Monday, June 15, 2026

¹After these things, Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard which was in Jezreel, next to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.

²Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying, "Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near my house; and I will give you for it a better vineyard than it. Or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its worth in money."

³Naboth said to Ahab, "May the LORD forbid me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you!"

⁴Ahab came into his house sullen and angry because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him, for he had said, "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers." He laid himself down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.

⁵But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said to him, "Why is your spirit so sad that you eat no bread?"

⁶He said to her, "Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite, and said to him, 'Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if it pleases you, I will give you another vineyard for it.' He answered, 'I will not give you my vineyard.'"

⁷Jezebel his wife said to him, "Do you now govern the kingdom of Israel? Arise, and eat bread, and let your heart be merry. I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite."

⁸So she wrote letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders and to the nobles who were in his city, who lived with Naboth.

⁹She wrote in the letters, saying, "Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.

¹⁰Set two men, wicked fellows, before him, and let them testify against him, saying, 'You cursed God and the king!' Then carry him out, and stone him to death."

¹¹The men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had instructed them in the letters which she had written and sent to them.

¹²They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.

¹³The two men, the wicked fellows, came in and sat before him. The wicked fellows testified against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, "Naboth cursed God and the king!" Then they carried him out of the city and stoned him to death with stones.

¹⁴Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, "Naboth has been stoned and is dead."

¹⁵When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, "Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead."

¹⁶When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

²Give ear to my words, LORD. Consider my meditation.

³Listen to the voice of my cry, my King and my God, for I pray to you.

⁵For you are not a God who has pleasure in wickedness. Evil can't live with you.

⁶The arrogant will not stand in your sight. You hate all workers of iniquity.

⁷You will destroy those who speak lies. The LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

³⁸"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.'

³⁹But I tell you, don't resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.

⁴⁰If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also.

⁴¹Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.

⁴²Give to him who asks you, and don't turn away him who desires to borrow from you.