1 Kings 21

¹Now Naboth the Jezreelite had a vine-garden in Jezreel, near the house of Ahab, king of Samaria.

²And Ahab said to Naboth, Give me your vine-garden so that I may have it for a garden of sweet plants, for it is near my house; and let me give you a better vine-garden in exchange, or, if it seems good to you, let me give you its value in money.

³But Naboth said to Ahab, By the Lord, far be it from me to give you the heritage of my fathers.

⁴So Ahab came into his house bitter and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him, I will not give you the heritage of my fathers. And stretching himself on the bed with his face turned away, he would take no food.

⁵But Jezebel, his wife, came to him and said, Why is your spirit so bitter that you have no desire for food?

⁶And he said to her, Because I was talking to Naboth the Jezreelite, and I said to him, Let me have your vine-garden for a price, or, if it is pleasing to you, I will give you another vine-garden for it: and he said, I will not give you my vine-garden.

⁷Then Jezebel, his wife, said, Are you now the ruler of Israel? Get up, take food, and let your heart be glad; I will give you the vine-garden of Naboth the Jezreelite.

⁸So she sent a letter in Ahab's name, stamped with his stamp, to the responsible men and the chiefs who were in authority with Naboth.

⁹And in the letter she said, Let a time of public sorrow be fixed, and put Naboth at the head of the people;

¹⁰And get two good-for-nothing persons to come before him and give witness that he has been cursing God and the king. Then take him out and have him stoned to death.