, ananyamuka kukatenga munda wamphesa wa Naboti.
17Ndipo Yehova anayankhula ndi Eliya wa ku Tisibe kuti, 18“Nyamuka, pita ukakumane ndi Ahabu, mfumu ya Israeli amene amalamulira ku Samariya. Pano ali ku munda wamphesa wa Naboti kumene wapita kuti akatenge mundawo kuti ukhale wake. 19Ukamuwuze kuti: ‘Yehova akuti, Kodi siwapha munthu ndi kumulandanso munda wake?’ Ndipo ukamuwuzenso kuti, ‘Yehova akuti, Pamalo pamene agalu ananyambita magazi a Naboti, pamalo pomwepo agalu adzanyambita magazi ako, inde, akonso!’ ”
20Ahabu anati kwa Eliya, “Tsono wandipeza, iwe mdani wanga!”
Eliya anayankha kuti, “Inde ndakupezani chifukwa mwadzigulitsa kuti muchite zoyipa pamaso pa Yehova. 21Iye akuti ‘Taonani, ine ndidzabweretsa mavuto pa iwe. Ndidzawononga kotheratu zidzukulu zako ndi kuchotsa mu Israeli munthu aliyense wamwamuna wa banja la Ahabu, kapolo kapena mfulu. 22Ndidzawononga nyumba yako monga momwe ndinawonongera nyumba ya Yeroboamu mwana wa Nebati ndiponso ngati nyumba ya Baasa mwana wa Ahiya, chifukwa wandikwiyitsa Ine ndi kuchimwitsa Israeli.’
23“Ndipo kunena za Yezebeli, Yehova akuti, ‘Agalu adzadya Yezebeli mʼmbali mwa khoma la Yezireeli.’
24“Agalu adzadya munthu aliyense wa nyumba ya Ahabu amene adzafere mu mzinda, ndipo mbalame za mu mlengalenga zidzadya aliyense wofera ku thengo.”
25(Kunalibe munthu ngati Ahabu, amene anadzigulitsa kuchita zoyipa pamaso pa Yehova, amene anakopedwa ndi mkazi wake Yezebeli. 26Iye anachita zonyansa kwambiri popembedza mafano, monga mmene ankachitira Aamori amene Yehova anawachotsa pamene Aisraeli ankafika).
27Ahabu atamva mawu amenewa, anangʼamba zovala zake, navala ziguduli ndi kusala chakudya. Anagona pa ziguduli, nayenda pangʼonopangʼono.
28Pamenepo Yehova anayankhula ndi Eliya wa ku Tisibe kuti, 29“Kodi waona mmene Ahabu wadzichepetsera pamaso panga? Chifukwa wadzichepetsa, sindidzabweretsa mavuto amenewa pa nthawi ya moyo wake, koma ndidzawabweretsa pa nyumba yake pa nthawi ya mwana wake.”
Naboth’s Vineyard
1Some time later there was an incident involving a vineyard belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. The vineyard was in Jezreel, close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2Ahab said to Naboth, “Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth.”
3But Naboth replied, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors.”
4So Ahab went home, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my ancestors.” He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat.
5His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, “Why are you so sullen? Why won’t you eat?”
6He answered her, “Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, ‘Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’ ”
7Jezebel his wife said, “Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
8So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, placed his seal on them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city with him. 9In those letters she wrote:
“Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people. 10But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them bring charges that he has cursed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death.”
11So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city did as Jezebel directed in the letters she had written to them. 12They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth in a prominent place among the people. 13Then two scoundrels came and sat opposite him and brought charges against Naboth before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed both God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death. 14Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”
15As soon as 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 that he refused to sell you. He is no longer alive, but dead.” 16When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of Naboth’s vineyard.
17Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: 18“Go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who rules in Samaria. He is now in Naboth’s vineyard, where he has gone to take possession of it. 19Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Have you not murdered a man and seized his property?’ Then say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: In the place where dogs licked up Naboth’s blood, dogs will lick up your blood—yes, yours!’ ”
20Ahab said to Elijah, “So you have found me, my enemy!”
“I have found you,” he answered, “because you have sold yourself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord. 21He says, ‘I am going to bring disaster on you. I will wipe out your descendants and cut off from Ahab every last male in Israel—slave or free.21:21 Or Israel—every ruler or leader 22I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have aroused my anger and have caused Israel to sin.’
23“And also concerning Jezebel the Lord says: ‘Dogs will devour Jezebel by the wall of21:23 Most Hebrew manuscripts; a few Hebrew manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac (see also 2 Kings 9:26) the plot of ground at Jezreel.’
24“Dogs will eat those belonging to Ahab who die in the city, and the birds will feed on those who die in the country.”
25(There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. 26He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel.)
27When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly.
28Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: 29“Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.”
