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.”
Shamba La Mizabibu La Nabothi
121:1 2Fal 9:21; 1Sam 29:1Baada ya hayo, Nabothi, Myezreeli, alikuwa na shamba la mizabibu jirani na jumba la kifalme la Ahabu mfalme wa Samaria. 2Ahabu akamwambia Nabothi, “Nipe shamba lako la mizabibu nilitumie kwa bustani ya mboga, kwa kuwa liko karibu na jumba langu la kifalme. Badala yake, nitakupa shamba jingine la mizabibu zuri zaidi au, kama utapenda, nitakulipa kiasi chochote unachoona ni thamani yake.”
321:3 Law 25:23Lakini Nabothi akamjibu, “Bwana na apishe mbali kukupa wewe urithi wa baba zangu.”
421:4 1Fal 20:43; Isa 28:23Basi Ahabu akaenda nyumbani, mwenye huzuni na hasira kwa sababu ya yale ambayo Nabothi, Myezreeli, alikuwa amesema, “Sitakupa urithi wa baba zangu.” Akajinyoosha juu ya kitanda akisononeka, na akakataa kula.
5Yezebeli mke wake akaingia na akamuuliza, “Kwa nini unahuzunika hivi? Kwa nini huli chakula?”
6Akamjibu, “Kwa sababu nilimwambia Nabothi, Myezreeli, ‘Niuzie shamba lako la mizabibu, au kama ukipenda, nitakupa shamba jingine la mizabibu badala yake.’ Lakini akasema, ‘Sitakupa shamba langu la mizabibu.’ ”
721:7 1Sam 8:14Yezebeli mke wake akasema, “Hivi ndivyo unavyofanya, nawe ni mfalme katika Israeli yote? Inuka na ule! Changamka. Nitakupatia shamba la mizabibu la Nabothi, Myezreeli.”
821:8 Mwa 38:18Kwa hiyo akaandika barua kwa jina la Ahabu akaweka muhuri wake juu ya hizo barua, akazipeleka kwa wazee na kwa watu wenye cheo walioishi katika mji pamoja na Nabothi. 9Katika barua hizo aliandika:
“Tangazeni siku ya watu kufunga na mkamketishe Nabothi mahali pa wazi miongoni mwa watu. 1021:10 Kut 22:28; Law 24:15-16; Mdo 6:11Lakini waketisheni watu wawili wabaya kabisa mkabala naye, nao washuhudie kuwa yeye amemlaani Mungu na mfalme. Kisha mtoeni nje na kumpiga kwa mawe hadi afe.”
11Hivyo wazee na watu wenye cheo walioishi katika mji wa Nabothi wakafanya kama Yezebeli alivyoelekeza katika barua aliyowaandikia. 1221:12 Isa 58:4Wakatangaza mfungo na kumketisha Nabothi mahali pa wazi miongoni mwa watu. 1321:13 Law 24:16Kisha watu wawili wabaya kabisa wakaja wakaketi mkabala naye, nao wakaleta mashtaka dhidi ya Nabothi mbele ya watu, wakisema, “Nabothi amemlaani Mungu na mfalme.” Kwa hiyo wakamtoa nje na kumpiga kwa mawe hadi akafa. 14Kisha wakatuma ujumbe kwa Yezebeli, kusema, “Nabothi amepigwa mawe na amekufa.”
1521:15 1Sam 8:14Mara tu Yezebeli aliposikia kwamba Nabothi amepigwa mawe na amekufa, akamwambia Ahabu, “Amka na uchukue lile shamba la mizabibu la Nabothi, Myezreeli, ambalo alikataa kukuuzia. Hayuko hai tena, bali amekufa.” 16Ahabu aliposikia Nabothi amekufa, akainuka na kushuka ili kulichukua shamba la mizabibu la Nabothi.
17Kisha neno la Bwana likamjia Eliya, Mtishbi: 18“Shuka ukakutane na Ahabu mfalme wa Israeli, anayetawala Samaria. Sasa yuko katika shamba la mizabibu la Nabothi, ambapo amekwenda alimiliki. 1921:19 Ay 24:6; 1Fal 22:38Umwambie, ‘Hivi ndivyo Bwana asemavyo: Je, hujamuua mtu na kuitwaa mali yake?’ Kisha umwambie, ‘Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana: Mahali ambapo mbwa waliramba damu ya Nabothi, mbwa watairamba damu yako, naam, yako wewe!’ ”
2021:20 1Fal 18:17; Rum 7:14Ahabu akamwambia Eliya, “Kwa hiyo umenipata, wewe adui yangu!”
Akajibu, “Ndiyo, nimekupata. Kwa sababu umejiuza mwenyewe kufanya uovu mbele ya macho ya Bwana. 21‘Nitaleta maafa juu yako. Nitaangamiza uzao wako na kukatilia mbali kutoka kwa Ahabu kila mzaliwa wa mwisho wa kiume katika Israeli, wa mtumwa au wa mtu huru. 2221:22 1Fal 16:3Nitaifanya nyumba yako kama ile ya Yeroboamu mwana wa Nebati na ile ya Baasha mwana wa Ahiya, kwa sababu umenighadhibisha kwa kuwa umesababisha Israeli kutenda dhambi.’
2321:23 2Fal 9:10, 34-36“Pia kwa habari ya Yezebeli Bwana anasema, ‘Mbwa watamla Yezebeli karibu na ukuta wa Yezreeli.’
2421:24 1Fal 14:11; Mwa 40:19“Mbwa watawala wale wa nyumba ya Ahabu watakaofia mjini, nao wale watakaofia mashambani wataliwa na ndege wa angani.”
25(Hapajapata kamwe kuwa na mtu kama Ahabu, aliyejiuza mwenyewe kutenda uovu machoni mwa Bwana, akiwa anachochewa na Yezebeli mkewe. 2621:26 Mwa 15:16Alitenda kwa uovu sana katika kuabudu sanamu, kama wale Waamori ambao Bwana aliowafukuza mbele ya Israeli.)
2721:27 Mwa 37:34; Yer 4:8; Isa 38:15Ahabu aliposikia maneno haya, akararua nguo zake, akavaa nguo za gunia na kufunga. Akalala na kujifunika nguo za gunia na kwenda kwa unyenyekevu.
28Ndipo neno la Bwana lilipomjia Eliya Mtishbi kusema, 2921:29 Kut 32:14; 2Fal 9:26“Umeona jinsi Ahabu alivyojinyenyekeza mbele zangu? Kwa kuwa amejishusha mwenyewe, sitaleta maafa haya wakati akiwa hai, lakini nitayaleta juu ya nyumba yake katika siku za mwanawe.”
