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.”
葡萄园事件
1这事以后，又发生了一件事。耶斯列人拿伯在耶斯列有个葡萄园，在撒玛利亚王亚哈的王宫附近。 2一天，亚哈对拿伯说：“你的葡萄园靠近我的王宫，你把它让给我作菜园吧。我可以用更好的葡萄园来跟你交换，如果你愿意，我也可以按价付你钱。” 3拿伯说：“耶和华不准我把祖先的产业让给你。” 4亚哈因为耶斯列人拿伯不肯把祖先的产业让给他，就闷闷不乐地回到宫中，躺在床上生气，饭也不吃。
5他妻子耶洗别过来问他：“王为什么烦闷，不思饮食呢？” 6亚哈回答说：“我要耶斯列人拿伯将他的葡萄园卖给我，如果他愿意，我也可以用别的葡萄园跟他交换，可是他不肯。” 7耶洗别说：“你不是以色列王吗？起来吃饭吧，高兴点，我必让你得到耶斯列人拿伯的葡萄园。”
8于是，耶洗别以亚哈王的名义写信，并盖上王印，送给跟拿伯同居一城的长老和贵族。 9信上说：“你们要宣告禁食，让拿伯在百姓中坐首位， 10叫两个无赖坐在他对面控告他咒诅上帝和君王，然后把他拉出去用石头打死。” 11与拿伯同居一城的长老和贵族便照信里的指示行事。 12他们宣告禁食，让拿伯在百姓中坐首位， 13又叫两名无赖当众作证，指控拿伯咒诅上帝和君王。众人就把拿伯拖出城外，用石头打死了他。 14然后，他们派人去把拿伯被石头打死的消息告诉耶洗别。
15耶洗别接到消息后，就告诉亚哈说：“耶斯列人拿伯已经死了，你去占他不肯卖给你的葡萄园吧。” 16亚哈听说耶斯列人拿伯死了，就起来，下去霸占拿伯的葡萄园。
17耶和华对提斯比人以利亚说： 18“你去撒玛利亚见以色列王亚哈，他正在拿伯的葡萄园，他到那里要霸占那葡萄园。 19你要对他说，‘耶和华说，你杀了人，还要夺他的产业吗？’然后告诉他，耶和华说，‘狗在哪里舔拿伯的血，也必在哪里舔你的血。’”
20亚哈见了以利亚，说：“我的对头啊，你又来找我了！”以利亚说：“我又来找你了，因为你一心做耶和华视为恶的事。 21耶和华说，‘我必降祸给你，彻底毁灭你，从以色列铲除你家所有的男子，不管是奴隶还是自由人。 22我必使你一家的下场像尼八的儿子耶罗波安家和亚希雅的儿子巴沙家一样，因为你惹我发怒，并且使以色列人陷入罪中。’ 23至于耶洗别，耶和华说，‘狗必在耶斯列的城墙边吃耶洗别的肉。 24凡属亚哈的人，死在城中的必被狗吃，死在郊野的必被飞鸟吃。’”
25从来没有人像亚哈那样受妻子耶洗别唆使，一心做耶和华视为恶的事。 26他像被耶和华驱逐的亚摩利人一样祭拜偶像，行为可憎。 27亚哈听了以利亚的话，就撕裂衣服，披麻禁食，睡觉也不脱下麻衣，垂头丧气地走来走去。 28耶和华对提斯比人以利亚说： 29“你看见亚哈在我面前如何谦卑了吗？因为他在我面前谦卑，我不会在他有生之日降灾，我要等他儿子执政的时候，才降灾给他家。”
